Hershey, Pa

[babydot94513]

I happened across a program on the TV tonight (not Monday Night Football) that dealt with the manufacturing of Hershey's chocolate located in, Hershey, Pa.

What I did not learn was whether or not this facility uses rail for any kind of incoming or outgoing service. If so, does anyone know of a source of photo's that I can use for potential modeling?

 

[TomPM]

There is a children’s book that uses the Hershey plant to illustrate how trains operates. My son has brought this book home from the school library several times but I can’t remember the name. As funny as it may sound the book is quite informative and may hold some of the answers you are looking for.

 

[jon-monon]

Probably more fun than the adult version too!

 

[Matt Probst]

Hi Jeff... I live less than a mile from the chocolate factory and drive past it every day to work. I was actually thinking yesterday of what a great model the facility would make!!
In answer to your question; Yes.
Hoppers deliver different types of cocoa beans from all over South America and Africa to the plant where they are cleaned and stored according to what country they came from.
If you want to PM me, I can talk to you about how to obtain photos of the rail areas of the plant.
As far as candy distribution goes, I'm not 100% sure if any is shipped by rail any longer as from my vantage point I can see only 18 wheelers being loaded.
Here's a link you can check out--
http://www.hersheys.com/tour/printversion.htm

Hope this helps!
Matt
Hershey, Pa.

 

[babydot94513]

Matt, thanks for the reply. I just sent you an e-mail.

However, for an on-list question - the covered hoppers are received loaded with cocoa beans?

There must be a trans-loading facility somewhere that takes the beans from trucks or ships and then loads them into covered hoppers - right?

 

[Matt Probst]

Hey Jeff... The hoppers are loaded right from ships at the docks from what I understand. Probably the port(s) @ Baltimore or Philadelphia.
I'll try to find out more for you.

Matt--Hershey, Pa.

 

[babydot94513]

I have come to the conclusion that modeling the Hershey Chocolate factory would be a very challenging and rewarding experience.

Based on the details that Matt has given me off-list, I recognize that the amount of real estate required in my garage to model this in HO will be significant, but at least the beauty of modular is that my wife can accept my idiosyncrasies because she can still park her car in the garage!

Now, my only problem is finding "the time".

 

[rcwatkins]

Yeah, they had some boxcars on one of those hershey shows on travel channel.