ex-Reading RR McMyler Coal Dumper (o.o.s.) - Port Reading, NJ: The GreatRails North American Railroad Photo Archive

WARNING: HERE BE A HISTORY LESSON! <--- Tom Flagg, one of if not the leading industrial historians in the New York Harbor Area; was gracious enough to send the followiing information which was used in a symposium that he gave in September 2001: The McMyler car dumper was an important type of material handling device in the U.S. It superceded other methods of transferring high volumes of coal from rail to marine in the two decades following 1900. The first McMyler machines were built in 1894, but used an end dumping design that required special cars. The first side dumping machine was built about 1900 and was rapidly accepted on the Great Lakes as the standard type of coal dumper. By 1904, 14 side dumping McMyler machines had been installed, mostly on the Great Lakes. The East Coast ports however, took a little longer to adopt this method. The first railroad in New York to do so was the Delaware Lackawanna & Western RR at a pier in Hoboken in 1905. By 1920 however, ten McMyler dumpers were in use in New York / New Jersey bulkheads: New York Susquehanna & Western / Erie: 1 Central RR of New Jersey: 2 Pennsylvania: 2 Lehigh Valley: 1 Delaware, Lackawanna & Western: 2 Baltimore & Ohio:1 Philadelphia & Reading: 1 In 1917, a McMyler coal dumping machine, with pier, was constructed & installed at Port Reading, NJ. The single dumper at Port Reading could handle as much coal as the three already existing gravity unloading piers, using only 12 men instead of 175 and can dump 25 cars per hour (about one car every 2½ minutes) This dumper increased the capacity of the Port Reading terminal so much that two of the gravity piers were dismantled and the third used only for standby and rush use. By 1928, loaded coal trains at this facility averaged about 50, 60 cars each, about 4400 tons, with 5 or 6 loaded trains being moved daily, and 10 or more trains in the busiest season. This terminal also handled coastwise coal, to New England, moved via schooner barges until 1933, when it sold off its coastwise fleet. In 1942, the Reading RR rebuilt the dumper, replacing the car cradle, pan, chute, etc., with new parts from McMyler in September 1942. During the 10 day rebuilding period, coal traffic was dumped through the remaining gravity coal trestle. In July 1951, the pier containing the McMyler dumper burned and the dumper collapsed into the water. Reading had the pier rebuilt by George W. Rogers Construction, Co;, which salvaged the heaviest items (cradle, top and dumping pan, 75% of the weight of the machine) from the collapsed dumper. Reading obtained the remainder of the parts needed (specifically the lifting and turning machinery) by dismantling a nearly identical machine purchased from the New York Susquehanna & Western RR, which had discontinued using its dumper at Edgewater, NJ. Operation of the Port Reading McMyler resumed in November 1951. In 1976, Reading RR wasabsorbed by Conrail, which continued using this dumper (but no others) for the transport of coal for the few power plants still using coal. Conrail ceased using the Port Reading dumper in 1983 and it has not been used since then. Conicidentally, Tom has images of this McMyler (and others in New York Harbor) in operation in his books: New York Harbor Railroads In Color (Volumes 1 and 2). I highly recommend the books! Minolta Maxxum 9 Tamron 70-210mm f2.8 SP LD IF Fuji Superia " />

The GreatRails North American Railroad Photo Archive

ex-Reading RR McMyler Coal Dumper (o.o.s.) - Port Reading, NJ

ex-Reading RR
McMyler Coal Dumper (out of service)
Port Reading, NJ
22 October 2010

This unique structure was used to turn rail hoppers upside down (yes you heard me correctly - upside down! The entire car, load & all!) to dump it's load of coal into an internal hopper which in turn fed a conveyor (hanging over the water) which in turn loaded scows for delivery in New York Harbor.

This dumper has been out of service for quite some time and is abanoned in place. While the steell portion of the structure is holding up well, the wooden "kickback trestle" has collapsed (right edge of photo).

Fortunately, the main incline ramp is still standing.

This unique structure was used to turn rail hoppers upside down (yes you heard me correctly - upside down! The entire car, load & all!) to dump it's load of coal into an internal hopper which in turn fed a conveyor (hanging over the water) which in turn loaded scows for delivery in New York Harbor.

This dumper has been out of service for quite some time and is abanoned in place. While the steel portion of the structure is holding up well, the wooden "kickback trestle" has collapsed (right edge of photo). Fortunately, the main incline ramp is still standing.

---> WARNING: HERE BE A HISTORY LESSON! <---

Tom Flagg, one of if not the leading industrial historians in the New York Harbor Area; was gracious enough to send the followiing information which was used in a symposium that he gave in September 2001:

The McMyler car dumper was an important type of material handling device in the U.S. It superceded other methods of transferring high volumes of coal from rail to marine in the two decades following 1900.

The first McMyler machines were built in 1894, but used an end dumping design that required special cars. The first side dumping machine was built about 1900 and was rapidly accepted on the Great Lakes as the standard type of coal dumper.

By 1904, 14 side dumping McMyler machines had been installed, mostly on the Great Lakes. The East Coast ports however, took a little longer to adopt this method. The first railroad in New York to do so was the Delaware Lackawanna & Western RR at a pier in Hoboken in 1905.

By 1920 however, ten McMyler dumpers were in use in New York / New Jersey bulkheads:

New York Susquehanna & Western / Erie: 1
Central RR of New Jersey: 2
Pennsylvania: 2
Lehigh Valley: 1
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western: 2
Baltimore & Ohio:1
Philadelphia & Reading: 1

In 1917, a McMyler coal dumping machine, with pier, was constructed & installed at Port Reading, NJ. The single dumper at Port Reading could handle as much coal as the three already existing gravity unloading piers, using only 12 men instead of 175 and can dump 25 cars per hour (about one car every 2½ minutes)

This dumper increased the capacity of the Port Reading terminal so much that two of the gravity piers were dismantled and the third used only for standby and rush use.

By 1928, loaded coal trains at this facility averaged about 50, 60 cars each, about 4400 tons, with 5 or 6 loaded trains being moved daily, and 10 or more trains in the busiest season. This terminal also handled coastwise coal, to New England, moved via schooner barges until 1933, when it sold off its coastwise fleet.

In 1942, the Reading RR rebuilt the dumper, replacing the car cradle, pan, chute, etc., with new parts from McMyler in September 1942. During the 10 day rebuilding period, coal traffic was dumped through the remaining gravity coal trestle.

In July 1951, the pier containing the McMyler dumper burned and the dumper collapsed into the water. Reading had the pier rebuilt by George W. Rogers Construction, Co;, which salvaged the heaviest items (cradle, top and dumping pan, 75% of the weight of the machine) from the collapsed dumper.

Reading obtained the remainder of the parts needed (specifically the lifting and turning machinery) by dismantling a nearly identical machine purchased from the New York Susquehanna & Western RR, which had discontinued using its dumper at Edgewater, NJ. Operation of the Port Reading McMyler resumed in November 1951.

In 1976, Reading RR wasabsorbed by Conrail, which continued using this dumper (but no others) for the transport of coal for the few power plants still using coal.

Conrail ceased using the Port Reading dumper in 1983 and it has not been used since then.

Conicidentally, Tom has images of this McMyler (and others in New York Harbor) in operation in his books: New York Harbor Railroads In Color (Volumes 1 and 2).

I highly recommend the books!

Minolta Maxxum 9
Tamron 70-210mm f2.8 SP LD IF
Fuji Superia