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Vallonia Branch RR

Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in Pennsylvania

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Vallonia Branch RR

 #843785  by TB Diamond
 
Anyone have any information about this operation which shows on the SPV Northeast Railroad Atlas and which serves the Kebert Industrial Park.

The industrial park was once the Keystone Ordnance Works which during World War Two produced more TNT than any other plant in the United States before it was converted to the manufacture of large artillery shells.

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #843951  by EMTRailfan
 
TB Diamond wrote:Anyone have any information about this operation which shows on the SPV Northeast Railroad Atlas and which serves the Kebert Industrial Park.

The industrial park was once the Keystone Ordnance Works which during World War Two produced more TNT than any other plant in the United States before it was converted to the manufacture of large artillery shells.
Located in Meadville? If so, it is a former Bessemer branch. I'm not too up on the history of the line, but there was an automotive plastic mold company that made door liners (not sure what make), but that has since been long gone . There is one scrap customer still (rarely) served by WNYP not too far off of their main. After this customer, the remaining line is severed, and there is a center-cab on back the line. Rumor has it that the owner still fires it up about once a month to keep everything turning.

I am thinking that I have seen that the "Villonia Branch RR" is a paper RR to keep the line in place. I was thinking it was under another name, but I could be wrong.

***EDIT*** If you go to Google Maps, you can trace the line very well, and see the center-cab sitting at the plant.

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #844412  by TB Diamond
 
Not actually in Meadville but south and a bit west. The origional plant covered over 20 square miles and had an extensive rail system.
Last edited by TB Diamond on Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #844590  by EMTRailfan
 
TB Diamond wrote:Not actually in Meadville but south and a bit west. The origional plant covered hunderds of acres and had an extensive rail system.
The "Villonia Branch" is northwest out of the WNYP Yard in Meadville, right in town as I stated. It is still in the confines of Meadville. By what you are describing by location and size, this sounds more like the current NS PPG Lead. I have seen information on this, and know from chasing the NS job, that is does go through some sort of former military base or something. I think the surrounding ground is still US Gov't property as there are US Shield No Trespassing signs still up everywhere.

Other than what I just stated, I know nothing more on the history of this line. The current NS Meadville Line that the PPG Lead connects to (at a place called Stony Point) is former ERIE RR. I don't know if this ordinance center would have been switched by ERIE, or had it's own switching service. Being that it was a Federal Installation, I would assume the latter.

By taking a look at http://www.pennpilot.psu.edu/ , there is nothing there in the 1937-42 photo. In the 57-62 photo, you can see some pretty extensive remains.

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #844913  by TB Diamond
 
That is the place. The government sold the entire complex to a private individual in the 1960s. The signs are simply vestiges of government ownership. One rail line still serves the PPG facility within the plant. The government did keep 500 acres which is utilized by a U.S. Army Reserve Center.

Please note that SPV has it as the Vallonia Branch RR, not the Villonia Branch.

The military would have had their own switch locomotive at the plant.

Thank you for the info.

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #845578  by EMTRailfan
 
TB Diamond wrote:That is the place. The government sold the entire complex to a private individual in the 1960s. The signs are simply vestiges of government ownership. One rail line still serves the PPG facility within the plant. The government did keep 500 acres which is utilized by a U.S. Army Reserve Center.

Please note that SPV has it as the Vallonia Branch RR, not the Villonia Branch.

The military would have had their own switch locomotive at the plant.

Thank you for the info.
Honestly, I am 95% certain that the "Ordinance Branch" has/had nothing to do with Villonia anything, and the SVP is incorrect. I have no idea if/what "my stated" Villonia Branch was before it was the Villonia Branch of the Bessemer. The predecessor may have been the Villonia Branch RR, or it may be the current owner as a paper RR to keep the line in place as I stated in another post. Like I said, there IS an operational loco on the line. As far as the name I do not know, but I have seen that whatever it is is merely a paper RR for that reason. Much like the West Erie RR, which is also Bessemer trackage.

