to some in the mid west this mite sound stupid but I (from so cal) was wondering this question as Im trying to put some trckside industry on a inside corner section thats 48"x 48" w/36"+or- radius @front and 13" deep at each side and 36" deep at the middle front to the center back corner,if that makes any since . any how I was trying to cram a country elevater (walthers), a feed mill (walthers ) and a couple of the round storage bins(same) and thought would that proto to have a afeed mill on a siding next to or near an elevator or would it be incorperated in to the elevator complex (part of it ) or more typical to have the feedmill in a differant area alltogether? .... my thinking is the farmer brings the grain by trailer to the elevator ,the elevater ships bye rail to the mill ,the mill makes the finish product (please correct me if Im wrong here ), so wouldnt think it would be typical for a elevator to load on to a train car to ship it 300 yards down the line to a mill ?,but I dont know ......oh and yes ,I have a good since a humer if this really sounds stupid...Jerry
just because the feed mill and the elevator are on the same siding or located close together doesn't mean they do business with each other. right? if you think the structures look good on your layout, do it.
grizlump (turkey)
You have pretty much figured it out. A grain elevator collects, stores and sells grain(s) for shipment to market, be it foreign or domestic. A feed mill processes and distributes the components of cattle feed, including grain and nutrients, to farmers in the areas. Some components are dry, some, like molasses, are liquid and require tanks. In general, a feed mill is more likely than an elevator to receive and distribute fertilizer, as well.
There is no one, universal set up. I have seen elevators and feed mills side-by-side, sometimes with common ownership, sometimes not. Sometimes they stand alone, one or the other, but not both. I always recommend the BNSF grain elevator website as a reference. It is loaded with photos and shows all kinds of variations.
John Timm
It's not a single siding, but we have an elevator in town, as well as team track where some local farms load directly to the railroad. About 10 miles away is another elevator. And, yep, about five miles the other direction is a big feed mill. I doubt they ship to each other, but CSX sure moves a lot of covered hoppers through town.
Another thought might be to consider all that as one large feedmill complex. Receive grains in and ship feed out with specific setouts for grain, additivies, shipping, etc.
As has been mentioned, a country elevator loads cars, while a feed mill empties them. As has been hinted at, but not explained, it's entirely possible that the grain being exported isn't really suitable as a major component of the feed being sold to local livestock producers. Or, if it is, that there's WAY too much produced locally to be absorbed by the local 'critter' population.
IIRC, most custom feeds are a blend of different ingredients, while most farmers (or farm areas) only grow a single variety of grain for commercial sale in a given growing season. So you will have covered hoppers (or clean box cars with grain doors) inbound loaded to the mill, and clean empties to the elevator for loading. I don't doubt that during harvest season, when the elevator would be shipping at full capacity, any car emptied at the mill would be snatched for immediate reloading at the elevator.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
In addition to covered hoppers or, in another era, box cars for the mill, if the mill (or elevator) sells fertilizer you will sometimes see tank cars of anhydrous ammonia, phosphorus and sulphuric acid.
thanks to all ,good info: this elevator corner section is where Ive decided to start the real thing (ive been runnin trains on track held to bench with thumb tacks for a year now)since its the only area that Im 99% sure of what I want to do.but I did have some questions on proto type and didnt want to get rolling only find out that I had unrealistic industry.....and my favorite rail scene is elevators and silo type scenes ...Jerry