crossthedog John-NYBW A candy and tobacco distributor. Candy and tobacco together. Ah, those were the days.
John-NYBW A candy and tobacco distributor.
Candy and tobacco together. Ah, those were the days.
I got the idea for a candy and tobacco distributor from an old building in Mt. Vernon, OH. It had Buckeye Candy and Tobacco painted on the side of the building. I don't think it was still in business when I moved to the area over 20 years ago. One of the nearby colleges has since bought and repurposed it. They put in windows where the sign was once painted on a solid brick wall taking chunks out of the sign but leaving what was left of it.
That train station was quite a common kit, but I can't seem to recall the company that made it. It's been some time since I built it, but I do recall re-locating some of the walls so that it fit better into the available space. The station was supposedly a model of Rico Station, I think, as the kit parts were mostly yellow and brown plastic. I thought that the EG&E's double grey and green paint scheme helped it to fit better into a Southern Ontario setting.Here are some diesels in the same scheme...
...as are most of the on-layout train stations...
This picture was taken with the camera on the layout, and facing towards the aisle...
...and many of the outbuildings used the same paint scheme, too...
Wayne
I believe that is the timeless Rico Station.
This kit has been sold by Tyco, Pola, Con-Cor, AHM, and probably others. I believe the components were made in Germany.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
doctorwayne There are also two coaling towers on the layout...this one is a modified one from Walthers (just small enough to fit into the close quarters available)... ... Wayne
There are also two coaling towers on the layout...this one is a modified one from Walthers (just small enough to fit into the close quarters available)...
...
A question was asked by another poster about how coal is loaded into a coaling tower. The photos by Dr Wayne show one way this is done. Coal is dumped into the bin below the shed with the run-thru track. You can see a couple of vertical rails between the shed and alongside the coaling tower to the top of the tower, where a skip-loader bucket runs up and down to fill the tower.
Id have to say my favorite HO small footprint industry would be Santa's elf's workshop where they make HO trains. Im quite sure theres plenty of small foot prints around that industry.
Definately another favorite would be, and I dont know his shoe size, but Id have to say Doc Wayne's train room! Thats one heck of an HO industry you got goin on over there.
Respects,
PMR
crossthedog @David, thanks for the extra photo. Looking at it with the others I can now see how it all fits together. Very nice. I suppose you have to switch out a car now and then that's in the way of one of the other industries on the same track, since you have several on each side of the fork, and then spot it back where it was? Is that a thing? I guess it would have to be. EDIT: I will have an almost identical trackage scenario. My cars are longer so I could not include as many businesses, but I could possibly do something similar. -Matt
@David, thanks for the extra photo. Looking at it with the others I can now see how it all fits together. Very nice. I suppose you have to switch out a car now and then that's in the way of one of the other industries on the same track, since you have several on each side of the fork, and then spot it back where it was? Is that a thing? I guess it would have to be. EDIT: I will have an almost identical trackage scenario. My cars are longer so I could not include as many businesses, but I could possibly do something similar.
-Matt
Yes Matt. Switching cars in and out. Most days I do things simply by a complete change round of cars.
If the mood takes me I operate it like 'Inglenook'.
https://www.carendt.com/micro-layout-design-gallery/inglenook-designs/
A 'puzzle and half' at times, but great fun and a different way to operate part of my layout. All in a small space as well.
Another view. Front left to right T& J Harrison, Hudson Ward. Rear left to right Smith & Butler, Hey & Humphrey's, Fairbairn Lawson. Town Tailors (not shown) is to the left of Smith & Butler.
IMG_2220 by David Harrison, on Flickr
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Kevin: Thanks for digging up that example of the Rico Station kit.
PM RailfanId have to say Doc Wayne's train room! Thats one heck of an HO industry you got goin on over there. Respects, PMR
Thanks for your kind comments, PMR.
Here are a few photos showing the dumping shed for coal at the Mount Forest coaling tower (a Tichy kit)...
...here's an overhead view of loaded hoppers being pushed into the backside dump-shed...
...and the same place, with the dump-shed removed...
I think that the photos below, of the coaling tower at Lowbanks, will offer a better illustration of how the coal gets into the coaling tower...
Here's a hopper car loaded with coal, being pushed up the ramp to the dump-shed...
...and a view with the dump-shed removed, showing the steel grid which allows the coal to drop into the pit below, then be loaded into the skip-bucket car which is then hoisted by cables to the top of the coaling tower, where the bucket is tipped to empty into the coaling tower...
While I do use "loose" coal for hopper loads, (either Black Beauty blasting medium or finely-ground coke breeze), neither of the coaling towers are mechanically operated, so the only "coal" that actually gets dumped anywhere is due to an occasional derailment.
Fortunately, there are few of those...
