Rail Service For ex-Oregon Ave Auto Terminal In Philly

[One of One-Sixty]

I am trying to find any info related to the ex-auto terminal located at Oregon Ave and S Columbus Blvd.  Mainly what I am trying to find out is when did rail service end here, as well as did CP service this terminal with NS and CSX like they do Packer Marine and the other ports in the area?

Also looking at maps of the area, what kind of rail capacity did it have?  It looks like it could only handle a few auto racks at a time that was split up into 4 sections with any excess autoracks stored in the intermodal yard near by.

[jmlaboda]

"Oregon Ave and S Columbus Blvd."

Street addresses are good if the reader knows what city you are talking about but for those who don't they really should not have to Google to figure out what the city is.  I suspect that you are talking about Philly???

[One of One-Sixty]

Sorry, that's what you get when you try to post when half-asleep coming from work. 

The area is South Philly, across from the Packer Marine Terminal and Pier 96. 

[Blazeman]

Been going past that intersection for 50 years and never remember autos there. For those who used to be there, Columbus Ave was Delaware Ave.

There is a former Flexi-flo terminal, now a Transflo on Oregon Ave a block south of Columbus.  B&O used to have their TOFC terminal (circus ramp) a few blocks north of Oregon on Columbus.  A few blocks south was the ore pier.

Right now, I recall a large UPS structure at that intersection.

And of course, a few blocks west on Oregon near Front is a location dear to every Philadelphians' heart: Tony Luke's. Park in the middle of the street and walk over, which is the real Philly way. Get your pork with broccoli rabe or spinach.

[rswinnerton]

Johns Roast Pork is better than Tony Luke's.

Anyway, Sean (gonzoCRfan) is the resident expert. I expect he'll chime in.
Russ

[Hiroe]

If it was the "new" 4-track facility just to the north of the Walt Whitman Bridge, it's been a few years since anything was shipped in/out of there. I seem to recall it was all import vehicles being brought in from overseas.

[One of One-Sixty]

Drew: That's the facility I am talking about.  I can find info about the piers and the intermodal yard, but nothing really about that facility.  I'm curious, now that Hyundai Motors USA is calling Packer Marine home for it's roll on roll off services for the cars they import what does that mean for rail shipments of vehicles in the area.

Blazeman:  The UPS building you see there, is the UPS Metro Hub, spent many holiday seasons working there unloading and sorting the feeder trucks.

The B&O TOFC

For cheese steaks, I go to Fairmount Pizza near Eastern State Penitentiary or Super Deli over by 34th & Spring Garden a few blocks north of Drexel.


Here is a link to the area I am talking about.  http://goo.gl/maps/0sYL3  In the google map sat view you can see where the auto carriers would line up to load/unload.

[GonzoCRFan]

It isn't really that the facility closed...more like it was built and never really opened.

From what I recall, NS and CP were jointly operating trains of export vehicles into the facility for a VERY short time, probably about 10 years ago. Business never took off, probably for the most obvious reasons: you still gotta drive the things down to the actual pierhead, or vice versa. So that terminal stands along with the ill-fated NS intermodal terminal on the former Navy Yard as a testament that the only ways you can ever stimulate Souf Philly's economy involves opening a big-box store or strip club.

[GonzoCRFan]

Park in the middle of the street and walk over, which is the real Philly way.

RESPECT!