MisterBeasley wrote:I'd assume that in reality they would pick up, rather than deliver, the milk in cans like this. So, what kind of cars would be used for this? Would they go into reefers? Hopefully, some poor crewman didn't have to ride inside the car like the Lionels!
I'd assume that in reality they would pick up, rather than deliver, the milk in cans like this. So, what kind of cars would be used for this? Would they go into reefers? Hopefully, some poor crewman didn't have to ride inside the car like the Lionels!
Okay, here's a litle primer on milk (stop hitting the "f" key dummy!) operations.
Trains would gathere up milk in cans, from platforms such as this. They could have used combines, baggage cars, or express cars. Depends on the RR.
A crewman would place the full cans in the car, and place empties out for the farmers to sanitize, and re-fill. (Those cans you see at flea markets with cutsie paintings on them. Those are milk cans)
Mostly they would be collected up a creameries emptied, and the cycle would begin anew.
Another aside, the Lionel milk car was the most produced accessory in the postwar era (I also dabble in traditional 3 rail O scale) with over 1,000,000 made from '47 to'49!
(And yes, I have one. Makes the grandkids giggle when those cans come flying out of a car!)
I am in the process of planning my home layout. I have talked to Brain Scace (former editor of OST) and am looking at my options as far as industry (aside from coal) and other considerations on layout design.
Era: 1970s
Road: Western Maryland and B&O/Chessie
Locale: "generic" Alleghenies region.
Scale: 2 rail O scale.
Style of layout: A point to point way-frieght line, with a 2 track loop for continious running. Satisfys the railfan in me, as well as the "employee" in me.
Minimums: 65' radius curves on the "main" and 48' radius on the switching/wayfrieght operations area. #6 turnouts or better except in the industrial areas, where I'll live with the old Atlas/Roco turnouts. (No, I'm not handlaying!)
I have a 14X38 area available, with possable "side" pockets for staging.
This should keep me off the streets for several years!
Welcome back. Interesting that an O scaler's return coincides with Lionel's emergence from bankruptcy.
Your work is beautiful.
Best!
Nice work. I like the milk platform.
I got me thinking about my old Lionels, with the automated milk car. For those who never had one, it came with a special track which provided power to the car. Milk cans (5 or 6 of them) were hand-loaded from the top of the car. There was a magnet in each can, and the platform was metal, so as you pushed the button, the door would open and a figure inside would push out one can, which would stay upright, held by the magnet.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Hello all, I'm back.
After finally upgrading my computer, I can post again here.
Here are a few pics of my recent projects.
An Ambriod wood chip hopper, O scale, in B&O flavor. I changed to brass ends, as these are high stress areas, and need all the reinforcement they can get!
One of Martin's Milk Platform kits. A nice build, weathering by India Ink and alcohol mix. I still need to put the NBW castings on it, but it's layout acceptable for now. The Geep is an Atlas O trainman GP-15T
An overview of a corner of the layout at the club, just for giggles and grins.