Wednesday Sep 12, 2018

Map and road video – Allentown, PA to West Point, NY

The focus of my stops today could not be more different than yesterday’s Amish experience as both involve heavy industry.

MACK trucks are a common sight on America’s roads and, since they have manufactured motorized vehicles since 1900, they have a long history which is well displayed at the first stop, the MACK Trucks Historical Museum. The MACK brothers initially produced a variety of vehicles and one on display was a restored 1900 bus that is believed to be the first bus delivered in the US. Like all but one of the vehicles this is fully operational (the one vehicle that does not run is awaiting parts). MACK vehicles were produced at this plant in Allentown until 2010 when the site became an engineering and durability test center. Our guide, Jim, who was the chief engineer for one of the current MACK cab designs gave us great insight into the development of MACK trucks over the years and also showed us  some of the test facilities such as a wind/rain tunnel and dynamometer test bed and an anechoic noise test chamber which intrigued the physicist in me.

I then drove to Bethlehem, PA which, until the mid 90s, was the home of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. This was one of the largest steel plants in the world and provided the steel for many iconic landmarks, including Hoover Dam, the Golden Gate Bridge and the World Trade Center. Several of the plant’s structures are preserved as a historical landmark. Unlike the Schloss Furnaces in Birmingham, AL visitors do not have access to the site but an elevated rail line that was used to deliver materials to the blast furnaces has been converted to a pedestrian walkway called the Hoover-Mason Trestle. Luckily, the weather stayed dry so I was able to take my time walking the trestle and enjoy the good views and explanatory placards along the way.

I then headed to West Point, NY and, although the drive was almost all highway, it offered some pleasant views as it crossed the Appalachian mountains and was free of traffic jams despite its proximity to New York City,.

This restored 1900 MACK bus was America’s first.
These two original trucks date from 1903 but both still run.
The British Bulldog was adopted as the symbol of MACK trucks after they performed so well and reliably for allied troops in Europe in WWI. This one was on the exterior of their old headquarters building.
A test rig where truck performance can be assessed as they are subjected to rain and wind up to 80 mph and temperatures from arctic to desert.
The Hoover-Mason Trestle alongside the Bethlehem Steel blast furnaces.
The railway line that forms the foundation of the pedestrian walkway.
The area is undergoing urban renewal and modern businesses, restaurants, sculptures and a concert venue are intermingled with the historic structures.