The two-bay loaded hoppers weigh-in at about 8oz. each, so I only very seldom run 25lb. coal trains.
Wayne,
Amazing layout. Also like how you combined kits to build angled footprints.
NorthsideChi Wayne, Amazing layout. Also like how you combined kits to build angled footprints.
SeeYou190I believe that is the timeless Rico Station. This kit has been sold by Tyco, Pola, Con-Cor, AHM, and probably others. I believe the components were made in Germany. -Kevin
MidlandMikeA question was asked by another poster about how coal is loaded into a coaling tower. The photos by Dr Wayne show one way this is done. Coal is dumped into the bin below the shed with the run-thru track. You can see a couple of vertical rails between the shed and alongside the coaling tower to the top of the tower, where a skip-loader bucket runs up and down to fill the tower.
NorthBritYes Matt. Switching cars in and out. Most days I do things simply by a complete change round of cars. If the mood takes me I operate it like 'Inglenook'. https://www.carendt.com/micro-layout-design-gallery/inglenook-designs/ A 'puzzle and half' at times, but great fun and a different way to operate part of my layout. All in a small space as well.
@Wayne, where do you raise your smoke these days? I don't travel much, but if I ever get within shouting distance of your layout, I want to pester you for a tour.
Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. It's been very helpful and inspiring.
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
crossthedog MidlandMike A question was asked by another poster about how coal is loaded into a coaling tower. The photos by Dr Wayne show one way this is done. Coal is dumped into the bin below the shed with the run-thru track. You can see a couple of vertical rails between the shed and alongside the coaling tower to the top of the tower, where a skip-loader bucket runs up and down to fill the tower. Thanks Mike. I understand now from your description but I don't really see that bucket elevator in the photos.
MidlandMike
Thanks Mike. I understand now from your description but I don't really see that bucket elevator in the photos.
Oh! Now I see it. It's very clear in this photo:
crossthedog crossthedog MidlandMike A question was asked by another poster about how coal is loaded into a coaling tower. The photos by Dr Wayne show one way this is done. Coal is dumped into the bin below the shed with the run-thru track. You can see a couple of vertical rails between the shed and alongside the coaling tower to the top of the tower, where a skip-loader bucket runs up and down to fill the tower. Thanks Mike. I understand now from your description but I don't really see that bucket elevator in the photos. Oh! Now I see it. It's very clear in this photo:
And thanks to Dr Wayne for your follow-up photos.
crossthedogI'm nearing the basic completion of my branch line, where the track splits into spurs to serve a number of as-yet-undetermined industries (https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/287927/3406801.aspx#3406801). I need ideas for smallish factories or other operations.
Lets see the area in question:
It looks like 4 of the spots would be for small footprint industries that get one or two cars. The long spur near the runaround track has room for a longer building and more cars (I would run the track closer to the runaround and place the building on the other side towards the opening..gives the illusion of a bigger industry than one that is pinned in between two tracks...IMO. Could start the spur at the head of the runaround instead of back by the curve and you would not lose any spots, and would gain more track for backing up and switching the cars).
I could see the longer spur holding a feed mill/fert dealer with several 40' grain boxcars or small tank cars. Or maybe an industry that ships goods out, a pallette factory?....so not every industry along the branch line is a receiver of loaded cars.
The small switchback requires any car placed on the tail track to be moved before the switch back can be switched. A seldom used industry for the switch back would be appropriate...may be a team track if you plan on it being an infrequent spot. Room for only one car there too. (or just leave the tail track industry-free)
The two spurs at the far end could be lumber yard and coal dealer....both are frequent spots but don't require long cuts of cars. (you can get that short spur longer by starting it right after the curve. A little more room for more straight track for better coupling). (Or..you could run that track parallel to the other track...making two spurs for one larger industry that could be represented by a partial building that heads into the opening and backdrop)
Other ideas:
I've seen road salt/chemical storage silos requiring rail service...not sure what road chemical storage looked like in the steam era.
Ready Mix plants are tall and narrow...aggregate can be delivered by rail and piled up off layout. Again, not sure what this looked like in the steam era.
Cattle pens? Only need to model a small portion of it near the tracks.
- Douglas
While not an industry, I think my favorite small footprint layout structure would be the scale house. I've had countless hours of pushing cars over the scale track and then sorting for delivery. I also will simulate the reweighing and placement on the rip track of new or repaired cars to be re stenciled. Every once in a while the scale test car will come along behind a caboose and spotted nearby waiting for the scale crew. That little shack with a desk, chair, and simulated weigh scale sees 24 hour duty with the lights around the scale rails. On any given day it can keep a switcher or two busy.
