HI: Diamond Match Company bookmatch manufacturing plant. Was born/raised in Springfield, MA. When kid in 50s, rode my bicycle past plant many times. Found some info on it, from kind souls[one actually worked there]. DM moved out in 80s; another business now uses facility]. Alas, NH freight branch also gone into history. New Haven RR Highland northbound freight branch from CT, served plant's south-facing point spur. Main building: Flat roofed, heavy, grey, reinforced concrete[to contain internal explosion]. Was U-shaped w/transom windows and lighter framed additions inside U. Spur branched into 3: north: shipping dock, center: receiving dock, south: separate heating plant: coal, later, oil deliveries. Small, RED, flat roofed, reinforced concrete, 'pill-box' type construction, explosives building was located just inside main spur gate to property on north side[w/ BIG 'No Smoking OR Flame - Keep Away - Dangerous' sign]. It held dangerous phosphorus and other chemicals for match-making. Tons of card stock, wax, powered abrasive[for striker strip], inks[for cover art], staples, machinery, etc. were some deliveries....in boxcar[card, inks, staples, shipping materials, small machines, etc.], tank[wax], gon[heavy machinery in & out], explosives car[phosphorus, etc.]and[coal hopper, then; tank]separate heating plant fuel. Most, if not all, outgoing shipments in boxcars. That's as much as I remember w/o digging thru files TTFN.....Tom TTFN.....Tom
Ron Johnston, a model railroading friend who died in 1973, did a pen and ink drawing of some kind of equipment for the Diamond and Caldor Railroad in California, a logging road owned in part by Diamond Match to cut trees for matchsticks. I'll have to go look it up.
There used to be a Southern Pacific Branchline that took lumber from my town and brought it to a Diamond Match Mill in the next town. The line was abandoned in the 1970's but the Diamond match building still stands Unfortunately I couldn't get very close to the mill so this is the best shot I have:
HI: Not getting close to photo anything, seems to be the norm since 9-ll happened. On another forum, an HO'er got arrested for photographing near a right-of-way. Also: during WWII, Korean War, THIS WAS the case at springfield, MA DM plant, as they were busy making armament for the war effort. THANK YOU for your reply! ....Tom
match making here is an article with pics of the old works. http://becnet.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/hazardous_to_safe_chemical_contaimination_at_diamond_match.pdf Here is info on the branch line up to the mill at Stirling city Butte County Railroad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Here is an aerial view of the Diamond Match Mill Today:http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qmk2cg4vdd88&lvl=18.457773090325368&dir=350.7248799490652&sty=b Here is a link of some pictures I took of the Area:http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab4/Justinmiller171/Butte County Railroad/
