Pennsylvania Railroad

Allegheny Division - French Creek Branch

Built By: Nelson Pattison Jr. and Darla Pattison

Union City one of a few destinations along the Renovo Branch of the PRR. It is in line with the transit from as far away as Philadelphia to Erie Pennsylvania. Some time in the 1800’s as I understand it, or perhaps earlier. A chair factory located near the center of town just off the Pennsy mainline tracks was the world’s supplier of chairs. Three major industries nestle around the railroads of the Pennsy and Erie Railroads. Union City Chair Company on the Pennsy. And on the Erie RR mainline Cherry Hill Furniture and MFG (Molded Fiberglass Co.). MFG was a best know for the manufacturing of recreational boats. The railroad not only was for goods going out of town but necessary recourses delivered as well. Times as they were in those day’s homes were not heated as readily with natural gas as most of us enjoy today. Most folks heated by coal and wood. I recall a house we lived in town was a coal converted to gas boiler furnace. And the coal bin was cleaned out shortly after we moved in. A mess that was to clean up! Both the Pennsy and the Erie Railroads provided the transportation community became dependent on for their heating needs. On the Allegheny Division we have modeled one of the two in town. It was located on the siding behind the business district on Market Street or directly across from the Pennsy freight and passenger station.

 At this time we are only modeling the Union City Chair Company in about the time of the late 1940’s early 1950’s when steam and diesel were being used on Pennsy rails.