don7 Hi, do not mean to criticise, but, I could not see an electronics manufacturing firm in the 1990's using railcars. Using motor vehicles, yes, semi-trucks and box trucks. Shipments of parts would not warrent box cars, too damn big, also too slow. I would change the product. Then again, it is your railroad.
Hi, do not mean to criticise, but, I could not see an electronics manufacturing firm in the 1990's using railcars.
Using motor vehicles, yes, semi-trucks and box trucks. Shipments of parts would not warrent box cars, too damn big, also too slow.
I would change the product.
Then again, it is your railroad.
Thought that part through actually. The idea is that the final product would be shipped out in Boxcars where they would then be sent out to a major eastern Port such as New York or Newark for shipping overseas.
Wayne! I haven't been active on this site for like a year, I totally forgot you did Gern! I had a bunch of stuff about it save on digital medium, but last year for christmas I got a laptop and I didn't save a lot of stuff or transfer it over. I am interested in MR's new N scale annual layout, which includes a grain elevator, I may want to talk to you.
Back to the subject, alot of processed grain and animal feed get shipped overseas, first getting bagged at processing plants and then shipped to sea ports. Some in containers (as in COFC) and some in box cars, which then get re-packed in containers. I have also seen video of box cars being loaded up, front-to-back, top-to-bottom, side-to-side, with large 100 pound bags of grain (I think this was about wheat) to be shipped to places in Africa for human aid trying to give starvation reliefe.
At one time the old car shop in my home town was turning out insulated tank cars. Materials came in by box car and tank cars left. Just a suggestion to jog some creative juices. A place to use those shiny new tank cars, no weathering needed.
God's Best & Happy Rails to You!
Bing (RIPRR The Route of the Buzzards)
The future: Dead Rail Society
I recognized the second photograph as being a tomato processing plant. From there, I got names from http://www.ctga.org/industry. I used Google maps to determine which plant was which. The third photograph has the company name in it.
"No soup for you!" - Yev Kassem (from Seinfeld)
ericsp. Thanks for the info! Cool to know the names and products. I see you live down in the San Joaquin Valley, How did you know the names of the business' up thi way?
HO-VeloHO-Velo wrote the following post 2 days ago: Lake Sacramento Valley. I have know idea what the first two do, but there are lots of box cars used Lake, Might those facilities be along the east side of I-5 near Williams? A lot of rice is grown in that area, maybe rice processing plants? Regards, Peter
Yes, and rice is one of the crops I thought off. Though there seems to be a lot of other types of crops in the fields along the highway and some are tomatoes as Eric states. But no rice along that stretch south of Williams that I have ever seen.
Maybe farther north, though we turn onto Hwy 20 at Williams.
Any way, lots of boxcars, covered hoppers and tank cars are also sitting on spures and sidings from Williams south to Woodland Ca.
Ken G Price My N-Scale Layout
Digitrax Super Empire Builder Radio System. South Valley Texas Railroad. SVTRR
N-Scale out west. 1996-1998 or so! UP, SP, Missouri Pacific, C&NW.
Lake These three business' are about an hour plus from me in the Sacramento Valley. I have know idea what the first two do, but there are lots of box cars used. The last one, I believe is some kind of a foods distributure.
These three business' are about an hour plus from me in the Sacramento Valley. I have know idea what the first two do, but there are lots of box cars used. The last one, I believe is some kind of a foods distributure.
The first photograph looks like Morning Star's tomato processing plant. The second is Olam's tomato processing plant. The third appears to be a rice mill (http://www.californiafamilyfoods.com/).
I had a large space to fill, and I ended up buying the Walthers "Empire Leather Tanning Company" kit. I figured it would take some boxcars and that would be about it. When I read the instructions, though, I found they had included a bit of information about tanneries that I was completely unfamiliar with.
As it turns out, they receive hides from slaughterhouses, typically in old boxcars marked "Hide Service Only." The decal sheet in the kit even had a couple of those. They also use acid (tank cars) and salt (covered hoppers) and then they might ship in either trucks or clean boxcars. I ended up with 4 more cars specifically for this industry, not counting the clean generic boxcars that will take the final product.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Capt. Grimek Mom's Robot Oil :-) I've chortled a couple of times seeing that sign in past post pics Mr. Beasley. I've finally gotta ask, is there a story behind that? Jim
Mom's Robot Oil :-) I've chortled a couple of times seeing that sign in past post pics Mr. Beasley. I've finally gotta ask, is there a story behind that?
