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Who Has A "Nonsense Industry" On Their Layout Just For Fun?

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Who Has A "Nonsense Industry" On Their Layout Just For Fun?
Posted by pajrr on Monday, May 18, 2015 9:55 AM

Hi Everyone, does anybody have a totally ridiculous, nonsense industry on their layout just to have fun with? On my railroad it was "Havemore Industries". I built it so that I would "have more industry to serve". Hence the name. It was never clear what Havemore ever did. In this way I could deliver any type of car to it for any reason whatsoever. Everybody wondered what Havemore made. Was it nuclear weapons? Tupperware? All sorts of rumors abounded. So that is what I decided Havemore really was---A Rumor Mill! Have fun with this topic!

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Posted by chutton01 on Monday, May 18, 2015 10:24 AM

Any kind of railcar? You'd still need to model appropriate visible unloading apparatus such as pipes for tank cars, pneumatic hoses or undertrack dumps for hopper cars, docks/doors for boxcars and flats, etc. I'm sure somebody can dig up an example of multiple types (meaning 4 or more types) of loading appartus on one industrial siding (transload yards don't count), but it'd be a bit rare.

That aside, in the modern era you can achieve the same effect and be prototypical by having a somewhat plain looking building with the phrase "Logistics" or "Distribution" or "Solutions" in a otherwise suitably vague name. Let's pick an example - what does "Lion Logistics" (in honor of Brother Elias) do? Well, in reality they are freight forwarders "Specializing in Perishable Foods and Other Time Sensitive Shipping Needs", but could you guess that from their name? Maybe, maybe not.
Also consider using initials & the word "Group" - e.g. "The PRI Group" - they are recyclers and waste management specialists - but that name could serve almost anything.
Indeed, corporate naming since the 1970s has made it easy to be rather vague what a modeled business does, as long as you keep the unloading facitilies relevant for the type of freight cars that you want to serve it (e.g. a company that will only get tankcars does not require a rotary dumper, but will require piping and hoses).

That said, I'm sure plenty of people have things like Molasses Mines (yeah, I know of the E.L. Moore article)  and such industries on their layout. And with that in mind...no, your "HaveMore industries" never produced any nuclear weapons, unless it is in a somewhat isolated lage area surrounded by strong fencing and walls, and heavily guarded, which tupperware wouldn't really require. OTOH, radium watch dials....

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Monday, May 18, 2015 11:33 AM

I've got the Acme company, and Mom's Robot Oil.  Then there's the Sal Monella ice company.  Not sure where these cannisters are headed...

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by jjdamnit on Monday, May 18, 2015 1:01 PM

Hello All,

On my coal pike occasionally one of the mine crews will hit a pocket of Unobtainium (Unb 301).

I have not built a processing plant for this elusive element because no one seems to be able to bring it to the surface in any measurable quantity!

Hope this helps. 

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

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Posted by DavidH66 on Monday, May 18, 2015 1:45 PM
I don't remember who this is, butt here is a member on here who has talked extensively about a fictional factory. He called Liquid Flux I think. He even made up an add for it I remember. Who was that I'm thinking of?
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Posted by last mountain & eastern hogger on Monday, May 18, 2015 2:07 PM

Whistling

Chuuton,

I firmly believed that "Lion Logistics" had to do with LEDs, switches, controls, push buttons, control panels and subway lighting and the like and they are out of a small berg in North Dakota.

Their CEO is a funny little Chap that talks in the third person and lives in a monastary. But boy is he talented, and has a great affinity for cats, LARGE CATS.

David, That  fellow you are thinking of is Dr. Wayne and here is a pix of his flux Industry Plant.

 Dr. Wayne stated,

"And finally (for now, anyway, ' GERN Industries' Gibson Works, in Port Maitland, Ont.  It's a combination of Walthers ADM elevator and add-on silos, plus Redwing Milling, lots of .060" sheet styrene, and scratchbuilt details and add-ons:"

Dr. Wayne

Johnboy out.................

from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North.. 

