By Steffen Klenk
South Jersey is known for having some unique and unusual roadside attractions. Notable examples include Lucy the Elephant in Margate, and Mighty Joe, a 25 foot gorilla on Route 206 in Shamong. To add to this list is a piece of history: the fifty ton 0-4-0 Diesel Locomotive in front of Atlantic County Harley-Davidson on the White Horse Pike in Galloway. Ben Petrovic, the owner of the dealership, shared a wealth of information and stories about the journeys of this train.
The train was built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) at their Cooke Works plant in 1918 and used by the United States Navy. It was primarily used as a yard train to maintain other trains and move heavy equipment within the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The train was commissioned by President Harry Truman as a “Ghost Train” to carry the remains of dead soldiers during WWI to areas such as Harrisburg, Newark, and points north. The engine was also responsible for helping to build the Battleship New Jersey.
After it was decommissioned, the train went up for auction. Under cover of darkness and disguised as a chicken coop, the 50 ton locomotive was transported in a flatbed truck over the Burlington-Bristol Bridge. It found its way to a New Jersey junkyard, along Route 206 in Burlington County, where it sat for many years.
A local businessman, George Seltzer, purchased the locomotive in the 1980s and brought it to his store, “The Train Station,” on the White Horse Pike, approximately one mile west of the Parkway. Here, he sold train sets and model trains for children and enthusiasts. It sat prominently on a thirty foot track in front of the store for a number of years.
In 1996, the engine went up for sale. Originally, the asking price was $25,000. Instead, Mr. Petrovic, who had seen the train daily on his commute to work, was offered the train as a trade for one of his new Harley bikes.
The process for bringing the locomotive to the Harley dealer was no easy task. A team of highly-skilled construction workers, road crews, movers and a rigger helped transport the vehicle to its new home. It was moved one mile from the train station to the front lawn of Atlantic County Harley Davidson. A short time afterward, the outside of the engine was re-painted with the AC Harley Express logo.
The AC Harley Express is one of the great gems that make our area unique.
Steffen Klenk is a photographer and multimedia journalist who enjoys capturing the eclectic moments of shore life. You may contact Steffen at shorelocalsteffen@gmail.com.
