I took these photos Trail Diner, Rt 11, New Milford, PA. back in 2004. It’s a c.1948 Mountain View. At that point it was pretty beat up with wood repairs done to the stainless and what appeared to be garbage bags covering the windows. I believe it was out of business at that point, though there were cars in the parking lot. As of 2013, it was looking about 9 years the worse for wear.
Here’s a photo taken several years ago of Pennsylvania’s Coventry Diner, a later Silk City which has undergone remodeling.
The four windows on the right are part of an addition. From that part left is the original diner.
Photos we took in 2006, during the installation of the then newly restored Tom Sawyer Diner. In the two and a half years since these pictures were taken, the Tom Sawyer housed a diner, a party bar, a Asian/ Mediterranean fusion restaurant called Konnichiwa, and a Mexican cantina.
The Tom Sawyer, a 1962 DeRaffele was originally located in Allentown, PA.
There are plans to replace the diner with an 18 story business complex.
Business owners take high-rise-development plan in stride
Konnichiwa
Sawyers Cantina
Tom Sawyer Diner- RIP 2006-2008
More photos of the West Shore Diner of Lemoyne Pennsylvania from another trip.
Inside the West Shore- Notice how the backbar has been bumped out into the kitchen area, with the front of the back counter being flush with the back wall of the actual diner. Narrow deuce booths on the right.
The backbar setup, with drink machine and passthrough to kitchen. Old woodwork trim. Support our Troops.
The entire length of the diner. Blue, creme and black tilework. Worn salmon formica.
exterior, with air conditioning unit.
It’s a very narrow diner.
The West Shore Diner. They saved my life.
empty
Diner corner with air conditioner cut-out
The outside of the diner. It appears as it did when new; a real time warp.
Bikers at the diner
The wonderful original neon sign. It still works. Hand painted signs advertise the $1.25 breakfast specials, Daily Specials and Lunch & Dinner.
The original neon sign over the entrance.
Jerry O’Mahony, Inc.
Dining Car Builders
Elizabeth, NJ
The incredibly clean and well preserved interior of the diner.
Sugar and Seeburg 200 Wall-o-matic. The 200 wall-matic was only made from 1955 to 1956, from what I’ve been able to find.
“P_ _ H”
Breakfast Specials (granted, this picture was taken three years ago or so, so prices have probably gone up) They were all ridiculously inexpensive, and what we had was excellent, and served in large portions.
#1 Two Extra large any style eggs, homefries, toast and jelly – $1.25
#2 Two Hotcakes and two strips of bacon – $1.95
#3 Cereal with milk and fruit juice – $1.25
#4 “Big Mess” – Three eggs, Homefries, onions, peppers and ham all mixed together, with toast – $3.95
Sausage Gravy and Biscuit – $2.50
Double order – $4.25
With Two eggs- $4.95
A row of stools, terrazzo and formica
Back-lit back painted Restrooms sign, inset into the stainless work
Ford pickup rusting out back in the parking lot of Wolfe’s
Abandoned “modern” place in PA
edit: The owner of the Rosedale Diner opened Pizza World after the diner’s closing. The diner was moved to the woods across the street from Pizza World, and was featured on the cover of Hall and Oates’ Album, Abandoned Luncheonette. It no longer exists.
Thanks Larry!
I hit this one up on a Harrisburg area road trip a few years back. It was built in 1953 by DeRaffele, and was previouly named the By-pass Diner. It’s a truly beautiful old place, with broad turquoise striping and gleaming stainless. It’s still very original, as you can see from the pictures. As of a couple years ago, the food and service matched the quality of the architecture. If you’re ever in the Harrisburg area, this one’s a must see.
The American Dream Diner is located at:
1933 Herr St
Harrisburg, PA 17103
The West Shore Diner was built in the 1930s by the Patterson Vehicle Company of Patterson, New Jersey. It may be the only surviving Silk City diner with this narrow floor plan. It appears it may have originally been all stools, but that at some point, the back wall was bumped out. This moved the backbar out the back a bit, allowing the counter to be moved further back, freeing up space for some deuce booths on the outside wall. The ceiling is similar to other silk city diners, but as it is so much narrower, it is steeper on the sides, and does not have the elegant curve of later models. Dark woodwork, tile and formica make up most of the interior, while the exterior has been repainted time and time again. The West Shore shows its 70+ years of age, but is a unique example of early New Jersey diner manufacture. his is my go-to diner in the Harrisburg area, and one of the best I’ve been to. It is one of the friendliest around. The food is excellent, and comes in enormous portions at bargain prices. They have great t-shirts, too, which is always a plus. You can’t go wrong with a stop at the West Shore.
A more recent, more drab paint scheme.
I was sent these pictures by my old man, who visited on Friday.
The Frazer diner is a 1935 O’Mahony, originally located in and named the Paoli diner. (Paoli is also the home of the Philadelphia curling club, where I’ve spent a lot of time). It was moved in 1957 to its current location, just down the road, in Frazer. It was renovated/restored in 2002.
A photo of it before the work was done, showing the old awnings, can be found at:
http://www.agilitynut.com/p/frazer.jpg
A photo of the old neon sign can be found at: The American Roadside
The Charcoal Pit- original location – North Wilmington
The Charcoal Pit Tradition dates back to September 1956 when it first opened its doors. The “Pit” – referred to by loyal customers, became such an instant success that only after three months from the grand opening, it was decided to build more room for its long line of hungry customers. The “Pit” went from a small four table and a counter burger joint to a 115 customer-seating establishment.
Some shots from when I visted the diner in 2007.
Diner Hunter 
