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A wine delivery spends a
Sunday coupled in front of #102 at Kenilworth. A multi-domed
wine tank car, built in June 1929, is marked "Not For Flammable
Liquids" and was lined in May 1947 with Amercoat 23. This shipment
was destined for International Wine. May 31,
1959. Collection of Jeff
Jargosch. |
#17 posts #16 as a sentinel to
guard a boxcar of liquor in the end stall of the Kenilworth Engine
House. Collection of Patty Clark
Gilbride. |
The thirsty people of Union County had a
taste for the ‘good stuff’. The small short line Rahway Valley Railroad
had a few customers online that handled distribution as well as bottling
of spirits and wines.
International Wine was located on its own
siding just south of Kenilworth and was accessed via the first switch
north of the Garden State Parkway overpass. Multi-compartmented six dome
tank cars would frequently be seen on RV freights carrying inbound loads
of wine to be blended and bottled at the Kenilworth plant. In addition to
bottling ‘jug wine’, International Wine also blended and relabeled other
vintages. Additionally, box cars of bottles and supplies, frequently
Southern Pacific ‘cushioned’ cars, were brought inbound. Carloads of
cardboard cases, containing wine in bottles and jugs were then shipped out
to market.
At times, the inbound tank cars would have
to be held for delivery and would be set out by the station or the engine
house for safe keeping. Sometimes, older cars would be used. Diligent
track workers would lend a hand and keep an eye on the 8000 gallon tanks,
just in case one of the valves should start to leak. "Mysteriously", this
could happen and only with faithful attention to securing buckets and pans
could the leaking product be saved. Many an evening’s pasta was washed
down with the RV’s tasty vintage.
If
your tastes ran to the high brow, two consignees on the wye handled the
hard stuff. Gordon, Bass & Company and Baxter Warehouse stocked Hiram
Walker’s Canadian Whiskey. Baxter received one car at a time, which was
typically spotted for quick unloading. Gordon, Bass & Co. had a fenced
siding and could only receive one or two cars at a time. The cars would be
locked in to keep from being broken into. If a car would not fit in behind
the fence, the RV would hold the car for safe keeping by locking it in the
end stall of the Kenilworth engine house. When the siding was empty, the
car could be safely spotted under lock and key – assuming thirsty "section
men" could be kept at bay.