My StepFather, Uncle, and brother worked there for many years. It was nasty in there, when I filled the vending machines, men missing thumbs, eyes, nasty greasy floors. My brother was tool and die, StepFather was an oil man, oiling the giant presses. They had an open house there , I still have the pewter plate from Budds 75th Anniversary 1923~ a very dangerous place to work! Great video, thanks!!

Great video! It is SO SAD to see this important part of America has been taken away by corporations shipping all these secure goodpaying jobs overseas, and you have to wonder how many familys it affected! When these companys were in full operation, they were the best of times! I just dont understand this new direction companies are going, but it doesnt look too good for the worker!!

Quick Update! The Former Budd Plant has been acquired earlier this year by the Plymouth Group. The former Budd Hunting Park plant was acquired by The Plymouth Group in early 2019. The 2 million+ square foot complex, spread over 26 acres, encompasses one of the biggest revitalization opportunities in the City of Philadelphia. Once home to one of the city’s largest employers - this property is a virtual poster child for the Federal Opportunity Zone program to channel thoughtful investment into underinvested neighborhoods. The site’s former manufacturing spaces present a stunning architectural canvas for its rebirth, and the project’s proximity to numerous highway and mass transit options make it accessible to the entire Philadelphia market. While still in the early design phase, this project promises to be an exciting engine of growth for Philadelphia’s future.

My Uncle worked there. He died a month before you posted. He would have loved this.

I remember reading the plaques inside of the NYC subway cars that indicated they were made at Budd.

Budd also had a factory on Red Lion Road if I remember correctly. The last Budd Cars were the CTA Cars. The final car left the Plant on April 3 1987.

i started a 35 yr career here in '72,walked through the gate in the start of this video for yrs

Heartbreaking to see, my grandparents lived on Yelland St, their front door faced the 39th District and the fire dept. And Budd Co was at the end of the block.

Thank You for mentioning the Black workers!!!!

My grandfather worked there. I have a bunch of old photos of the place in operation. Cool stuff to see it still standing

Great video I always ride past these abandoned factories and always wondered what was inside thank you

When people ask, what happened to the Northeast? What happened to Chesterd? Detroit? Videos like this is your answer. The closing of so many factories like this crippled these areas.

My uncle worked there and retired from the Budd company he worked on the overhead crane's.

Wow. I remember touring the whole plant.

Thank you I remember working there until 1974 in the press shop and in operations . I worked in the Vim , AGL and just about all over bumped to all positions when you didn't have a lot of seniority. Many good memories!

Should have asked the union guy if he felt any responsibility for the loss of jobs at the plant due to ever increasing wages and benefits raised the costs of production and led to all of those jobs disappearing to other countries. Maybe there should have been fewer work stoppages.

Drive by there all the time. Pretty cool you got to go inside it. Nice video man

My grandfather worked at Budds. Brings back memories. Thank you!

My dad worked at the Hunting Park Ave plant in experimental research until he retired at age 57.

I wanted to explore this place when I was in Philadelphia last week, it looks like an awesome building

Amazing interview.. Got some real truth.. I have done many photo shoots there.

I was just @ MITtoday and saw the wind tunnel where the work was done on the BURLINGTON zephyr but I certainly rode in Buddliners in the 60s And on the southern crescent which was a vista-dome train but not sure if that was bud or Pullman I saw the City of New Orleans once in Jackson Mississippi on one of our vacations in a resplendent orange and chocolate complete consist.. I had a couple of tenants from Philly.. in my time as a landlord..the decay in this film reminds me of what I've seen of the Packard factory we used to be in a automobile related business.. very sad

Thanks for the memories, Mark. You may not remember me....I was there for 32 years...started as a timekeeper in June 1965 in the Vim press shop B shift.....left in March 1997 as a supervisor in Vim press shop on C Shift. I had some dealings with you when I was head of timekeeping dept and you were steward and then committeeman in R Bldg. It is sad to see the plant in its present condition. I would not be surprised to see it mysteriously burnt down one day. I must admit that I do not agree with all your comments but you are entitled to your opinions. There WAS racism on BOTH sides of the fence.....I witnessed it first hand. But at any rate why rehash this shit now.....its history.....once again thanks for this post...take care!

I enjoyed your video :)

Very sad that our nation has fallen so far since the 1960's

I remember delivering fuel oil there and seeing a pack of dogs roaming around. One of the workers who was supervising my delivery said it was normal and he had a cool switch blade on him.

Man it’s so hard to see what happened to this country. I was born in the 90s, and growing up I enjoyed my childhood and the community and adults I looked up too, growing up in Philly was fun sometimes crazy at times but never was like what it’s like now. I never took the time to appreciate what the beauty of America was until now when things Changed for the worse than better

Good job...Mark ...thank you

You really showed them with work stoppages and secretly refusing overtime.

Keep it up!

WOW, I use to live at Broad and Hunting Park and I also had uncles as well as friends of the family work there in the 60’s and 70’s. Those guys made good money too ! By the late 80’s , when I was a young man, I wanted to work there but I chose to work at another great Philly institution- Whitman’s Chocolates . RIP to both, for they will be forever burned in our memories .

Thank you

I miss working their.

My dad worked there. Word is they are going to build a very big complex there soon. It needs it. It's an eyesore. I live near by

I really hate to see the decay of my hometown.Philly was an epic center of industry especially during ww2.I grew in Passyunk Homes,which wasn't built as a housing project,but,was built for the workers at The Philadelphia Naval Yard. due to its close proximity.I had family that worked at Phoenix Steel down past Chester,and Bethlehem Steel.Now many places,including my home is litteraly a shell of what once was-

It always baffels me how people build tall skyscrapers and multi million dollar office complex when the couldve bought the warehouse and factories thats out of commissioned and kept the heritage alive smh

My Father did his tool and die apprenticeship in the late 1950s at that plant.