Jim
It's a reference to Futurama, the cartoon-for-grownups set a few thousand years in the future. Since there are so many robots, it's the show's example of a huge, evil mega-corporation.
LakeSacramento Valley. I have know idea what the first two do, but there are lots of box cars used
Lake, Might those facilities be along the east side of I-5 near Williams? A lot of rice is grown in that area, maybe rice processing plants?
Regards, Peter
Automotive inustry uses rail for auto parts. I used to drive truck for GM and a lot of the plants I picked up parts for, came from a rail car.
If you go to Google maps and zoom in on the back of the factoty , you will see boxcars at the loading dock. It was Keyes Fiber Company when I worked there in the 1970's Appearance hasn't changed since then.
http://www2.us.huhtamaki.com/foodservice-products
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.
Chuck, yep, understand. Spent about 15 years in Colorado. The CF&I mill in Pueblo was visible for miles. In Tenn where I work now once had an extensive rail system serving the plant, but nothing is visible from the highway except the gate.
jim
I think this foundry would make a real neat model. Likely take quite some time to scratch with all the industrial piping but, so cool!
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=p9txt863j722&lvl=18&sty=b&q=bing%20maps%20el%20paso&form=LMLTCC
Jim, in my area the rail-served industry might be ten miles from the highway, but still cleaarly visible over the greasewood bushes. Tree? Wazzat? You can count the naturally growing serious trees on any square mile of Clark County without taking your other hand out of your pocket.
The area I model is diametrically opposite. Stick a seedling in the ground, then jump back out of the way. Amazing what a difference adequate rainfall makes.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
There are a lot more out there than you might think, most of them pretty big to enjoy rail service and large enough to need multi car deliveries. Problem is many of these modern factories are located just behind the tree line that hides them from the highway so unless you know they are there, you don't know they are there.
If I can get the link right, here are several:http: //binged.it/1sYLXWd
Just trace the number of spurs heading in various directions.
Baghdad firefighter I live in a area with very low rail traffic so I'm looking for Ideas for some types of factorys that would have modern factorys that would be recieving and shipping box cars 1980-present. With everything being made over seas these days I was looking for some Ideas for a HO scale I'm planing
I live in a area with very low rail traffic so I'm looking for Ideas for some types of factorys that would have modern factorys that would be recieving and shipping box cars 1980-present. With everything being made over seas these days I was looking for some Ideas for a HO scale I'm planing
Hmm..if you mean a modern industry that both receives AND ships boxcars. I think those are few. Boxcars are not used as much in the modern era, whereas hoppers and tank cars have taken over.
Perhaps a paper mill that makes new paper out of recycled paper. Any 50 foot boxcar in...hi cube 50 footer out.
- Douglas
The problem with the Squire Dingee pickle station is that it was a dying breed in 1961. A few years later they would all be gone.
Traction substations (or any other kind of electric substation) receive and deliver by wire. Not much electricity shipped by rail.
There's a re-purposed substation in Rapid City, SD. It is a factory (a place where things are made) but doesn't ship by rail - either way. Jewelry (Landstrom's Black Hills Gold, specifically) isn't made in (box)carload lots. (They used the old substation because of its bombproof construction. Getting in would be a problem for an Abrams tank. )
Shortly after WWII a lot of industries were set up in large size Quonset huts, bought cheap as government surplus. A few still exist, but most have been replaced by more modern rectangular steel or plain concrete buildings.
Looking back to the February 1961 Model Railroader (I picked up this back issue in 1965 for 50 cents) -- There are two coming CR&T "industries" to include: "A factory for those pickle cars" and to power the traction is "Traction substations." As the article title indicates, pickle cars need a pickle factory (which will have a fairly small layout footprint).
So, build a factory/industry around a type of railroad car. P.S.: Don't overlook what goes into covered hoppers, or a milk train/dairy, an ice house, or; team tracks/depot/ramps for a Pennsy TrucTrain's TOFC (Trailer On Flat Car), etc.
Another idea is today's, 2014 Short Line Award -- Reading Blue Mountain & Northern, resurrected from much of fallen flag, Reading Railroad. Note the industries on the first page alone from coal to the recently built spur to the new (and quite large) Yuengling Brewery (also the USA's oldest brewery), and other small business industries that require forklifts. Also see the many types of Passenger Excursions at their Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway -- If you've got the layout room and the urge to do scenery, bridges, foilage, etc.