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #845736  by TB Diamond
 
EMT:

Will assume that SPV has made an error.

Reed's Comprehensive Guide To Industrial Locomotives lists a Meadville Redevelopment Authority "Interpark RR" at 18257 Industrial Drive in Meadville with a ex-USN GE 80t loco. This may be what you are referring to but I am not sure.

Reed makes no mention of the Vallonia Branch RR.

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #849148  by EMTRailfan
 
I just got an email from a friend that has read our discussion with more knowledge than I about this:
Kevin,

I was looking at the RAILFAN.net website and found you guys discussion on the Vallonia Branch and PPG Lead.

You mentioned that the Interpark RR (the trackage out to the industrial park) was former Bessemer...not so. It was ERIE/E-L/Conrail and was known as the Vallonia Branch. Conrail sold the trackage to the Meadville Redevelopment Authority back in 1994, and they in turn formed the Interpark Rail Corporation in 1995.

The only trackage in Meadville that is former Bessemer is the track out to Dad's Dog Food...that is the former Meadville Branch mainline. Bessemer sold this section of track to Conrail back in 1977 when they abandoned the remainder of the branch.

As for the PPG Lead, that was formerly known as the "Keystone Ordnance Track"...it was built in 1942 to serve the U.S. Army's Ordnance works of the same name. The KOW property was sold to the Kebort family in the 1960's, who in turn a portion of it to PPG for their glass plant.

KOW had at least three (and possibly more) locomotives that they purchased new from GE Erie for use at the plant. One was a GE 65-tonner and the third unit an 80-tonner. I have some pictures of them somewhere if I can ever dig them out (all three were subsequently sold or transferred when KOW closed down).

Ron

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #863847  by hirail53
 
The Vallonia Branch Railroad interchange is/was east of Meadville Farm & Garden Supply. It crossed Mead, then Bessemer streets, ran north, then entered the RR gate of the Crawford Development Corp industrial park. Tracks within the industrial park were: storage 2, storage 1, scale, 1,2,3,4,5 and 6. All tracks ended at Broadway Rd. The only times that I saw the centercab switcher move was when I needed it moved for my hirail access.

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #1092544  by Schuylkill Valley
 
Question, Is the track still in? I heard from a rail fan that the owner of the plant ripped out the track and left the 80 ton loco high and dry.

Len.

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #1093177  by Ron S.
 
The line was removed in 2011. The GE 80-ton was still at the industrial park in September, 2011. I have checked since to see if it's still there.

Ron S.

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #1093875  by pumpers
 
The above posts seem to differ on whether the Vallonia Branch was a former B&LE track or not.
I looked at the 1922 Sanborn Insurance maps. The BLE had a freight yard with 4 or 5 tracks, inlcuding a freight house and passenger station, just west of the Erie tracks, just south of Mead Ave/Arch St. One track continued north from this yard, curved west to cross French Creek and then north to cross Race St toward Rogers Ferry Rd, clearly the modern (or former?) Vallonia brach. The map labels it a BLE track. JS

Re: Vallonia Branch RR

 #1093876  by pumpers
 
pumpers wrote:The above posts seem to differ on whether the Vallonia Branch/Interpark RR was a former B&LE track or not.
I looked at the 1922 Sanborn Insurance maps. The BLE had a freight yard with 4 or 5 tracks, inlcuding a freight house and passenger station, just west of the Erie tracks, just south of Mead Ave/Arch St. One track continued north from this yard, curved west to cross French Creek and then north to cross Race St toward Rogers Ferry Rd, clearly the modern (or former?) Vallonia brach. The map labels it a BLE track. JS

Keystone Orndance Works on Erie VS Vallonia

 #1093898  by CarterB
 
Located here where PPG plant is now off the Erie

41°32'22"N 80°13'31"W

The old GE loco can be seen on Vallonia on Bing or Acme maps at about N 41.65607 W 80.16950

Old Erie turntable pit outline here N 41.64005 W 80.15895
(reference old map http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/25610/Meadville/)
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