7-decade-old Harley plant in York has produced much more than motorcycles
AMF York produced the Ski-Daddler, a power sled, which the company indicated was popular at that time. “Ski-Daddler is used for racing, exploring, carries skis and is a great asset to all ’round winter sports fun,” the York (Pa.) Chamber of Commerce’s “Greater York in Action” reported. Other posts of interest: York, Pa. made big, heavy things – and was immensely proud of it and AMF-Harley in York, by the numbers and AMP’s and AMF’s alphabet soup spilled in same York County town .
Harley-Davidson is examing four locations as possible relocation sites for its motorcycle production lines from York.
Those sites will provide an option for the company to consider alongside keeping the plant in York, a decision expected before year’s end.
Nervous York community leaders are wise in talking about a Plan B. What if Harley moves? … .
That would be devastating, of course.
‘Like troops marshalled on a parade ground, the heavy duty, AMF LP Gas tanks stand ready to fill the widely diversified storage needs of industry around the world,” ‘Greater York in Action’ reported.
Taking a step back, history shows that Harley’s Springettsbury plant has produced an array of products since York Safe & Lock built its older part in the early 1940s to produce Bofor anti-aircraft guns and other ordnance.
The book ‘Greater York in Action’ contains a two-page spread on the plant, then operated by American Machinery & Foundry.
One of those pages listed products made there, in full or in part: LR-64 rocket engines, wheeled airport cargo handlers, 500-pound bomb casings and wheeled overland transporters for spaceships.
The accompanying article noted that the plant’s product lines blended government and industrial contracts. One wonders whether Harley today should have worked harder on bringing defense work to Springettsbury.
Anway, the half-empty view if Harley should leave is that it’s a different world from the late 1960s when AMF boasted of all its heavy industrial output.
The half-full view is that this area has the workers and the plant in place to produce more than motorcycles, if, heaven forbid, that day should come.
Also of interest:
– To see all Harley-Davidson posts from the start, click here.
Selected York Safe & Lock links:
– New Freedom station houses alien safe
– York Safe & Lock worker recalls chat with Hedy Lamarr
– Hedy Lamarr’s visit to York long remembered
– From Bofors to Bikes, Harley plant top hog
– Forry Laucks, Lauxmont sparked debates
– York-made safes spotted in post-war Tokyo
– York Safe restoration ‘once in a lifetime’ project.
– York Safe faltered after owner’s death.
All York Safe & Lock posts from the start.
