I'm sure this has been brought up before, but I just can't find the source. Is there someplace where a modeler can find out what your basic/typical industries routinely receive and ship to aid in developing realistic operations?
I would appreciate any and all input. Thanks in advance....
James
https://www.nmra.org/sigs/railroad-industries-sig
Operations sig has an industry database
https://www.nmra.org/sigs/operations-sig
http://www.opsig.org/reso/
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.
If I may?
As far as industries that varies from era to era and has no real set pattern.
While working the PRR some day's Patton's Warehouse would receive three boxcars of alcohol beverages or tobacco products and the next day nothing would be setout or picked up.I recall a company would receive one or two empty gons a month for production waste along with their normal daily covered hoppers of sand.The junk yard received two to three gons a week some weeks none.
Again there was no set pattern for most industries we served.Some days we would have more pickups then setouts.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Here's a link to CB&Q's industry list. It might give you a good idea what cars go where and what they haul.
http://www.burlingtonroute.org/Qrailroad/history/industries_served.php
Joe
BRAKIE If I may? As far as industries that varies from era to era and has no real set pattern. While working the PRR some day's Patton's Warehouse would receive three boxcars of alcohol beverages or tobacco products and the next day nothing would be setout or picked up.I recall a company would receive one or two empty gons a month for production waste along with their normal daily covered hoppers of sand.The junk yard received two to three gons a week some weeks none. Again there was no set pattern for most industries we served.Some days we would have more pickups then setouts.
Indeed, a combination of personal observations and specific info from employees, even the most massive operations might still not have *daily* moves.
For instance, a small university power plant I know of consumed 800-1000 tons of coal a week. They were a regular customer for the local short line, but those eight to ten cars were a once a week deal. A nearby mill with a melt shop and rolling mill gets two whole trains worth of cars...twice a week. Even the monster USS Edgar Thomson Works doesn't see more than three or four inbound ore trains a week. In-plant operations, uh, different story there.
I'd figure the only places that have very set patterns are those with a fixed cadence of projection, like outbound automobiles or oil trains.
Friends,
I get it that there were no set patterns of what was received or shipped, but what joseph provided with the CB&Q link is exactly what I need. What commodities did industries receive and send. From that I can determine frequency which aids in developing a prototypical movement of railroad cars to and from the industry. Some are easy: a power plant receives entire trains of coal, while a small town coal distributor receives but a car a week, or every other week. In both cases only empties go out. Other industries are a little harder to flesh out, but the list that joseph provided filled in a lot of blanks. If you didn't check out his link, you should.
I appreciate everyone's input. OH! the NMRA operating group link that was provided took me to a page with with no real information or additional links to follow. Did I miss a bread-crumb trail? I'd really like to check that out.
Happy railroading,
OOOOOPS...I take my comment about the NMRA operating group back. There is a data base of info.....tough to read through, but it is there and appears quite detailed.
Thanks again.....
James Adeveloping a prototypical movement of railroad cars to and from the industry. Some are easy: a power plant receives entire trains of coal,
Not so fast there..Some smaller power plants would recieve four to six cars of coal twice a week.Celina,Ohio had such a plant..Coal was delivered by the NKP and later the N&W local.
Larry...obviously. So sorry I made a general statement about power plants, but I thought the small towm coal dealer comparison made the point. Just like a NYC steak house serves 200 patrons a night, a Three Forks, MT steak house serves but 20. I have a firm grasp on the obvious...
James AI have a firm grasp on the obvious...
I'm glad you can see outside the small box of layout industries since many modelers follows the industry path that has been taught over the years-many teachings isn't exactly spot on or the old standby leave a car,pickup a car type of local operation leaves a lot to be desired..
While I spent the last 60 years studying industries and building Industrial Switching Layouts (ISL) I still learn new things.
I recently learned there is a plastic company that sends gaylords of plastic pellets in 50' boxcars.Who would of thought that since there are 64' plastic pellet covered hoppers that can carry far more pellets then a 50' boxcar?
You may find this of interest.
http://www.rjcorman.com/companies/railroad-company/what-we-haul
Look under Find a railroad" a drop down to see what freight each road handles.
https://www.gwrr.com/