Oops. I probably have to do better research before asking a question. This isn't a traditional tanning operation like in the old days. Its more modern. I'm thinking it receives a tank car of dyes or pigments of some type. Maybe a boxcar of skins. Its in Griffin Georgia.
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.2414159,-84.2727645,219m/data=!3m1!1e3
- Douglas
Back when I used to be in the environmental business and was doing the OSHA HAZWPR 40 hour health and safety training and learning out to put together environmental plans for projects, or doing site assessments, the subject of tanneries came up. All my life I had never really heard about them or given thought to them, but when looking at the history of environmental sites, the past effects - they came up. At that time the only reason we were concerned about them in the present was based on past operations, usually a long long time ago.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Tanning is essentially the reaction of collagen fibers in the hide with tannins, chromium, alum, or other chemical agents. The most common tanning agents used in the U. S. are trivalent chromium and vegetable tannins extracted from specific tree barks. Alum, syntans (man-made chemicals), formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and heavy oils are other tanning agents." Cheers, the Bear.
I should have specified modern era.
Google earth shows a small tanning company in central Georgia that looks like evidence of having a not-too-old spur leading to it. I'm thinking they may have received a few tank cars of the nasty chemicals listed above.
Just a small industry for a switching layout.
I'm thinking the metal chemicals would come by shorty tankers and the veg oils or formaldehyde would come by the 20,000 gal or larger cars.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
I have been to a few meat rendering plants, Tom... no picknick there!
Here's a link to a great photo from our friends as Shorpy of a tannery in Sault Sainte Marie. Served by two railroads, no less. Just LOOK at all those hides stacked up!
Regards, Ed
http://www.shorpy.com/node/12846?size=_original#caption
The era is important. Many tanneries closed permanently when it became apparent that they coundn't continue operating without serious negative environmental impacts. These problems were always there, but weren't regulated much until the EPA came along. They ALWAYS stunk, and I hope you're not planning to model that aspect of the operation.
In the very early years, the tanning chemicals came from tan bark, and quite a few small narrow gauge logging railroads were built specifically to serve the needs of tanneries. In Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the tanning chemicals were often derived from hemlock trees, which were plentiful in the mountains at one time. Other species may have been used in other areas. Eventually, the tanneries converted to the use of chemicals from other commercial sources, but I can't enlighten you about the exact chemicals or their sources. I suspect they came from the petroleum industry, either directly or indirectly. By the time of WWI or the Depression, the forests were just about played out, so the chemicals came from these new sources in tank cars. The tank cars were probably lined for acid handling.
Uncleaned ("green") hides were shipped in the oldest, most beat-up boxcars available. The tannery in Mercersburg, PA, on a PRR branch, received green hides in old single sheath Rock Island boxcars, and probably boxcars from other sources. Tanneries on the Wellsville Addison & Galeton received them in WAG single sheath boxcars that the road had bought second hand from the Boston & Maine. They came in from Chicago on the Erie. AC&Y served a small rendering plant in New Washington, Ohio, which shipped green hides to various tanneries in New England (mostly AC&Y New Washington to Akron, then Erie from Akron to Maybrook). In the late 1940's and 1950's, AC&Y dedicated a small group of 2000 series, single sheath, door & 1/2 boxcars to this service. Boxcars in hide service could never be used for any other commodity because of contamination, and were often stenciled "Hide Service Only".
The finished leather could not be shipped out in hide cars. You will need to keep hide cars separate from clean cars, which will add to the operating interest.
The hides arrived in pretty foul and smelly condition, as I have suggested. Those with weak stomachs may want to stop reading right about now. The hides had to be cleaned (not a job you would want to apply for). The remaining flesh tissue was scraped off to prepare the hides. The hair was also removed. All of this refuse (called "fleshings") had to be disposed of, and it often went out in smelly, open gondolas. I assume these gondolas were also in dedicated service and banned from use for other shipments, but I'm not sure. I understand they often leaked a putrid substance. If you didn't like reading that, don't try to tell me you weren't warned.
I don't know what the fleshings were used for, but I understand they were sent to some buyer who presumably found a way to turn a profit from them.
What I have said here is a rough outline, and I may have made a minor mistake or two. I'm sure somebody else can give much more thorough answers and fill in some gaps.
Tom
(edited/amplified)
Hi,
Tannic Acid comes to mind...
but there's more.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanning
Small three-domed tank cars would probably be in order. I imagine, depending on era, the hides would be bundled and hauled in 40' box cars. There could be cars of lime and soda ash for neutralizing, too.
Interesting!
Ed
I'm doing some research on a potential new layout and stumbled across a tanning facility that looks to have been served by rail until recently. I think some pretty nasty chemicals would be come by rail but I need help determining what specific chemicals would be a common railroad delivery. Thanks for your help.