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This blog presents my thoughts, information and activities in my model railroading world.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Bethlehem Steel Company Yard Truck 1920

This is a photo of an electric storage battery truck used for yard work at Bethlehem Steel Company about 1920.  It is hauling what appears to be a relatively heavy mill cylinder casting.


That is a really big battery compartment under the truck body.  The truck was a product of General Vehicle Company.  The GVC was originally established by the Pope Manufacturing Company, but was purchased in 1905 by General electric and reorganized as the General Vehicle Company.  Their main product was electric powered trucks.  In that time frame there was some experimentation with electric powered vehicles, but gasoline power proved superior.  Ironically today companies are still promoting electric powered vehicles with minimal success and heavy taxpayer subsidies.

This type of truck would be very easy to model as it is essentially a wagon with a battery compartment.





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