Gershow Accounts Gone?

Upon observations of late along the Bay Ridge branch near Sutter Avenue it would appear that the extent of the weed/jungle growth on the Gershow siding leaves me to beleve that the Gershow account is Kaput...anyone have any additional information? Additionally, I saw a clearly marked Gershow tractor trailer turning north on the Van Wyck from Atlantic Avneue the other day making me believe it was on it's way to Medford from the ENY location.

Not sure about the Brooklyn switch, but rail operations may have been consolidated to their main operation in Medford.

Sometimes Gershow holds off on shipping for a number of reasons. Not sure what the price of scrap steel is going for right now, but if it is low for the kind of recycled steel he has, he may hold it to drive the price up.

For those who do not know, Gershow's method of recycling steel from cars results in one of the more "cleaner" and more useable grinded steel. it is one of only a handful of scrappers that can offer this product. So if they hold back on the supply, they control enough of the business to drive the price of steel upward. You can usually tell when this is happening from the huge steel mountain of scrap in Medford.

Jay

Yeah, I noticed the 'mountain' is growing....occasionally ride the Canarsie (L) line that gives good views of the Bay Ridge from Broadway Junction all the way down to Linden Yards (New Lots Ave). I did hear from a friend that train loads from Gershow at Medford are also down. You might have a point about what's going on at the sites.

Another thing to remember is with the slowdown in the economy, the demand for steel goes down as well. Nowhere to ship it.

Jay

Just shipments into their facility at Medford. A couple of loaded gondolas only. Haven't seen any loads out of there in months.

They're getting loads of scrap metal now. They're actually shipping to China since the price for scrap there is more than it is over here.

Gershow does buy scrap from other dealers who can't afford to hold on to it until the prices rise.

Jay

Actually, on closer inspection the problem may infact be that the metal crusher/shredder at Gershow East New York is Kaput and not their contract with NYA. Saw the machine and it looked like the conveyor belt-drive was broken.