Photographs of the Pier in action during the Conrail years can be found in the Philadelphia Piers Gallery
Built over a three year span from 1951 through 1954 at the Port of Philadelphia by the Pennsylvania Railroad, and at a cost of over $8 million, these massive steel structures played an important role in railroading history. Ships loaded with iron ore pellets docked at the Pier and one of the 4 independently operated unloaders would scoop the ore pellets out of the belly of the ships and load them into ore jennies for shipment.
The former PRR / PC facility was closed by Conrail nearly 20 years ago and after the takeover of Conrail by NS and CSX, Conrail Pier 122 became the property of CSX. Several years later it was sold to the Port of Philadelphia and is now being demolished to facilitate an expansion project by the Port.
Thanks to the wonderful cooperation by the Port of Philadelphia, the Conrail Historical Society was able to enter the property and document the final days of the facility and acquire anything of historical significance. After 5 trips to Philadelphia and nearly 100 manhours, Kris Klemick, Sean McDonnell and Russ Swinnerton were succesfully able to remove the massive 13' x 28' "Conrail Pier 122" sign that proudly stood at the end of the Pier nearly 100' in the air. Over 200 bolts had to be carefully removed before the sign could be lowered to the ground. The following are a few photographs from the acquisition
Cranes 2, 3, and 4 taken from the arm of Crane 1.
Removal of the first piece of the sign.
Sean McDonnell stands above the most difficult pieces to remove as Russ Swinnerton lowers a section to the ground.
CRHS Sign team poses with a rather large can-opener!
CRHS Members Russ Swinnerton (L) and Sean McDonnell (R) wash the sign as it spans Kris Klemick's back yard.
The clean sign spans the yard at CRHS HQ.
