
Touring the Argentine Industrial District Railway
Chuck HitchcockDescription
Next is the pass between the workhouse on the left and the silos on the right. Number 2099 enters the elevator under the 42nd St viaduct and heads to 5th Street Yard. This yard is flanked by imposing brick industrial buildings such as Abernathy Furniture. Finally this line known as the main track passes the Kansas Wholesale Grocery Company. At the east end of 5th Street Yard, the massive Elder-Pope Manufacturing plant comes into view as well as the engine facility. Then we pass the General American Transportation Company and the Vanderberg Painting Company. Continuing through the east end of 5th Street Yard is the tour of the GATX tank car repair plant next to Biddison Manufacturing. Freight House Yard is used to block cars for St. Clair Oil. Watch the video for the full Allen Keller tour. For more Allen Keller videos, visit our Model Railroad Academy archives.
Today, the Director Special is touring the Argentine Industrial District, beginning at the Strongheart Dog Food Company. Engine 2099 passes Mack's Scrapyard and Dresser Furniture in back. This venerable Alco RS2 with steam generator is kept on the property for this kind of service. With no passenger trains on this line, the appearance of this unit is a rare treat for rail fans. The Special pops out from Willer Foods.
Bulline Packing provides lots of switching income for the district. Cans, stock, and boxes come in, processed meat, tallow, and hides go out. The tank cars are being loaded with tallow. The reefers are on the minor repair track. The Alco passes the Railway Express building.
Fyton furniture is next to the powerhouse for the massive Elevator A. Here we pass between the workhouse on the left and the silos on the right. Number 2099 exits the elevator under the 42nd Street Viaduct and heads to 5th Street Yard. This yard is flanked by imposing brick industrial buildings, such as Abernathy Furniture. Finally, this line known as the main track passes the Kansas Wholesale Grocery.
At the east end of 5th Street Yard, the massive Elder-Pope Manufacturing plant comes into view. Also here is the engine facility. Continuing through the east end of 5th Street Yard past the fuel tanks, the Director Special tours the GATX tank car repair plant. In front is Biddison Manufacturing. A Santa Fe Fairbanks-Morse engine is shoving a cut of tank cars into the Sinclair Oil Refinery.
The Kansas City Structural Steel plant is an imposing building. Freight House Yard, close to the camera, is used to block cars for Sinclair Oil. At Freight House Curve, the Directors can see a little suburban scenery. Coming out from under the bridge, auto dock comes into view. Here is Barrow-Holt Manufacturing and the Stock Yard Interchange track in the foreground.
The Special ducks behind the Dolkos Bag Company. The freight house is dwarfed by Richards and Conover Hardware. The tracks in close are part of the Produce Yard. The RS2 disappears into staging between two large warehouses.
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