I have vivid memories of a rendering plant/glue factory complex in Carrollville WI (actually part of Oak Creek WI) get its various animal bits from slaughter houses in open gondolas. The smell! The flies! And on hot summer days, the occasional volcanic eruption of gasses! And a fertilizer/animal feed place nearby got fleshings from the local tanneries -- between the two operations (and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District nearby -- you had the ironic situation of real estate with prime views of Lake Michigan having some of Wisconsin's lowest prices around for residential lots.
My guess is that covered hoppers could be used to ship out bone meal which is a major product of a large rendering plant operation. The operation also creates tallows that are skimmed off and shipped in tank cars (dedicated to that purpose needless to say) One sometimes sees spray painted on those cars "inedible tallows" just to make sure.
I found this interesting little summary of rendering plant operations: http://www.jivdaya.org/rendering_plants.htm
Dave Nelson
dknelsonI found this interesting little summary of rendering plant operations: http://www.jivdaya.org/rendering_plants.htm
"Interesting" indeed.
Wayne
For anyone interested in modeling a rendering plant, here is a picture.
This is (was?) next to the Fort Worth, Texas stockyards. Photographed from the "Tarantula" steam train, 1994. This is where I took my bride-to-be that summer. To the train ride, not the rendering plant. I just shot it because I thought it might be something for someone to model someday.
dknelson I have vivid memories of a rendering plant/glue factory complex in Carrollville WI (actually part of Oak Creek WI) get its various animal bits from slaughter houses in open gondolas. The smell! The flies! And on hot summer days, the occasional volcanic eruption of gasses! And a fertilizer/animal feed place nearby got fleshings from the local tanneries -- between the two operations (and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District nearby -- you had the ironic situation of real estate with prime views of Lake Michigan having some of Wisconsin's lowest prices around for residential lots. My guess is that covered hoppers could be used to ship out bone meal which is a major product of a large rendering plant operation. The operation also creates tallows that are skimmed off and shipped in tank cars (dedicated to that purpose needless to say) One sometimes sees spray painted on those cars "inedible tallows" just to make sure. I found this interesting little summary of rendering plant operations: http://www.jivdaya.org/rendering_plants.htm Dave Nelson
Moving stock by rail is an era that is good to be gone.
Misery on wheels.
I was in the US Coast Guard in the 50s, 60s and at time went on inspections at the docks around the SF Bay Area. Once in a while we’d come upon this overwhelming, nauseating smell and there it would be pallets or boxcar loads of salted hides. The boxcars were stenciled “for hide service only” however the sign wasn’t necessary.
HMMM MMMM! Yummy! Just makes you want to go out and buy a steak from a cannibal cow laced with some toxins! Good thing steak and burger tastes so darn good!
Modeling the Motor City