Then and Now: Simmons Machine Tool Company (1989)

Here is a shot taken in North Menands showing a northbound D&H/NYS&W train passing by the old Simmons Machine Tool Company (now called NSH USA Corp.) building in August 1989. The train is just about to cross Simmons Lane, which is out of frame on the right. Currently to the left of the train is an approach-lit railroad signal that lights up when trains are in the block. When I am in the area I sometimes stop and look at the signal to see whether a train is near.

Here is a shot of the same building taken in September 2022. It really looks nice now.

This building still has a railroad siding embedded into the pavement outside its southern wall. The roll-up door allowed train cars to be spotted inside.

Around the building was an assortment of railroad wheels, pallets, steel pieces, dollies, and junk.

In the shot below from April 2018 you can see the same assortment of stuff but in different places. I guess they just can't bring themselves to get rid of it. It would make for an interesting scene to model. Also on the far right in the distance is the afore-mentioned train signal.

Here is what the building looked like in 1986. There were a lot more sidings in the area on both sides of the mainline, though the track leading into this structure was pretty overgrown and looked like it wasn't used anymore. But if you look closer at the building, the roll-up door is open. Perhaps it was still used for trucks or forklifts.

Here is a satellite shot (north is to the right) of the Simmons Machine Tool Company facility, which has the yellow star on it. You can see the old siding entering from the left. Just across the street is another complex (the former Ramsey Chain, marked with an orange star) that Simmons expanded into. It too had a railroad spur into into as evidenced by the curved structure. Much of the information here is from Dominic Bourgeois' fantastic Delaware & Hudson Bridge Line Freight 1960-1983, Volume 1 book.

When I moved to Albany in September 2005 I explored this area and the location of the orange star had a bunch of Quonset huts. 

They were all in pretty rough shape, but what really caught my eye were the assortment of railroad wheels all just lying about. There were different sizes, and some looked like locomotive wheels (note some have gears) and others looked like freight car wheels.

Imagine my surprise to discover that between 2005 and now, the Quonset huts were removed and a generic gray steel structure was erected in their place. It is less of an eyesore, that's for sure.

They still build machines that recondition railroad wheels too! (Edit: See comment below) I guess the ones outside are there to stay for a while longer.