F.X. Matt Brewery in Utica, N.Y.

Is the trackage and switch still located out in the street?

Yes, the switch and trackage remain in use on Schuyler Street.

johnpbarlow wrote:Re: UC commercials of the '60s, how about the talking beer steins, Schultz and Dooley?

http://www.schultzanddooleyonline.com/

Gawd, I remember them...my old man left behind a set of original steins. He was a Midwesterner who married into a Utica family...and his beer of choice, when on our family outings in the Adirondacks, was Utica Club.

That was in the 1950s - early 1960s. By the time I was old enough to quaff, late 1970s, UC had a reputation as a "skunky" beer...by then I lived in Western New York, at the far end of the West End distribution line.

Had the brewery tour about ten years later, with the ex...quite entertaining and informative. Got a chance to buy some "samples," trial beers that hadn't been okayed for general marketing...very good!

We lost something when the regional brews disappeared. Good for F.X. Matt.

And the tracks on Schuyler Street? Amazed that that continues. I'd have thought they wouldn't have survived the Conrail upheaval...as I recall (from my mother's uncle, a train buff who liked to talk to me about such things) they were part of the DL&W.

Really enjoyed this thread and the history included. I found Utica Club beer here in the Portland, Maine area for the first time today, and being a sucker for cheaper classics (Schaefer being the favorite), decided to grab a 6er. Pretty tasty! Anyway, I googled it of course, to see if their brewery might use rail, and this is what it currently says on Wikipedia- "The brewery is served by the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway (NYS&W) from their line next to the brewery which runs down the middle of Schuyler Street. The NYS&W delivers covered hoppers carrying the grain products needed for brewing. Insulated boxcars carrying the finished product out of the brewery are also brought out daily by NYS&W. Gondolas carrying glass for recycling are also seen in the consist of NYS&W locals serving the brewery." Checked it out on Google maps i think it was, and there was a line of covered hoppers set out on the spur to the brewery in the most recent image. Cheers!

Here are three short videos showing NYS&W switching the brewery:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wXwIYVwtgU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_vwCf2AyJ8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tSP60B0MyU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;