Hershey Chocolate

[Approach_Medium]

Hi;
I'm modeling the Norfolk Southern line from Reading to Harrisburg (including both end points and everything between). I am at Hershey PA on Google Earth, looking at the track layout around what I believe is the Hershey plant.

I am curious as to what materials Hershey receives in bulk to make the chocolate, and what they export by rail.
I have seen the Hershey, Coke, Pepsi, etc tanker and box cars in Trainz, but I really don't think that Hershey or Coke ships any finished product by tanker. Wouldn't it be bottled right in the plant, and shipped out that way in box cars?

Perhaps Hershey, Coke, Pepsi, etc receive liquified corn sugars and other product in tanker cars though.

Anyone got any info on this?

Thanks

FW

 

[JCitron]

Hi;
I'm modeling the Norfolk Southern line from Reading to Harrisburg (including both end points and everything between). I am at Hershey PA on Google Earth, looking at the track layout around what I believe is the Hershey plant.

I am curious as to what materials Hershey receives in bulk to make the chocolate, and what they export by rail.
I have seen the Hershey, Coke, Pepsi, etc tanker and box cars in Trainz, but I really don't think that Hershey or Coke ships any finished product by tanker. Wouldn't it be bottled right in the plant, and shipped out that way in box cars?

Perhaps Hershey, Coke, Pepsi, etc receive liquified corn sugars and other product in tanker cars though.

Anyone got any info on this?

Thanks

FW

Most likely it's corn syrup or other food stuff, and probably cardboard, foil, and paper products for packaging.

Pepsi used to have a siding up in Salem, NH when I was a kid. I believe they used to receive carbonated water, and I think corn syrup.

John

 

[rgcx]

Some info is available here. I don't believe that any outbound candy is shipped by rail, but raw ingredients arrive in covered hoppers and tank cars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hyHsN9Srsg

 

[cascaderailroad]

There is a DEM on Checkrail Harrisburg to Reading http://www.checkrail.com/downloads.htm

Raw cocoa smells really bad, and used to be shipped in boxcars with cardboard inside the doors.

If you visit the Boyer-Mallow Cup Factory in Altoona the have discounted blemished candy for sale in big box's in the store. http://boyercandies.com/index.php YUM !

 

[netjam99]

I work in the food industry.

Have worked at two Soda Pop Bottling Plants. Everything comes and goes by truck. You could in theory recieve corn sugar via rail tank car. Bottling plants are scattered across the country so you have short hauls out to the customers that lends itself to trucking...they have their own delievery network of trucks they usually lease.

Have not been to Herseys, but was at a small chocolate factory up there in PA last year. As far as I could tell everything came and went in trucks. But was so busy doing a proposal to get their business for my company I did not have time to really look around!

There is an interesting food business that does receive flour from railcars frequently...thats your run of the mill Bakery. I have seen two Bakeries that get their flour via rail. The guys hookup with long hoses, turn on a pump and send it to a pipe which then branches out to 2 or 3 silos. Its hard work, the flour does not always empty out and the Bakery Recieving guys get on top of the railcar open the hatch and use long poles to get the flour down into the funnel or whatever you would call it. Long rail trips in bad weather make the flour clump up. I actually for my work had to once go out there and watch the guys and I got on top of one of the hopper rail cars. Its higher than you would think...these movies with guys running around and having fist fights on top of railcars...hmmm I was nervous just standing still!

 

[JCitron]

I work in the food industry.

Have worked at two Soda Pop Bottling Plants. Everything comes and goes by truck. You could in theory recieve corn sugar via rail tank car. Bottling plants are scattered across the country so you have short hauls out to the customers that lends itself to trucking...they have their own delievery network of trucks they usually lease.

Have not been to Herseys, but was at a small chocolate factory up there in PA last year. As far as I could tell everything came and went in trucks. But was so busy doing a proposal to get their business for my company I did not have time to really look around!

There is an interesting food business that does receive flour from railcars frequently...thats your run of the mill Bakery. I have seen two Bakeries that get their flour via rail. The guys hookup with long hoses, turn on a pump and send it to a pipe which then branches out to 2 or 3 silos. Its hard work, the flour does not always empty out and the Bakery Recieving guys get on top of the railcar open the hatch and use long poles to get the flour down into the funnel or whatever you would call it. Long rail trips in bad weather make the flour clump up. I actually for my work had to once go out there and watch the guys and I got on top of one of the hopper rail cars. Its higher than you would think...these movies with guys running around and having fist fights on top of railcars...hmmm I was nervous just standing still!

It probably depends upon the size of the candy operation. I remember seeing large trains of corn syrup destined for NECCO (New England Confectioners), the company that makes NECCO wafers, Sweet Tarts and a Clarke Bars when they were in Cambridge. Now that they've moved to Revere, they may no longer receive service, although they are located right along the railroad tracks there.

I have seen bakery operations as well. The old Hostess Bakery in Lawrence and Natick receive and or received flour by rail. There is also a big flour mill in Ayer MA that receives hopper cars, and has its own switcher operation. At one time, before Prince Spaghetti closed their plant in Lowell, MA (Spaghettiville), there was an extensive switching operation around the plant. There was even some street running trackage as well as an interesting overpass the trains used to get to the plant.

John