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VOLUME 11:
LONG ISLAND RAILROAD SERVICE TO LONG ISLAND CITY'S BRENNER PAPER
By Nicholas Kalis
Eleventh in a series of glimpses into industries or warehouses that made
for interesting freight operations on the Long Island. Information presented
has included, where available, a brief history of the firm, how it was
served by the LIRR, and what commodities were received or shipped from
this facility.
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Street map of Long Island City with Brenner location
indicated by a red star.
Credit: Yahoo!
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Brenner Paper Corporation (phone number RAvenswood 9-0535), located at 42-24 Orchard Street, Long Island City was known as Spot 12a
according to page 2 of Maps of Freight Stations and Private Sidings published in June 1966. This 1966 publication puts Brenner facing Yard A and
sharing a siding with American Steel Wool. In fact, Brenner shared the same building as American Steel Wool. According to the Hyde Atlas, Queens
Vol. 1, updated through 1955, this building was bounded by Orchard Street, Jackson Avenue, and Yard A. According to the founder’s
daughter, Rhoda Levenson, her father, Louis Brenner founded the firm in 1932. Mrs. Levenson’s husband, Eugene ran the firm in the 1960s. Brenner
was a substantial firm even at that time as evidenced by the fleet of trucks that adorned an old photograph (Photo 1) Mrs. Rhoda Brenner Levenson
shared with me. According to Mrs. Levenson, Brenner Paper Corp. occupied this space until 1979/80. Presently owned by Rhoda Levenson and still
known as Brenner Paper Corporation, this firm moved to Glendale, Queens.
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Circa 1950, Fleet of Brenner Trucks
Credit: Rhonda Brenner Levenson Collecton
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Brenner shared this address with American Steel Wool Manufacturing during the period of 1940 - 1960s. This facility, occupied a white
5-story brick building with a red sign with white letters that read “AMERICAN STEEL WOOL”, appears on
page 5 of Penn Central Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment by James Kinkaid and published by Morning Sun Books, Inc. Spot 12a
has a separate tall, square, brick smoke stack to its west side and a one-story building painted white further to its west. Brenner’s spot (12A) was to the
east of American Steel Wool. The purpose of this one-story building has yet to be uncovered. That siding is not in service today.
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Brenner was located in the American Steel Wool Building
Credit: Long Island Railroad calendar
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Commodities shipped into this facility by rail were large rolls of paper carried in box cars. These paper rolls originated in St. Catharines, Ontario from
the Domtar Paper Mill. Brenner produced envelopes but only empties left this facility by rail.
Modeling
Readers seeking to model Brenner Paper would be well advised to simply scratch build it. Use the Walthers catalog to find industrial
windows that match the prototype. Embossed sheet styene could be used to represent the brick construction. I would suggest a foam core
mockup be constructed first. I have built a foam core mock-up of this building and am pleased with the results.
Credits
My thanks go to Mrs. Rhoda Levenson of New York. Thanks also to Carl Fabrizi, and Bill Myers, all of New York.
Bibliography
Author Unknown Maps of Freight Stations and Private Sidings (Reprint) June 1966
Please send photographs showing how Brenner appeared in the
1960s and direct any comments on or corrections to:
Nicholas Kalis, Suite 600, 1420 Spring Hill Road, McLean, Virginia 22102
Any illustrations or maps contributed will be gratefully acknowledged.
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Maps of Freight Stations and Private Sidings 1966
showing Brenner Paper as Spot 12a.
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