Corn syrup tank car loading/unloading

[wt259]

Does anyone know of any links to corn syrup loading/unloading facilities? Or any sites that would have photos or maps of these facilities? Trying to figure out what I'd need on my layout so I can pick up some of the Atlas and IM tank cars.

[ericsp]

There is a winery not too far from me that used to received corn syrup by rail. They now use those facilities to ship out grape juice concentrate (they now have a juice concentrate subsidiary). It seems like there are a few pipes by the spur. One for incoming steam, probably one for hot water return, one for syrup. They attached hoses to the steam inlet and outlet valves, and another to the product valve. Since corn syrup is not a hazardous material, they probably did not attache a hose to the tank vent. This particular facility does not have any type of unloading rack, although I am sure you could find such facilities.

Obviously you need some tanks, a boiler, probably some sort of process vessels (these could probably be contained within a building at the receiver, I do not know about the shipper), pipes, hoses, and (if you want it) a loading/unloading rack.

[jrbarney]

Wt259,
A keyword search at the Index of Magazines turned up one citation:

Corn syrup facility Railroad Model Craftsman, February 1980, page 76
( CORN, "REDD, G. WARREN", SYRUP, UNLOAD, PROTOTYPE, RMC )

I checked my back issue - it's a two page article with b&w photos of an L&N facility at Brimingham. Have you tried a Google search ?
Now, if there were tank cars for maple syrup, that would really be a sweet topic !
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[wt259]

Thanks guys. Bob, that's my next step. Hopefully, I'll have the time tomorrow to do it.
Eric, thanks. Seems like a recieving facility can be done without much fuss, the boiler, tank, and the rest can be inside the recieving building, I would think. Probably Google search that too. Again, thanks guys.
Wayne

[ericsp]

Model Railroader had an article about modeling a place where they unload asphalt in 1994 (I think). Since both are fairly simple facilities that unload high viscosity liquids, they would probably be similar.

[Anonymous]

Local brewery would get corn syrup by the tank car. It would have a spur that could handle 3 syrup cars. There was wash equipment to get the road grime off then a rubber hose connection. There may have also been some steam heat from the main power plant to help the syrup flow. It's been closed since June and we have some industry locally still taking corn syrup though I haven't figured out which one. It might be our local micro brew but it seems that what I see in the local yard is more than they could consume. Lately, the local yard crews have been setting up as 1 4-bottom grain car, 1 corn syrup tank car, with a repeat of three to four times. There have also been some syrup corn consists spotted in Puyallup, WA. Maybe some one local up there can post what industry is using it there.

[jrbarney]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ericsp

Model Railroader had an article about modeling a place where they unload asphalt in 1994 (I think). Since both are fairly simple facilities that unload high viscosity liquids, they would probably be similar.

Wayne,
Eric has a good memory. According to the Index of Magazines citations, that article can be found in either one of two locations:

Build a liquid asphalt transfer terminal Model Railroader, February 1994, page 84
Article also published in HO Lineside Industries You Can Build, page 32 ( ASPHALT, INDUSTRY, "MAYBEE, CLYDE JR.", TERMINAL, MR )

Build a liquid asphalt transfer terminal HO Lineside Industries You Can Build from Model Railroader Magazine page 32 Article also published in Model Railroader, February 1994, page 84 ( ASPHALT, INDUSTRY, "MAYBEE, CLYDE JR.", TERMINAL )

Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[wt259]

Eric and Bob, thanks again. HO Lineside Industries is one of the books I have on hand. I remember the asphalt transfer facility article, just never thought to look it up again, when I was thinking of corn syrup facilities. I'll dig it out tomorrow. Thanks again.