Originally posted by Merv-O Apparently, Budd held thousands of patents dealing with transportation equipment and heavy platform work. A very dynamic American Company that sadly went out of business late last century. In fact, Budd Co. was so significant in Philadelphia that their original plant, built in 1917 on Hunting Park Avenue (not far from the original TastyKake plant) was declared an historic landmark and is preserved to this day. The company was founded in Philly in 1912, and patented the stainless "shotweld" system that revolutionized stainless manufacturing by joining pieces of Stainless without damaging the anti-oxidation properties. Amazing company. Wish it was still here.
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Pop started at the Hunting Park plant in 1934 and moved to the new plant on Red Lion Road when it was built by the government in 1942 for the war. The company got involved in developing a short take-off & landing airplane to get to the South American rubber plantations. They built at least one (maybe 2) prototypes - my dad did get a ride in one - before the project was shut down because figured out large scale manufacture of artificial rubber.
I know my dad’s name was on a couple of those patents - one for a tamper-proof screw that was used on the Phila. Subway cars. Another was for a wiring system they used in production. There may have others.
After the war Budd bought the plant (for a song I bet) and that is where all railcars were built. They were also making auto chasses there when I was there in the early 1960s.
Apparently Edw. Budd Jr. spent time on the production floor, because I know that every once in a while when he would be at the Red Lion plant he would stop down and visit with my dad. I am guessing that is how he would have known him.
It is interesting to know that the Hunting Park plant is now a landmark. When did that happen? I left the Philly area some 38 years ago and seldom get back there.
About Tastykake. When I was in college the son of the Tastykake president lived in our dorm, and every Thursday there was a big box of Tastykakes on the mail table. First in the door usually grabbed them. I don’t know if they ever got to their intended recipient. And who didn’t like Butterscotch Krimpets?