We have met the enemy,  and he is us............ (Pogo)

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Posted by BRAKIE on Monday, May 18, 2015 3:24 PM

Years ago before I became serious about industry names I had one called "Burp Beer Breweries".

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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Posted by the old train man on Monday, May 18, 2015 5:36 PM

SmileAh yes ,this is one thing I love to do. I have collected these for years, I will mention only a few from my file. 1.  Hardley Able Manufactoring Co.   2. Will B leakey Plumbing Co. Flyybinite Construction Company.W.E.Pullum Dentist. Nott Safe Company. I Have Many More in my file. I use these all over my layout,It creates interest.                                                                         

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Posted by the old train man on Monday, May 18, 2015 6:08 PM

Larry,bet you didnt know that micro trains just released their burp o beer car from the 60s. I had one and sold it years ago.

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Posted by MidlandPacific on Monday, May 18, 2015 8:08 PM

John Armstrong's layout featured "The Depleted Lugubrium Company of America: Refiners of the Nation's Saddest Material."

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

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Posted by rrinker on Monday, May 18, 2015 8:28 PM

 I don;t have any fanciful industries planned for my layout, but I may make a small office in town for the law firm of Dewey, Cheatum, and Howe, just because I love the Stooges. Or, then there is the band that sounds like it ought to be a law firm - Anderson, Brudford, Wakeman and Howe. Might go with that.

 The whole GERN thing is well developed enough that at first glance it doesn't look particualrly silly, which makes it an ideal fictional industry - those not in the know will think it's all perfectly legit. Hmm, I wonder if Flux is found in proximity to anthracite coal....

 I do actually have a couple of businesses (not rail served industries) planned to honor family members. Earl's Garage will honor my dad, who at one time in his life (long before I was born) was a mechanic, and who got me into trains from toddler age on up. And when City Classics came out with Walt's Cafe, I just had to get it, my late Uncle Walt LOVED to go out to eat, and this kit looks like some palce he would have tried.

 I'm also trying to find HO scale pug dogs, but so far the only ones I can find come in the Woodland Scenics Full Figured Folks set, and I'm not about to buy 10 of those sets just to get 10 pugs. I plan to have pug scattered all over the layout. Yes, I have 2 real pugs.

                     --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by vsmith on Monday, May 18, 2015 9:08 PM

I have a soda bottling company named "Beelch" and I'm very close to adding a Bronies Glue Factory, with accompanying My Little Ponies waiting to be led inside ;-)

   Have fun with your trains

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Posted by vsmith on Monday, May 18, 2015 9:14 PM

rrinker

Or, then there is the band that sounds like it ought to be a law firm - Anderson, Brudford, Wakeman and Howe. Might go with that.               --Randy

 

Yes

   Have fun with your trains

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Posted by BRAKIE on Monday, May 18, 2015 9:31 PM

the old train man

Larry,bet you didnt know that micro trains just released their burp o beer car from the 60s. I had one and sold it years ago.

 

Interesting..My Burp  beer was  2 kitbashed Revelle Bakery Kits.That was on my freelanced Detroit Connecting Ry switching layout way back in '66.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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Posted by chutton01 on Monday, May 18, 2015 10:52 PM

last mountain & eastern hogger
I firmly believed that "Lion Logistics" had to do with LEDs, switches, controls, push buttons, control panels and subway lighting and the like and they are out of a small berg in North Dakota


Nah, Brother Elias would go with more 60s sounding names, like Lion Industries or Lion Holdings.

Now, if you needed an all-purpose ill-defined material that your industrial plant will produce, why not go with one that has it's own commercial starring well known actors?

 

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Posted by the old train man on Monday, May 18, 2015 10:54 PM

Interesting!

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Posted by G Paine on Monday, May 18, 2015 11:02 PM

I have a building that has never quite got finished, Universal Export is some kind of freight forwarder. I just can not explain why that oriental gentleman in a top hat keeps hanging around.....

George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch 

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Posted by Southgate on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 1:59 AM

Have reefers to letter for Koldernell seafood  shipping, and once considdered opening a white metal mine, "MW Depole"...