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
Lumber and bricks.
Kind of on topic, but if you can't decide on a specific industry and/or space is an issue, you might try building interchangeable modules. On my N scale layout I have more industries that I want to service then I have space for. For example, I have a grain elevator module that can pop out and be replaced with a feed (as in animal) distribution center. Similar scenery but a completely different industry and rolling stock needs (grain hoppers vs. boxcars). As long as you build the permanent (non-module) scenery rather generic or with a similar theme in mind for the industries you want to module then the sky's the limit with what industries, operations, and rolling stock your model railway can service/use. I got the idea from an article written in "N Scale Magazine" by Bob Ferguson.
Happy modeling and good luck!
Don.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that both engines have failed, and we will be stuck here for some time. The good news is that you decided to take the train and not fly."
There's a wal-Mart distribution center served by rail in Flagstaff, AZ. Of course, it's about as big as my layout.
I have two photos of the Bassett furniture factory having box cars either spotted or pulled. One features a modern pair of NS diesels. The other plant switcher is a Y-5. Moral? A lot of present-day industries do their thing in 19th and early 20th century buildings.
You can always put noncommittal signage on a building, and spot box cars at their loading door. Just what does Smith & Jones, Inc. produce and/or distribute? Only their customers know for sure.
The hardest part, on the average model railroad, is finding space for buildings big enough to justify rail traffic. I've seen too many cases of a modern 60 foot box car spotted at a building that, empty of all else, wouldn't have the car's cubic capacity.
OMG Wayne, I was just about to suggest GERN.
__________________________________________________________________
Mike Kieran
Port Able Railway
I just do what the majority of the voices in my head vote on.
I can offer lots of options, but none of the examples shown are in modern '80s-style structures. There's no reason why they couldn't be, though, and even some current-day operations are in older buildings. This offers a good opportunity to include various styles of structures, and even to kitbash the older ones to accomodate newer industrial uses. Most of these are based on real industries, although no attempt has been made to model the prototype structures. A few are named for friends, too.
This is Wilkinson-Kompass, an industrial supplier offering mill supplies, tools, hardware, and iron and steel:
John Bertram Co., manufacturing machine tools (lathes, drill presses, milling machines, etc.):
Evell Casket Co., supplying coffins of all types (only partially modelled. Its siding is part of an industrial staging yard):
P&M Languay Ltd., (Pump and Compressor Division):
Elfrida Stove Works, originally a maker of wood stoves of all types, but currently (late '30s) offering furnaces for home and industry. A modern version might also offer air conditioning units:
National Grocers Ltd., a wholesale food warehouse and distributor. This type of industry is well-suited to an '80s-style tilt-up type or all-steel building. It could also be served by reefers:
Coffield Washer manufacturers washing machines, for both domestic and industrial use. I see no reason why you couldn't have an appliance factory in the '80s - a good industry for using big boxcars - 60' and longer, along with hi-cubes:
Bowyer Manufacturing makes brooms and brushes, but it could just as easily manufacture vacuum cleaners or central vac systems in the '80s:
Finally, this is GERN Industries, a totally made-up industry. It's product is flux, but forget that back-to-the-future nonsense - GERN predates it by several decades. Think more of flux as "in-a-state-of". I designed it mainly as a traffic generator, and it may utilise boxcars, tankcars, covered hoppers, and pretty-well any type of car you may wish to justify on your layout. The plant itself can be anything from a 'phone booth-size shed to what's shown below, and there are ones even larger. Pick a prototype structure which you really like but for which you have no use on your layout, slap a GERN sign on it, and you're in business.
If you're interested in GERN, contact me via PM.
Wayne
The big Anheuser Busch brewery in a nearby town has several storage tracks that are always full of boxcars, I'm guessing lots of empty cans and bottles coming in and full ones going out?
regards, Peter
Another idea I had and am probably going to impliment on my layout is an Electronics manufactuer.
On my future layout I plan on having an industry called "Brickley Electronics" if the layout is running 1990s era time, Brickley would produce cell phones that would be shipped out from Central Virginia, down to Norfolk where they would then be loaded by ship and sent overseas to europe and the middle east. In the modern era timeframe of my layout, Brickley Electronics would manufacture GPS Systems.
The name Brickley Electronics actually is a name I made poking fun at the huge Brick-Sized early cellphones of the 90s.