Porch Talk at New Freedom Train Station
This illustration shows Builders Plates used by 19th Century Rail Car Manufacturers in York and Glen Rock. On Wednesday July 12th 2017 at 7PM I’ll be presenting a Porch Talk at the New Freedom Train Station on 19th Century Train Cars built in York County. This is one of a series of “Porch Talks at the Stations” sponsored by the Friends of Heritage Rail Trail Corridor. These 30-minute programs are free and held rain or shine. For those not wanting to stand, they ask that you bring a chair or blanket to sit on.
In my Porch Talk, learn about some neat facts concerning four York County 19th Century Rail Car Manufacturers, in York and Glen Rock. Beginning in 1847, and throughout the rest of the 19th Century, they shipped rail car product all over the United States and exported to foreign countries.
In the illustration, the top photo shows a Doorsill Builders Plate used by the York Car Works of Billmeyer & Small. This doorsill is installed in an 1882 Billmeyer & Small passenger car, which is in the collections of the East Broad Top Railroad in Rockhill, PA. Even though people have been stepping on this plate, to enter the car for 135-years, one can still read “BILLMEYER & SMALL CO. BUILDERS. YORK, PA.” In the 1800s, BUILDERS was a shorthand reference to CAR BUILDERS; i.e. a manufacturer of rail cars.
In the illustration, the bottom photo shows a Builders Plate used by the Glen Rock Car Works in 1870, when the car shops were operated locally; by Fry, Herbst & Co. Several years ago, an attendee at my Glen Rock Historic Preservation Society presentation submitted a photo from this Builders Plate in his collections.
INDEX to All My Posts Related to 19th Century Railway Car Builders of York County, Pennsylvania
General Interest
- York, One of the Earliest Railroad Manufacturing Towns; Phineas Davis
- York Rail Car Manufacturers & Their Influence on the Route of the Ma & Pa Railroad; Two Early Rail Routes went through Loganville and then onto Hanover Junction
- Narrow Gauge Railway Along Stonewood Road in Springettsbury Township and Plot of Daniel Brubaker’s 280-Acres; i.e. location of Camp Security
- Narrow Gauge Railway Along Stonewood Road in Springettsbury Township to the Stony Brook Slate & Brick Company
- Stony Brook Slate & Brick Company with a Narrow Gauge Railway in Springettsbury Township
- Two Railcar Manufacturers were in the City of York during the Civil War; plus Origins of the Empire Car Works
- Michael Schall’s Empire Car Works; plus his Family
- 1865 York County Railroad Proposed from Wrightsville thru Long Level, Apple Grove and Beyond
- Letters to LINCOLN during the Invasion; “Burning bridges on the Northern Central”
- 1925 Article sheds light on President Lincoln photograph at Hanover Junction
- Steam Into History’s York #17 and two other Rogers 4-4-0 Steam Locomotives
- Locomotives that pulled Abraham Lincoln through York County; Lincoln Funeral Train
- York #17 and Leviathan #63 Steam Locomotives; Reenactment of Transcontinental Railroad Golden Spike Ceremony, right here in York County
- Talk on Rail Events in the 1800’s for the Glen Rock area
- Nathaniel Seitz; from Glen Rock ITEM Editor to Stock Car Inventor
- Governor Wolf’s profound impact on York County
- Car Building in York County during 1876
Billmeyer & Small
- Who were Billmeyer & Small?
- Billmeyer & Small image of Charles Billmeyer & David E. Small
- Billmeyer & Small as Central Theme in RAILCAR GOLD
- John D. Denney, Jr., Railroad & Trolley Historian
- Billmeyer & Small Companies’ Spring Garden Car Works
- Saga of Billmeyer & Small; John D. Denney, Jr., Part 2
- The Narrow Gauge Railroad Movement and York; Billmeyer & Small at the Forefront
- Was York First? It’s All In The Details.
- York Car Works of Billmeyer & Small
- Billmeyer & Small Rail Cars Were Also for Export
- Why are Billmeyer & Small still Shipping Rail Cars via the Isthmus and Cape Horn in 1879?
- Billmeyer & Small Company produced a large variety of Specialty Cars
- Billmeyer, Lancaster County named by Son & Son-in-Law of Charles Billmeyer
- George S. Billmeyer of York enters the 1867 Freshman Class at Princeton; another Capital of the United States
- Resemblance is remarkable between Goodridge image of Charles Billmeyer and photo of his son, George S. Billmeyer
- The Quest for Early Billmeyer Photos, with some Success
- George S. Billmeyer; All American Football Player in 1869
- Letter referring to George S. Billmeyer is in the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library
- George S. Billmeyer (1849-1917); Biography from Pennsylvania A History
- Four Generations of Billmeyer Family History; from the Immigrant Jacob to Andrew to Daniel to Charles
- #21 Billmeyer & Small Company in York; and their Susquehanna Steam Saw Mills in Wrightsville
RAILCAR GOLD
Every Thursday, I post the next part of my RAILCAR GOLD novel; a historically accurate multi-generational fictional tale of hidden treasure primarily set in York County during the later half of the Nineteenth Century. By happenstance, the main character passes through York, is befriended by Charles Billmeyer and decides to stay. The main character spends the greater part of his life associated with the rail car manufacturing business Billmeyer & Small.
Generally every Tuesday I write the next few pages of RAILCAR GOLD; to do so, I dig into my files of historical background that might be associated with that part of the story. Here is an index to the chapters written thus far:
- Chapter 1 Eureka
- Chapter 2 Orphan
- Chapter 3 Missing
- Chapter 4 Stowaway
- Chapter 5 Westward
- Chapter 6 Independence
- Chapter 7 Driver
- Chapter 8 Rebels
- Chapter 9 Lincoln
- Chapter 10 Work
- Chapter 11 Princeton
- Chapter 12 Narrow
- Chapter 13 PeachBottom
- Chapter 14 Centennial
- Chapter 15 Export