My next favorite industry would be the sand and gravel plant. Washed stone in three sizes along with washed sand. Capable of eating up forty or more two and four bay hoppers in a shift. It really keeps the switching crews on their toes.
Pete.
Ice House Kanamodels (a defunct Canadian company) made a cute little ice house
That link is only good for a picture, not ordering. Still it wouldn't be hard to scatch build if that's your thing and smaller than the Walthers structure.
There are a couple small ice houses, currently, on Ebay.
Laser Art
No name
Speedcraft
Disclaimer: I have not purchased from these sellers nor built these kits.
Personally, I may have to do a grain elevator.....and an ice house.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
wrench567While not an industry, I think my favorite small footprint layout structure would be the scale house. I've had countless hours of pushing cars over the scale track and then sorting for delivery. I also will simulate the reweighing and placement on the rip track of new or repaired cars to be re stenciled. Every once in a while the scale test car will come along behind a caboose and spotted nearby waiting for the scale crew. That little shack with a desk, chair, and simulated weigh scale sees 24 hour duty with the lights around the scale rails. On any given day it can keep a switcher or two busy. My next favorite industry would be the sand and gravel plant. Washed stone in three sizes along with washed sand. Capable of eating up forty or more two and four bay hoppers in a shift. It really keeps the switching crews on their toes.
BigDaddyIce House Kanamodels (a defunct Canadian company) made a cute little ice house That link is only good for a picture, not ordering. Still it wouldn't be hard to scatch build if that's your thing and smaller than the Walthers structure. There are a couple small ice houses, currently, on Ebay.
I didn't mention this earlier, but a scrapyard can be a small industry that can use any odd-shaped real estate. Mine has a single siding and takes gondolas. I scratchbuilt the tiny office. I had a bunch of old cereal-box cars that I distressed and rusted. The fencing is a collection of styles.
Here's a close-up of the icing platform at the icehouse. This could easily be modeled on the layout edge by changing the large building to a flat and just modeling the platform that interacts with the railroad.
The old Suydam model of a Swift packing plant was cleaned up. I replaced the sagging cardboard roof with thin foamboard. I put a light inside, but I intentionally used canopy cement to glaze the windows, because it produces a clear finish that is very curved and visitors can't see through it. So, illumination works but there's no need for an interior. There is a small stockyard to the right.
The brewery is the Walthers Arrowhead Ale background kit. It's very thin. On my layout, it's just a building with a loading dock and one siding.
I had fun with this one. Since it's on the aisle, not against a wall, I decorated the inside as well which is only seen from the aisle. As it happens, the industry sits directly above a subway station which is also scenicked and visible from the aisle.
Finally, the coal and oil dealer. This is the Walthers kit, minus the Quonset hut. I scratchbuilt the office building. The coal trestle is also scratchbuilt, and contains the plastic spreader that opens the clamshell doors on my old Tyco operating hoppers. Coal drops through the track to a hollowed-out pile beneath, and then into a box below the table.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasleyI didn't mention this earlier, but a scrapyard can be a small industry that can use any odd-shaped real estate. Mine has a single siding and takes gondolas. I scratchbuilt the tiny office.
MisterBeasleyThe brewery is the Walthers Arrowhead Ale background kit. It's very thin. On my layout, it's just a building with a loading dock and one siding.
crossthedogThat yellow building by the fuel distributor... is that a Baptist church with a tunnel through it? I would have loved going to worship services a lot more as a kid if it was likely that a train would roar through the sanctuary during the closing hymn!
That building was actually my first attempt at a scratchbuild. It is acceptable, I guess, and I suppose I learned a lot doing it. But, it was intended to be exactly what it is, the office for Burns Coal and Oil. I just went out and got some plastic clapboard and Campbell shingles. I found the roofers figures at a show, and worked them in, too.
The interior is simplistic, but as a Simpsons fan I included Mr. Burns and Smithers as as cardstock cutouts printed on my computer.
That "steeple" is actualy just a storeroom upstairs, occupied by none other than Sideshow Bob.
On my two N scale layouts, the 4 x 8 East Penn and my larger around two walls North Penn and New England I have Union Terminal, three small town stations, two passenger platforms, a freight terminal, several warehouse/truck transfer buildings, several steel fabrication buildings, a tire manufacturer,a small coal mine, a gravel crusher, small town oil dealer, propane storage facility, lumber yard, small power plant, rurai grain elevator, larger in town grain elevator, a cattle pen and loading area, barn and farmhouse,and a raft of small town Design Preservation in -town structures for the town center of East Penn and the urban center of Sue City. The DP kits are so adaptable for combining and adapting. Variations in brick color, trim and signage can make the structures look completely different. That's one of the beauties of N scale that you can build so many separate scenes that can be set up without looking overly crowded. One of the aspects of the hobby I most enjoy.