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HISTORY TOPICS: TRANSPORTATION: LIRR

VOLUME 2:
LONG ISLAND RAILRALD SERVICE TO LONG ISLAND CITY'S SHAW-WALKER CO.

By Nicholas Kalis

Second 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.

Shaw-Walker, founded in 1899 or 1903, depending on which source is relied on, was based in Muskegon, Michigan. Their slogan was "Built like a skyscraper." Sold to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Office Furniture Division, the company was later combined with The Knoll Company and became the Knoll Group of Westinghouse. Westinghouse later sold the whole Knoll Group to a group of investors. It may still be in business today as the Knoll Company or the Knoll Group. Their only plant is the old Shaw-Walker plant located in Muskegon, Michigan. At least part of the firm changed its name in 1990 to S&W Manufacturing, Inc. Smead Manufacturing Company acquired S&W Manufacturing, Inc. some years thereafter. John Spofford, grandson of the founder - L. C. Walker, was the last President of the company, before it was sold to Westinghouse in 1989.

Maps of Freight Stations and Private Sidings (June 1966), page 7 identifies Shaw Walker Co., located in Blissville, as Spot 10. Arthur Huneke reminds us that Shaw-Walker was nearly as far east as Penny Bridge according to this map. This 1966 publication puts Shaw Walker facing Main Track West and having a track capacity of only one car. Shaw Walker shared a siding with Jacobson & Son. Readers are urged to write me with information as to just what type of industry Jacobson was in. During the period 1956-1962/3, Shaw Walker was at 38-98 Review Avenue near the intersection of Laurel Hill Boulevard with telephone number RA9-1360. If Huneke is correct, the building was of brick construction and two stories tall in part with a one-story addition or ancillary building. We don't even know if this building is still standing. A smoke stack in one photo may be of a neighboring facility and not belong to Shaw-Walker. Some sort of fence may be part of the scene. A sign on the building may belong to a previous tenant.

During the period 1946-1947, Shaw-Walker was at 87-40 121st Street, Richmond Hill. In 1948, they moved to 21-09 Borden Avenue, Long Island City and then moved in 1949 to 21-07 Borden Avenue.

As Shaw-Walker had only one factory, that in Muskegon, the Blissville facility was likely a distribution/service facility. Commodities shipped into this facility by rail would likely have been office furniture or parts for assembly as office furniture and would have been carried in boxcars. The Pere Marquette Railway served Muskegon. It bears further research whether Shaw-Walker's division in Florence, South Carolina may have shipped items to Blissville. If this facility is typical of those served by the LIRR in Queens, only empties left by rail.

MODELING

Readers seeking to model Shaw Walker would be well advised to simply scratch build it using brick embossed plastic sheets or some kit-bashing of a Design Preservation kit(s). Don't forget what appears to be a low brick wall that surrounds the facility and telephone poles. I would suggest a foam core mockup be constructed first. Modelers may wish to consult arrts-arrchives.com

CREDITS

I would like to express my appreciation to Thomas Flagg and Art Huneke for their valuable assistance in the research of this series. My thanks also go to Richard Harrington for providing additional information about Shaw Walker. Bob Miller, a volunteer at the Queensborough Public Library helped track down the address of Shaw-Walker.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Author Unknown Maps of Freight Stations and Private Sidings (Reprint) June 1966

1966 Map Showing Shaw-Walker as Spot 10 with track capacity of one (1) car (click to enlarge)