Atlas Terminal was a small industrial park located at Cooper Avenue and 80th Street, in Glendale, Queens. It started out around 1904, and possibly earlier; as an industrial area.
Around 1922, one of the original tenants, Henry Hemmerdinger; began purchasing the surrounding properties adjoining his own, and eventually the property would come to be expanded to over 16 buildings. Eventually, it would be conglomerated and organized into a rather modest industrial park.
By the 1950's, Atlas Terminal would be one of the premiere industrial parks in New York City (oft used as a prototype) encompassing 45 buildings spread out over 25 acres. Over 75 percent of the structures are of one story height, most of them brick construction. A few of the tenants throughout the years were: Kraft, General Electric, Westinghouse and New York Telephone.
Atlas Terminal would encompass more than 8 miles of track, switching over 60 carloads per day to the various tenants in the terminal, and would have rail access / interchange via the Montauk Division of the Long Island Rail Road. Railroad freight service concluded in 1982.
Atlas Terminal, as we presently know of; had at least two locomotives over
its history, neither of which were steam. But, both were extremely small and industrial in
nature. The first locomotive (the older of the two known) was of Plymouth manufacture, and the other is from General Electric.
The GE was saved for posterity, and was on display outside the Atlas Terminal until most of the Atlas Terminal was demolished in 2004. I have not ascertained
its present whereabouts.
What was not demolished of the Terminal, was converted to the esthetically fitting "Atlas Park Mall", with industrial style buildings, (arched windows, external "I" beams, and the original painted brick wall advertisements and business names left).
Info: Phil Goldstein
|
Atlas Terminal c.1966
9 Peoquot Mfg 5
10 Bedford Can Mfg 6
11 P O P Displays 4
12 Glendale Steel 3 a 3 b 2
14 Gustin Bacon Mfg 3
15 Interstate Container a 8 b 3
16 Inactive 1
|
Atlas Terminal c.1971-72
|
LIRR Triple header Glendale Atlas Terminal 1971 Photo: Richard F.
Makse
|
While Atlas Terminal was only a shadow of
its former self, the former Glendale freight station, now a diner in this
__ scene, gave ample testimony to the importance of this pocket-sized
terminal to the LIRR's Montauk Branch. Atlas once stabled as many as three
industrial switchers to handle traffic on the tight curves of this early
industrial park. It's January 1971 and a glimmer of the high winter sun
lights up the twilight years of first generation diesels like RS-1 265. Richard
F. Makse
|
Atlas Terminal & GE #13028 25 ton Plaque Archive: Sam Berliner,
III
|
GE #13028 25 ton Yard Switcher 1999 Archive: Sam Berliner, III
|
LIRR Track Plan c.1973-74
Archive: Art Huneke
|
Glendale - Atlas Terminal freight station 1/27/2019
View S
Photo/Archive: Kevin Wong |
The Glendale freight
station is located in Atlas Park terminal (now Shops at Atlas Park Mall),
on the east side of 80 Street. It is presently behind HomeGoods. 4/2021
Kevin Wong
|
Glendale - Atlas Terminal freight station 1/27/2019
View SW
Photo/Archive: Kevin Wong |