Bethesda Frito-Lay Plant history

History, Prototype

I found a brief mention of the Frito-Lay plant in Bethesda today while searching for some info on lineside industries. This was featured in a Q&A section on Bethesda Magazine’s website:

A neighbor who grew up here told me there was a Frito plant on Elm Street and Arlington Road in the 1940s. What was its exact location?

—Susan Rubel, Bethesda

The Frito Capital Company was at 4860 Bethesda Ave.—the current location of the Apple Store—according to a 1949 telephone directory in the Montgomery County Historical Society library.

Frito-Lay spokeswoman Aurora Gonzalez says the plant was purchased by H.W. Lay & Company in the 1950s, and that it made Fritos corn chips until a new plant in Brentwood, Md., replaced it in about 1963.

William M. Offutt, author of Bethesda: A Social History (1995), recalls the plant being served by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. He says the scent of Fritos chips baking “added a very distinct smell to the neighborhood.”

View of Georgetown, including a steam switcher!

History, Prototype
between 1909 and 1920
between 1909 and 1920

An alert fan of the website alerted me to an image on the LoC.gov website showing the steam switcher in action! These photos are so rare I just had to see. Wow! The photo is far away, shot from Rosslyn, looking toward Georgetown, but there it is. It’s making quite a good bit of smoke and appears to be idling or moving slowly. Can anyone identify the class of loco?

Here is a link to the site:

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/npco/item/npc2008000741/

By the way, there are many, MANY fantastic images in and around this area to be found on the LoC site. Happy hunting!

Overlay of Proposed Yard Changes, 1940s

History, Prototype

I put together this quick-and-dirty overlay of the proposed changes to the easternmost yard in Georgetown from the late 1940s compared to the current satellite photo. As you can see, it’s quite a striking difference. Probably the only thing still in place are the bulkheads along the waterways and the Whitehurst Freeway. Fascinating.

http://gallery.sluggyjunx.com/railroad_and_industrial/georgetownbranch/gb_prototype_photos/misc_prototype_photos/Georgetown-proposed-old-yard-track-changes

Georgetown proposed old yard track changes

Passing of a B&O Legend, Norm Nelson

News
Here we see Norm (center) telling a story outside the B&ORRHS Archives in Arbutus, MD

Mr. Norm Nelson, an oft-quited source for B&O history passed away Monday. I met and got to know Norm on a few occasions when working at the B&ORRHS archives and at various meetings and get-togethers. He was always friendly and approachable, full of wonderful stories and detailed descriptions of how the railroad operated, what it was like and what the people who worked the trains were like. I remember one entertaining story in particular that had to do with a dispatcher in DC accidentally making some inappropriate comments into an open mic which was broadcast down the line to where Norm was waiting with his crew. He said that there were some funny responses back to the dispatcher which I’m not going to mention here. He was such an amazing contributor to the B&O Yahoo! Group as well, and a search through their archives will reveal a trove of first hand stories about the B&O and its inner workings. Some folks on the list will admit that they stick around just to hear his input. Norm, you will be missed. Hope you’re having fun with all the other ‘Domers up there sharing stories of the good old days. Thank you.

Norm Nelson Obituary in the Washington Post 

Bradley Blvd. Bridge On Film!

Georgetown Branch related links, History, Prototype

I recently discovered the most excellent Bethesda Chevy Chase Back In The Day Facebook group, which is loaded with memories from back in the day. A few railroad related photos and stories, which are fun, but I particularly enjoyed this dark, psychedelic film which ends with a sort of twisted murder rampage. It’s not that graphic but the music and filming style makes it pretty fun to watch. Anyway, what’s this got to do with the Georgetown Branch? Well, the final “scene” of the film part of this movie was staged on the bridge across Bradley Blvd.! You get some neat scenes (albeit short) showing the tracks and surrounding area. Enjoy!

Bethesda ’74-75 – featuring a short clip of the Georgetown Branch

Article about the Georgetown Branch in the Gazette

Georgetown Branch related links, History, News, Prototype

I was interviewed for an article recently published in the Gazette, a local Montgomery County paper. The article covers the tracks recently uncovered in Bethesda (old team tracks, I believe) and how they provide a link to Bethesda’s industrial past. I myself got to see some of the tracks uncovered a month ago and it was a really special sight.

The article is available to read here: http://www.gazette.net/article/20120829/NEWS/708299661/1123/construction-project-reveals-ties-to-bethesda-s-past&template=gazette

RIP Ray Mumford

Uncategorized

Mr. Mumford passed away last Tuesday unexpectedly on Dec 13, 2011. His enthusiasm and pride for each and every photograph and story he shared with me was wonderful. I always considered his photo collection depicting the Georgetown Branch as the “missing link” of my research. I have never found any other sets of photos that document the railroad in the 40s and 50s as well as his. He was always friendly and helpful to me and I will never forget that. God Speed, Mr. Mumford.

To view photographs from the collection, click here.

Purple Changes

History, News

Anyone who follows the Metro Purple Line news knows the Georgetown Branch between Bethesda and Silver Spring (the Metropolitan Branch) is about to undergo a major transformation. The most significant since the line was removed in the 1980s and 1990s and perhaps since it was laid down in the early 1890s. The Metro is planning to build a new line connecting Silver Spring and Bethesda, built on the old Georgetown Branch road bed. The Capital Crescent Trail will remain as a dual line trail, with half being for trail users and the other half being for the light rail. It will be an impressive feat and on one hand I’m sad to see more of the Georgetown Branch right-of-way go away, but on the other hand this will be the closest I’ll get to being able to ride the rails of the GB itself! Very excited about that. How wonderful will it be to swing down away from the Met and cruise through the woods, across Rock Creek and into Bethesda?

The Purple line transformation will be  enormous. I just saw this PDF map posted on another blog and realized just how massive the changes will be. If I want to  get photos of existing right of way, now is the time.

http://www.purplelinemd.com/images/stories/purpleline_documents/work_groups/lyttonsville/Design_Option_Roll_Map.pdf

Another great shot, B&O S1 226 in Georgetown

History, Prototype

Found this neat shot on eBay and scooped it up right away. It’s an original 35mm negative showing B&O S1 226 parked in Georgetown in the “new yard”. Very excited about this one, as I have this model in HO scale and it will have a home on my layout. This image is similar to one found on G. Elwood’s Fallen Flags site, found here. Enjoy!

http://gallery.sluggyjunx.com/main.php?g2_itemId=71169