the McMyler coal dumper

[davebdawg]

Is That the South Amboy Mcmylers off in the distance? Right in the middle next to the poles:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 198&nseq=0
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 473&nseq=4

[CAR_FLOATER]

Yes

[chessie jackson]

when did those come down? i don't remember seeing them as a kid

[CAR_FLOATER]

I believe the last dumping was in 1985, but I will have to check my notes for an exact date.

[umtrr-author]

There is a 45 minute video called "Rebuilding the Reading Car Dumper" that shows, well, the rebuilding of the Reading's coal car dumper in September 1945. Included is the first car dumped using the rebuilt dumper. This video was available in VHS format. I don't know if it was ever offered on DVD or if any segments have made it online, legally or otherwise.

Referenced on the box for this video is a V.S. Roseman article in the April 1993 issue of Model Railroading magazine (not Model Railroader) titled "Coal Dumpers Part I an Overview and a Look at the Port Reading Facility."

[chessie jackson]

sounds like something that would be difficult to get your hands on but totally worth it. thanks for sharing! i'll have to start searching now haha.

[red baron]

when did those come down? i don't remember seeing them as a kid

Last use of the South Amboy dumpers was right around the early Penn Central era, 1969 or thereabouts. I'm not sure if both were in service right until the end.
They were scrapped sometime during the early 1980s. I recall the thawing sheds and the dumper still standing during 1981, but gone not too long after that.

[chessie jackson]

ahh that would explain it.. they were scrapped before i was born. i missed out on a lot!

[SoAmboybrakeman]

Gentlemen, I happened to come across the McMyler site thru Google and saw all the interest in the McMyler dumpers. I have first hand knowledge of the operation of the two dumpers at South Amboy. I hired out as a brakeman for the PRR at the beginning of Sept, 1966. My first assignment was as a car rider on the dumpers. Over the next three years, I worked the job many times both daylight and middle trick, there was no last trick crew. It was a very unique operation and I 've always been of the opinion that if you could ride cars on the dumpers, riding cars on any hump yard was a snap. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask. SA brakeman

[trackwelder]

in philadelphia ther e was a McMyler along the delaware river at the old reading main terminus in the port richmond section of the city. unfortunatley it was removed for scrap in the early 90's, but tht pier, a huge concrete affair, is still there, in relatively decent shape.

[davebdawg]

Has anyone heard about the fate of the dumper lately, as it's been OOS for a long time and with all that new building in the area just thought that it would be an eyesore at best for any new neighbors there.

[TAMR213]

AFAIK its still there, slowly being reclaimed by nature.

[Kevinhooa]

Digging up an old thread here. I was finally able to get to this McMyler the other day. It's still standing but a friend told me that Hurricane Irene knocked the chute down and it is indeed sitting vertical instead of out at 90 degrees like it normally is. I was able to park on Tappan road and walk right over to it. Unfortunately the scrappers have been tearing up the inside of this thing and there was evidence that they have been working pretty regularly in there. I talked to the guy at the trailer transfer yard next door and he said nobody is claiming it. I figured the town or township would of owned it but maybe not. It's an amazing piece of equipment and I'm glad I got to see it. I should have the pictures on my flickr in a couple of days.

Does anyone know the approximate location of former South Amboy coal loaders?

[davebdawg]

Here's a webpage i found for the PortReading coal dumper that's really Kewl!!! Very much to detail!!!
http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/page ... 93-page-44
And some pictures too:
http://jtunnel.rrpicturearchives.net/ar ... x?id=32518

[davebdawg]

Looks like the dumper is really getting devoured by nature and copper scrappers alike, as seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffs4653/ ... 220065174/
Now one of my questions would be that if someone or something, (a barge tied up alongside the dumper) was hurt of damaged by the delapidated dumper who would be responsible? Since it has been divorced by the railroad decades ago what would it be considered as?