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The Philadelphia Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society Established in 1936

Railfan Pictures of the Week - 05/30/2004

Pier 122 Greenwich Yard Philadelphia PA April 16 2004

Once the largest dedicated bulk handling facility on the Philadelphia waterfront, Pier 122 was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad to handle iron pellets from South America. Its four bulk unloading cranes fed two conveyor belts to a transfer house, and the tracks could handle up to 400 of the G38 and G39 ore jennies. Later owned by Penn Central, Conrail and now Norfolk Southern, the ore shipments ceased in 1998. During operation in the winter months, ore was stored in piles on the open frozen ground, which would later thaw and cause the much heavier ore to sink into the river bank, creating what has been called one of the largest man made iron ore deposits on the east coast. Remaining along with that ore and the disused pier complex itself are the four mules built by the Atlas Car and Manufacturing Company of Cleveland OH, used to shuttle the cars around the loaders. They await their fate, either preservation or scrapping, whichever comes first.

All pictures April 16 2004 c. 2004 John P. Almeida

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Website created June 12, 2002

Last Updated May 30, 2004