From Ed Blysard (Nov 18 2006)
There is a switch…located in between the points of the switch, known as a submarine switch.
You will find the switch or turnout handle located under a steel door directly between the points of the switch, flush with the dock surface.
Often, but not always, only one point of the switch moves.
Above switch only moves one switch point.
Below moves both.
Not fun to work, they are always full of old, nasty dirty water and gunk…
Another local (to Phila) bakery-type business which still uses rail is the Philadelphia Macaroni Company on Jacksonville Rd. in Warminster, Pa. Their siding holds 4 modern covered hoppers. They only get service at night, though, because the spur comes off of an active heavy-rail commuter line owned by SEPTA. They were rail-served for many years, dropped it for a while and have been rail-served for the past 5 years or so.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.1856508,-75.0940691,18.74z?hl=en
Thanks, Overmod and Ed. It looks kinda like the streetcar way of doing things.
I worked for Cargill Flour Milling 1981-1998 and observed many changes within the industry. The mill @ Newton made millions metric tons of export flour yr after yr for Egypt, Sudan, Somallia, Yemen and even Iraq. Loaded in 50-ft boxcars, 1350 bags to a car. This was through the USDA flour enhancement program that was killed by Congress in the 90s. This market change forced mills to either find domestic clients or go out of business (Both took place). Newton mill converted to all domestic bulk business until bringing in some domestic sacked business starting in 2011. In conjunction with the 100th yr of the mill in Newton, a book is set to be released by Mennonite Press in October that covers the SF & UP connections w/the local mill trade. “Trackside At The Mill-1981-1998”. 500 copies are to be printed which should begin this wk.
The ADM mill in Beech Grove ships out some flour in bags, but as far as I can tell the bags all go by truck, bulk flour goes by truck and rail. Incoming SRW wheat is delivered by truck and HR wheat comes in by rail from the west. I used to haul there until they stopped taking dump trailers. PR