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Industries along the track

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  • Member since
    August 2003
  • 6,434 posts
Industries along the track
Posted by FJ and G on Monday, November 22, 2004 11:34 AM
There's a book out there that goes something like that. I've never purchased it because it is always tightly bound in plastic.

Has anyone read it and is it worth the money?

As a follow-up, I really enjoy trackside industries--actually looking inside them and how they work. Unfortunately, the pages of Trains magazine are not thick enough to do this subject justice.

Some websites are great but most you have to do guesswork if you are scratchbuilding an industry because the pictures often only show a particular view and you cannot see all the angles from the sides and above.

Trackside industries go hand-in-glove with railroading and are fascinating aspects of the hobby.
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Culpeper, Va
  • 8,204 posts
Posted by IRONROOSTER on Monday, November 22, 2004 12:45 PM
I looked through it yesterday. If you're modeling one of the types included ("mining, refining, and agricultural operations" plus I think auto manufacturing) in a big way then it looks like it would be very helpful. If you're looking for help on small local type industries that handle a few cars and have one or two tracks, then this book isn't what you want. I passed on it for this reason.
Enjoy
Paul
If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 2 posts
Posted by WBENAK on Friday, November 26, 2004 5:55 PM
Finding industries for your toy train or hi-rail layout must mean you are tired of gaudy trains going around and around with no purpose. Kalmbach (the Classic toy trains publishers) also publishes MODEL RAILROADER, yes the poor guys only have two rails, but they have industries that their trains actually service. I have over 50 years of MRR because it was one of the few magazines avaliable before CLASSIC TOY TRAINS,it has always served as a source of prototypical rail road information for my toy train, Hirail and scale model railroads. Study the track plans and how they position sidings, and buildings to serve the needs of industries. Most scale Model Rail Roads serve industries. you can use your Lionel operating acessories with some additional buldings to do the same.
Another source is O GUAGE RAIL-ROADING, was O SCALE before but is now more Tinplate, of course Trains is a good source maybe more so in the past (listen up editors).
Talk to the scale model railroaders in your area, they are your brothers. They may know of large club layouts in your area. Go to their open houses.
You didn't mention specific Industries, the same siding with different buildings and signs can serve any industry you want, and it need not be so large as to engulf your entire right of way, however some modern unit trains may take more space than "older" style equipment.
If none of these sources is helpful show us your track plan and the type of Industry or Freight car you need help with. There are multitudes of us model railroaders out here more than willing to help.
lastly if I have offended the owners of " pink girls train sets, blue boys train sets, white freight cars, state,beer,baseball,whatever sport,celebrady,candy,tobacco,famous idiot, freight cars by calling them gaudy, I don't think less of you, I was raised in the fifties, my first train set was a Lionel 671 with 3 green 2400 series passenger cars from '48, xmas. My father added to my Lionel "collection" every year through the 50's & 60's. In the 50's I lived in Hermon (Los Angeles 42) with the Santa Fe viaduct across the arroyo (1 mile) from my bedroom window, and a Union Pacific spur to Pasadena on the far side of the arroyo. I NEVER SAW A WHITE BOX CAR OR REFER, I NEVER SAW A BLUE OR PINK STEAM ENGINE. Steam Engines were Black, big Northerns pulling lesser passenger trains,the Super Cheif was the same as my lionel trains, UP switchers were yellow & gray like my alcos, box cars were tuscan red, tank cars were black. I SAVED MY MONEY TO BUY 6464-125'S & 6464-275'S TO RE PAINT THEM WITH FLAT RED PRIMER AND BUY DECAL SETS FORM AL'S HOBBY SHOP TO RE LETTER THEM FOR THE SP & ATSF BECAUSE I WANTED MY TRAINS TO LOOK LIKE THE REAL THING. Al's hobby shop in the fifties was home to the local HO model railroad (HIGHLAND PARK MODEL RAILROAD CLUB-MAYBE?) I was introduced to scale model railroading in '54 or '55, they had model trains that looked like the real trains that I saw.
As an aside I own a lot of gaudy Lionel trains, the ones that were spared the repaint shop. However I like my trains to look real and act real which is why I replied to you're inquiry for track side Industries. what do you want? were out here.

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