Ya know, I still might just do that!  Dan

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Posted by pajrr on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 4:03 AM

I also had a store in the middle of one of my towns. It was a combination fishing tackle & electrical supply. It was "Paul's Bait & Switch".

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Posted by rrinker on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 7:14 AM

vsmith
 
rrinker

Or, then there is the band that sounds like it ought to be a law firm - Anderson, Brudford, Wakeman and Howe. Might go with that.               --Randy

 

 

 

Yes

 

Well, -1. Smile, Wink & Grin

               --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by caldreamer on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 8:45 AM

Whow about the "The Holw-Thing Co.".  They make the holes for donuts.

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 9:03 AM

The local painting business is owned by Leo da Vinci.

And then there's my local beer from the Strumpet Brewery.  "Nothing goes down like a Strumpet."

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by E-L man tom on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 9:15 AM

Well, I have the Mud Hen Brewery (named after the minor league baseball team Toledo Mud Hens).

Then, when I was looking for ideas for a new industry to put into a space on my layout expansion. A fellow model railroader friend of mine came up with a good one:  The Tasty Cat Food Company. Not sure which is the tasty one, the food or the cat!

Also, I was visiting an N scale club layout, and on it they had the Lemon Car Company. "Shouldn't you really own a Lemon?"

Tom Modeling the free-lanced Toledo Erie Central switching layout.
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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 9:23 AM

My large bakery is called "Stayle Bread Company". 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by peahrens on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 9:44 AM

My layout includes the Wholly Mackeral Seafood Company and the Smelley Gas Works:

Paul

Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent

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Posted by Adelie on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 9:47 AM

I find Yiddish words are great for these types of names (and the Three Stooges used a fair number of them, Randy). I have none up and running yet, but names I have at the ready include:

  • Shmata’s Fine Clothing
  • Shiker’s Bar
  • Chotski’s Gifts (Taking some liberty with the spelling for clarity)
  • Heizel’s Hotel

If anybody is curious, they can Google those names to find the irony. What I name the industries is yet to be determined.

- Mark

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Posted by mlehman on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 10:17 AM

pajrr
It was never clear what Havemore ever did. In this way I could deliver any type of car to it for any reason whatsoever. Everybody wondered what Havemore made. Was it nuclear weapons?

That's actually an entire (thankfully imaginary) theme on my layout, based on my academic specialization in my subfield of history of science. My Four Corners Division of the Rio Grande is right there in uranium country. It's all a little hush-hush and there was in real life no uranium in the San Juans themselves as far as I know, but to the west of them on into Utah. However, some of my mines ship ore to the smelter in Durango, which in real life did produce yellowcake for the AEC (and quite the mess to clean up later.)

From there, shipments go to my Dove Creek plant run by AEC contractor Uranium Corporation of America (URACAM). Even less is said about what goes on there. Trains simply disappear past the gate as they enter the plant property, so no need for elaborate unloading facilities. I can ship virtually any car in there and no, don't ask.Smile, Wink & Grin

 Some of the AEC cars used on the narrowgauge

The gate at URACAM...

Looking past it along the rail line, you don't see much.

Oddly, some folks with foreign accents and bags of cash bought the property next door some time after construction at URACAM started. They make concrete there, as well as operate a quarry that the RR uses for ballast. The parent company is said to be "somewhere in Europe" but they operate locally as Colorado ConCrete Products or, as they like to shorten it, CCCP...

The clerk at Bukowski's Liquors on the main drag in Dove Creek right outside the plant gate says he has a hard time keeping vodka in stock.Wink

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by shayfan84325 on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 2:33 PM

My layout is home to the Stave Brothers Cooperage (barrel factory), and Spok's Wingnuts - bigger ears for a better grip - the logical choice.

Phil,
I'm not a rocket scientist; they are my students.

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Posted by stebbycentral on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 4:36 PM

I have figured out what is wrong with my brain!  On the left side nothing works right, and on the right side there is nothing left!

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Posted by georgev on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 5:52 PM

How about this one?

If Mr. Peabody can have a coal company, why can't Sherman?   And since the structure is the Walthers New River Mining kit, "Old Creek Mine" seemed to work. 

George V.

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