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  • Reading dockside warehouse in Philadelphia

  • Discussion Related to the Reading Company 1833-1976 and it's predecessors Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway.
Discussion Related to the Reading Company 1833-1976 and it's predecessors Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway.

Moderator: Franklin Gowen

 #592348  by Schaffner
 
I've seen photos of a dockside warehouse on the Delaware River that was owned by the Reading that had a truss bridge leading to a second floor track. Is it still standing, or has it been demolished?

It was definately an interesting looking structure. Does anyone know why they had a track on the second floor as well instead of just unloading freight on the first floor and moving it with an elevator?
 #592545  by westernfalls
 
Long gone.
The one you mention was probably the one at Noble St. but there was another with upper level tracks in Port Richmond.
Why? Because they could; somebody must have been convinced that it made for a more efficient operation.
 #598678  by RDG467
 
That was pier 27 and yes, it's long gone. It stood across Del Ave. from where the cold storage warehouse still stands.

Not sure about what was handled from the elevated track, but I remember seeing pix of gondolas being pushed up the ramp to the pier.

i've attached a photo from the Philly Archives showing the bridge in 1929. The booklet on Port Richmond that was published by the Reading in the 50's may tell more about this pier, but I don't have it handy at the moment.
Del & Spr Garden lkg south to pier 27.jpg
Del & Spr Garden lkg south to pier 27.jpg (37.75 KiB) Viewed 12972 times
 #599499  by glennk419
 
On a somewhat related note, the Reading Frankford branch also terminated in the second floor of a warehouse. This was a private facility owned by Frankford-Unity Grocers.
 #948823  by JimBoylan
 
Not a Reading Co. pier, but there was another bridge across Delaware Ave. to the 2nd story of a pier in South Philadelphia near Morris St.
The track crossing Delaware Ave. in the foreground of the above photo is the trolley track to Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co.'s Pier 34 North.
 #989978  by MrBill
 
1914 shot looking the other way at the Pier 27 bridge. Dale Woodland's 2nd Reading diesel book has a great modern shot of the front of the pier showing the bridge and the lead up grade as well.
Image