My estimate: men that are between the ages of 58 and up, approximately, 5 out of ten of them worked at Budd. My sister deceased husband was an employee there. If he was living he would be 60.

My father’s name was Edwin (Tiny) Batchelor. He worked there many years. I think his last year was around 1978. Does anyone know anything about him?

Prior to joining the US Navy in 1967, I worked for Nice Ball Bearing, off Allegheny Avenue. Does anyone know if they're still in business in Philadelphia?

I enjoyed my work at the BUDD CO. Served an apprenticeship there.

Thanks you guys for the history of Philadelphia because is fading away really fast my dad told me about all the jobs in Philadelphia in the 60s 70s 80s now I'm 40 and concerned about my kid future in Philadelphia 😢🙏

Hoping someone can help me here. I've been into first generation Ford Broncos for 40+ years. Always knew that the Budd Corp made the first year (1966) and possibly the second (1967). There is literally no information out there except a one page ad from back in the day showing the Budd Corp proudly producing the bronco body. Any of you or family that can help me with detail or photos would be a huge appreciation. Thanks!

My dad worked here 85-95? We lived close by.

It is sad to see factorys shut down! Now a days people walk out for really no reason. These young people think there are jobs out there and when they strike their way out of a job they find out that they should of stayed where they were. Union's take what they can get from you and then when times are tough they turn there backs on the people that are doing all the work. They do not care because there job is there no matter what. I worked at a factory for many years in Ontario Canada and the reason the doors were shut was because of the union trying to get more money when everyone that worked there was living well above there means. So for the young people out there tell your union to take a walk you will work a lot longer. Sorry but the truth is the truth! Jeff from small town Ontario Canada God bless

I worked in the VIM for a short time in the fall of 1982. I loved it but it wasn't meant to be. I loved every minute I was there!

Anybody remember Harvey Applegate? The old fart was my grandfather. He worked there for a lot of years.

I worked in the Vim in the late 70s on the econoline line

The first train made for septa the budd silverliner emu

i used to fix copiers all over this complex!..... always hated going there..... by the time you get 1 thing fixed, 19 others broke!..... brutal operators!!!

Omg my dad used to work there and I worked at tasty baking co. It looks like bombed out Iraq.

I wonder if this guy knows that the very existence of his union is what ultimately drove those plants out of business 🤔

Oh Wow. . .I am sure great memories. Looks like the legacy will continue as prime real estate for luxury condos soon/entertainment park of some sorts, if not already in the works. 🤷🏽‍♀️

now we dont have a domestic rail car producer. gotta ask other firms to set up in the states, making our rail projects very difficult and expensive to get done. we lost good jobs, domestic production knowledge, and jeopardize future rail transportation. huge unforced error. sorry we let this happen klimo

I miss the Budd company

So sad to watch this video

cool

Is anything made in this country anymore?

I worked for a company that had both the HR rep and Union VP were related by marriage. That is a conflict of interest with corruption that got the FBI, higher ups with the IBEW union reps out of Pittsburgh and company officials in Indiana involved with an investigation last year.

I worked there an caught the flu really bad i was a fork lift driver..they were some really great people working there...

I’m a union official and my mid 50’s. Sadly the union movement has taken a beating and so has middle class wages and benefits. One of the reasons so many are struggling in this country. Sad.

Re" some shop stewards were no damn good" yeah and can't fire them because UNION.... over paid, under perform

Unions are good but often corupt and cause many companies to leave to another state or another country.

Weres this location???

I assume this is the Budd company that made a lot of the Pennsylvania Railroad cars. I think Amtrak still uses a lot of their equipment.

Good job unions ran this company out of town and work along with companies like Nesbitt and many others, real good go union

What happen to the Budd Company?

My father worked at this location for 38 years before he retired.

I hope they redevelop it.

Who is the Union Rep you talked to ?

NAFTA AND FREE TRADE The American Workers got bent over bad. Thank the CEOs and Wall Streeters.

Makes you sick to the heart to watch.

I APPRECIATE how the tour guide wanted to inform us about the treatment of the workers ( especially the Black Workers ) but as USUAL the other guy wanted to MOVE ON NOTHING TO HEAR ENOUGH ABOUT THAT ...Move on and talk about ANYTHING BUT the treatment of the BLACK WORKERS !

Oh no getting away from that stuff (racism) he could care less typical

Where is all the equipment???? Maybe China?/

The unions helped ruin the companies, of course the companies did not do themselves any favors, the worker, that is who got screwed here. Think of all the homes and families this place used to support.

Who governt Phily?

This was our country back then. Despite alot of the issues nowadays which are similar to back then....the country ACTUALLY supported itself, not dependent on other countries that we blew out the water like Japan, China and Nazi Germany. Nowadays everything we get is Japanese or German. Don't get me wrong they made AWESOME quality equipment especially Germany, but we made stuff to last, not die within 1 year and spend more senseless money on it.

I'd like to say something really stupid. I wish NJT had taken the name of the Erie Lackawanna instead of NJT. EL is so much cooler and has a long history. Or even Amtrak taking the pennsy name. Just saying.

NAFTA

This guy seems like a really nice person but he's one of the reasons the Budd Factory closed. The union destroyed it.

I remember lots of my neighbors dads and moms who worked there! Then our politicians sent these jobs overseas! I remember sending my congressman a letter bitching about sending jobs overseas he wrote back and explaining that promoting jobs overseas helped these poor countries become more democratic and democracy’s don’t attack democracy’s! The number reason I don’t vote for Democrats!

see what the unions did for us...….put us on breadlines.