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Hi all, I am humbled by the responses here on this thread. It is apparent that there is a need to understand various aspects of industries. I would also like MR to consider a series based on not just industries and operation but possibly how to use different types of cars. Perhaps it will help the hobby a great deal. I am modeling a Sugar Refinery and would like to contribute what I have learned to this thread. Sugar Cane is grown in the deep south and Cuba as well as other areas of the world that is suitable for Cane. It is cut in 6 inch lengths and piled into a ship and sent north to Baltimore. On arrival the cane is offloaded. I do not know the exact nature yet of the plant there, however Boxcars are needed to ship finished sugar in "Totes" or as boxed product. The Totes are large bags that go to the commerical industries. Such as bakerys, distillerys, food processors, candy works (Please dont think "Wonka") possibly to chocolate. While the boxed product is shipped to food distribution for grocery stores, resturants etc The process to make sugar requires that a kiln be fed with "Milk of Lime" and Carbon (Coke from coal mines and steel works) and fuel oil or coal to fire the burners. These arrive in gondolas with LCL containers or covered hoppers. Also there are tank cars to deliver the Chemicals needed (Sodas etc) for the sugar making process and more tank cars to deliver molasses to the industries mentioned above. Also pellets of "worn out" molasses are used by covered hopper to agricultural elevators or as cattle feeds. Sometime in the late 40's box cars of animal meal from the slaughter houses have been used. So far we covered most different types of cars here. I used a variety of websites to learn more such as www.monitorsugar.com of Michigan. I tried to build a sensible switch list to work the refinery and the prototype refinery has handled millions of tons a year. Through a theory of "Selective Compression" I ship about 8 Loads of sugar a day from this industry to any other industry that needs sugar. I have found that from cane to finished product of sugar, molassas, and cattle feed etc consumes all but 15% of the cane. So I end up shipping about 4 or 5 loads of each by product in addition to the sugar. Sugar beets are very similar in processing. I may want to step to a different track regarding coal. My family used Oil during ww2. Most had coal that was delivered to the home by dump truck and carefully unloaded into a conveyer that fed the Home's basement coal bunker. Coal was and still is a vital part of our country. When I see a unit train of 130 coal cars, I see about 4 cars an hour consumed by the power plant's boiler (Each boiler I was told) suddenly the mangnitude of railroading becomes clear. Let us see if we can learn more from each other. I wish all of you the best fun in the hobby. Lee
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