Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill The roofing granules are made from granite. The plant in Wausau puts out 50-70 covered hoppers a day. As of 1999, WC had moved 4 million carloads in 12 years. The plant bakes on a ceramic coating to give the granules the desired color. The plant opened in 1929. I'm not sure where the quarry is; the sources aren't very clear. [/quote] Sorry Mark, the roofing granules are made out of limestone, NOT granite. Granite, yes is a hard rock,though its mostly used for making gravel roads. Before they used the limestone,they had tried quartz,mined in Rib Mountain,though later in 1930 or so,they found that the quartz was falling off the roof shingles,so the search was on for a better material. At the Wausau plant,the limestone is vertually pulverised (smashed ) then kaolin clay is added to it,along with caustic soda,and various dyes to make the assorted colors,then baked in the kilns at the plant. The quarry is located in the town of Maine, just Northeast of the North Central Technical College. I dont have my Wausau map with me at the moment,but I do know the exact route of where the bottom dump semis take to and from the plant. I also have newspaper clippings and other info on the Wausau plant,if anyone is interested in this facility. I happen to have a smaller version of the plant on my layout. In regards to the line on the West side of Wausau,you are exactly right Jay, the ex CNW line still goes West to the Green Bay Packaging plant in theWest Side Industrial Park,This is also the area where you will find PDM Bridge,Wausau Steel,and Georgia Pacific. Even to this day the CN / WC still stores covered hopper cars there and along side Marathon Park for the 3-M plant,besides tank cars for 3-M,and also covered hopper cars of salt for the Marathon County Highway Dept. Its a really interesting area for train watching and the industries served in Wausau.Unfortunately there isnt a thing written about this important part of the "Valley Line",that once had the Milwaukee Road,and the CNW dominating this sector. Thankfully,I have gotten plenty of photos of the Wausau area, long before the CN started to tear things apart. Jay there is so much that I know about Wausau and the railroads that served it,that I',m sure we would be talking up a storm about it.[:D][^][8D]
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag