Just read some interesting material about a company I never knew existed. Most of it was supplied by Ed Bommer. American Dock was in Tompkinsville Staten Island and used some pretty interesting power







Here is a link to the write ups
http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/adc.html

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bluelinec4,

Ben:

Ever heard of Pouch Terminal RR...many years ago I ran that Mack diesel!

Walter M. Matuch

Found this online...

Ascertained from research for American Dock Company, there was some ownership / financial connection between American Dock and Pouch Terminal, so both American Dock and Pouch Terminal were somewhat inter-related through members of the Pouch family over the decades.

Pouch Terminal was a pier and warehouse complex on the east shore of Staten Island by Clifton, occupying 3 piers and offering lighterage service, but with no float bridge service listed. It was connected to the Staten Island Railway (operated by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad), and was connected to the American Dock Co. further north via that railroad.

The Pouch Mack was diesel? When?
In 1958 when I had a chance to photograph, measure and have a ride on it, the loco had a 6 cylinder 100 hp Mack gasoline engine and generator under each of its hoods. That was shortly after it had been overhauled and repainted red with gold pin-striping at the Staten Island Rapid Transit Shops at Clifton. That Mack as I recall, had dual controls. It was built for a trade show and purchased by Mr. Pouch there. Mack went over the loco at its Plainfield NJ plant before delivery to Pouch Terminal.

On American Dock and Pouch Terminal: Both were owned by members of the same family. American Dock had two of those Westinghouse electric switchers. While it had no direct rail connection to the trolley system on Staten Island, American Dock bought power from it until the trolleys ceased running in the 1930's. SIRT handled switching for American Dock after that. The electric locos were serviced when ncessary at the SIRT Clifton Shop. Access into American Dock was from a switch beween the SIRT Tomkinsville station and the St. George Tunnel.

Pouch Termianl on the other hand, was across the street from the SIRT Clifton Shop Yard, almost 2 miles south from American Dock. The freight lead into Pouch Terminal ran through the shop yard between the Clifton Station embankment and the Locomotive Shop.

B&O 316 in the photo was used around the Tompkinsville and Stapleton area docks as well as at the Clifton Shop Yard. So indeed it truly was a "Dock-sider." It was originally the very first "Jersey Greenback" built in 1864 as a heavy 8 wheel freight loco for B&O's lines west of Cumberland. There were a total of 27 of these locos. All were built to the same plans and patterns by three different builders and had interchangable parts. It was a remarkable feat for that time, as the USA had no standards of measurement. An inch could vary as much as 1/16" between the machinists' rulers that Mattias Baldwin examined in the 1860's to find out why his locomotive parts were so difficult to fit up.

The 316 and 5 sisters were converted to 0-6-0 switchers with tenders in 1880. where they worked at Baltimore. In 1898, B&O took the 316 and rebuilt it into a "steam motor" for use at the West 26th Street carfloat freight yard in Manhattan. As a tank engine, it was originally fitted with a large wooden overall cab, sort of like a passenger car.

It was replaced with an Ingersoll-Rand box cab diesel switcher in 1925 and then went to work on Staten Island. Around 1940 the overall cab was removed and a smaller steel cab was put on the 316 as seen in that photo.

Until the SIRT bought its first diesel switcher in 1943 (a 65 ton double-ended GE), B&O 316 went back to Manhttan to sub for the boxcab when it was in the shop. In 1945 number 316 was retired for good. It was the oldest steam locomotive in service on a Class 1 US railroad. Later that year it was cut up for scrap in the Jersey Meadows, not all that far from where it was originally built in Paterson by the New Jersey Locomotive and Machine Works in 1864.

Ed Bommer

Walter
Yes I heard of Pouch terminal but never knew about American dock. Pouch terminal houses the offices of the NY Police Borough command, EZ Pass, Poling transport and a few others today There aren't any more rail connections though.

Ed
Very interesting read. Can you tell me about the #1 Loco on the site

Information on the Baldwin-Westinghouse electrics American Dock had is sketchy. They were bought new when the facility opened, about 1912. Apparently from photos, they had no numbers. Weight I think was about 30 tons at 400 hp. Used 600 volt overhead trolley for power, with two 100 hp traction motors in each truck. Out of service by 1934. American Dock's trackage had a capacity of about 40-50 cars.

Ed Bommer

Ben, American Dock Company was located on the right just before the tunnel.
There were 2 gated sidings that curved around toward the waterfront.
See large buildings in the background.

Ed:

OK corrected. Gasoline fueled locomotive not diesel fueled locomotive.
This Pouch #2 locomotive is now, I think, at Allaire State Park/Pine Creek RR in NJ.

Thanks. Walter M. Matuch

Here is 316 in Manhattan

Ben:

That looks a bit like you on the footboards of #316.

Walter M. Matuch

Must be my great great grandfather