Relics in the Milton,PA plant?

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

A quick drive by and a Google maps flyover seems to suggest there are some rusty railroad relics inside the ACF plant in Milton, PA. I spotted at least one boxcar, seemingly truckless, and got glimpses of other "things." google shows what could be a dozen-plus rusty things on rails. Has anyone been inside the plant lately? Or have knowledge of what is there?

Rob

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Jun 21, 2010 11:11 pm

Yo!

The now-former ACF plant in Milton HAD a couple nice relics buried in the shop lines--a PRR 1920's steel boxcar and a vintage Shippers Car Line tank car. The Central Pa. Chapter NRHS arranged for their donation about two decades ago, and they were transferred by road and crane to their trackage up at the ex-Reading station at White Deer, Pa.--now isolated from the rest of the rail system by a collapsed bridge pier.

At the entrance to the plant/offices years ago, the company had a "replica" of their "first tank car," a wooden-frame tank car with two big wooden vats. (Google Maps: Go to 232 N. Arch St, Street View, and look east.) Somewhere, buried in the place ages ago, was a "shell" of part of a former Talgo or Aerotrain-style car--nothing worth saving, by any means. The plant had, over the years (and whether you considered the Shippers Car Line tank car facility to the south as separate or not), 2-3 GE side-rod 45-tonners. I haven't seen them in ages, but I haven't looked in ages, either. Wayne?

If Scott K. or a photo freight specialist were looking for more cars, I'd send them to White Deer first.

[Disclaimer: I am a member of the Central Pa. Chapter NRHS, and as I recall I was their newsletter editor when we got the two cars out of Milton--and I assisted in the move.]

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

I thought a saw green side rodder, but had no time to explore. Thanks for the White Deer info.

Rob

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Jun 21, 2010 11:41 pm

There's more up at White Deer, by the way: a couple more boxcars (including a wooden PRR X23), FIVE Pullman day coaches, a couple hoppers, a couple cabooses, and a chain-drive GE 45-tonner from the Harrisburg area.....

Hint, hint for those en route home on I-80: it's about three minutes north of I-80 on US 15 just over the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. We *should* be open on Sunday. I wonder if anyone from the Convention committee thought to check with that Chapter just to see if that could be an added activity to promote en route to or from the Convention.......

Mr. Ed · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 3:29 pm

Are you sure it's an X-23? I was under the impression that they were all converted to cabooses in 1943 (NX-23.)

Later!
Mr. Ed

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 3:47 pm

At the risk of being condemned yet again for "thread drift"...... aw, heck, you started it, not me....

http://prr.railfan.net/freight/classpage.html?class=X23

Nope. Not all of them were converted to cabooses, only 75 of 6,911. The one we have is one of many (virtually all survivors in the the Penn Central era, as far as I can tell) that was converted to work train service.

Richard W. · **Joined:** Tue Nov 09, 2004 12:27 pm **Posts:** 157

Does anyone have a listing of the freight cars at the NRHS at White Deer? It's amazing how many freight cars are at "Museum's" with almost no documentation.

Richard Wilkens

Warren · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 9:57 pm

Mr. Ed wrote:

Are you sure it's an X-23? I was under the impression that they were all converted to cabooses in 1943 (NX-23.)

Later!
Mr. Ed

Not that it has a bearing on the subject,but wouldn't cabin cars would be more correct in this instance? I mean being PRR and that that stuff.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 10:36 pm

Oh God, ohGodohGodohGod............

The thread is drifting badly enough without getting into dogmatic discussions of which darned translation of the Gospel we're supposed to be reading from, thank you.

Please stand by, I have a request for a full and current roster in the inbox of one of two Central Pa. Chapter members I know has e-mail and an online presence. Maybe we'll get it after the Convention is over.

PrrOpCrew · **Posted:** Wed Jun 23, 2010 5:36 pm

Mr. Ed wrote:

Are you sure it's an X-23? I was under the impression that they were all converted to cabooses in 1943 (NX-23.)

Later!
Mr. Ed

Ed,

Only about 16 or so X23 were converted to NX23 cabin cars in 1942ish? X23's as a whole remained, although by the mid-1950's, if not scrapped, most were in MOW or non-revenue service of some type or another. The NX23's, also if not scrapped, were transferred to the MOW roster as cabin cars for those trains respectively. A few even wound up on PRR-related shortlines, such as the Western Allegheny.

Off the top of my head I think there's at least 2 restored X23's, and 1 truckless restored NX23 in the USA.

Regards,
John

Mr. Ed · **Posted:** Thu Jun 24, 2010 4:28 pm

Thanks. I was going to tell about our NX-23 but didn't want to stray off topic.

Later!
Mr. Ed

digger · **Joined:** Thu Jun 24, 2010 5:19 pm **Posts:** 18

are there pictures online some where of the locomotives that worked around the Berwick ACF plant in the 40's?

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

Just came across this page showing a Matheison dry ice car sans trucks at the ACF plant site in Milton, PA.

Anyone know if this car is still extant? If so, is it the last one?

I am very intrigued with what relics lurk in Milton.

Rob

http://www.richyodermodels.com/mathieson_history.htm

http://www.richyodermodels.com/mathieson_history.htm

junior · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2011 1:21 am

Photo's of the White Deer Collection found here, including the stacked bridge awaiting future replacement of damaged pier.

http://photos.greatrails.net/show/?orde ... ia+Chapter

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:18 am

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

There's more up at White Deer, by the way: a couple more boxcars (including a wooden PRR X23), FIVE Pullman day coaches, a couple hoppers, a couple cabooses, and a chain-drive GE 45-tonner from the Harrisburg area.....

Hint, hint for those en route home on I-80: it's about three minutes north of I-80 on US 15 just over the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. We *should* be open on Sunday. I wonder if anyone from the Convention committee thought to check with that Chapter just to see if that could be an added activity to promote en route to or from the Convention.......

Wow, I could start a museum with all that equipment!