Ah, the pungent smell of rendering

[BerkshireSteam]

There is a rednering plant located very near by and it started to bug me why they would get covered hoppers. Anybody have a clue why? I don't know if the plants is recieving loads or empties. I will try to get a pick of the hopper unloading area on here tomorrow or at least a Bing map link, I've followed their real time street picture maps of the area. The also get tank cars, which from a very brief conversation with a train crew member the plant makes 8-10 loads a day during busy season, often around 2 dozen tank cars sitting in the area waiting. They also get 3 box cars at a seperate building but the same premasis. That is interesting because there are always 3 box cars there but only room for 2 behind the companies secueity fence, so one box car gets left on the siding parked outside the security fence in front of a derail, all on tracks right next to the street.

[dknelson]

I have vivid memories of a rendering plant/glue factory complex in Carrollville WI (actually part of Oak Creek WI) get its various animal bits from slaughter houses in open gondolas.  The smell!  The flies!   And on hot summer days, the occasional volcanic eruption of gasses!  And a fertilizer/animal feed place nearby got fleshings from the local tanneries -- between the two operations (and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District nearby -- you had the ironic situation of real estate with prime views of Lake Michigan having some of Wisconsin's lowest prices around for residential lots. 

My guess is that covered hoppers could be used to ship out bone meal which is a major product of a large rendering plant operation.  The operation also creates tallows that are skimmed off and shipped in tank cars (dedicated to that purpose needless to say)  One sometimes sees spray painted on those cars "inedible tallows" just to make sure.

I found this interesting little summary of rendering plant operations: http://www.jivdaya.org/rendering_plants.htm

Dave Nelson

 

[doctorwayne]

dknelson

I found this interesting little summary of rendering plant operations: http://www.jivdaya.org/rendering_plants.htm

 

"Interesting" indeed.    

Wayne

[leighant]

 

For anyone interested in modeling a rendering plant, here is a picture.

This is (was?) next to the Fort Worth, Texas stockyards.  Photographed from the "Tarantula" steam train, 1994.  This is where I took my bride-to-be that summer.  To the train ride, not the rendering plant.  I just shot it because I thought it might be something for someone to model someday.

[BerkshireSteam]

dknelson

I have vivid memories of a rendering plant/glue factory complex in Carrollville WI (actually part of Oak Creek WI) get its various animal bits from slaughter houses in open gondolas.  The smell!  The flies!   And on hot summer days, the occasional volcanic eruption of gasses!  And a fertilizer/animal feed place nearby got fleshings from the local tanneries -- between the two operations (and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District nearby -- you had the ironic situation of real estate with prime views of Lake Michigan having some of Wisconsin's lowest prices around for residential lots. 

My guess is that covered hoppers could be used to ship out bone meal which is a major product of a large rendering plant operation.  The operation also creates tallows that are skimmed off and shipped in tank cars (dedicated to that purpose needless to say)  One sometimes sees spray painted on those cars "inedible tallows" just to make sure.

I found this interesting little summary of rendering plant operations: http://www.jivdaya.org/rendering_plants.htm

Dave Nelson

 

Oooh don't worry, I know what goes out in those tank cars. I have a picture some where to prove it. Too gross to share though. I did actually read all the articles mentioned. After the post I decided to google it. I kind of always figured the box cars were for hides, although I haven't noticed any markings on the box's or tank's to signify NOT to use for regular use. One thought I also had came from one of those articles that mentions some plants salt the hides to preserve them for the tanning process, and thought was possibly they were used to bring in salt, but I think the meal transportation makes the most sense. They're not quite as diverse as the tank cars, but there were still always a number of covered hoppers around.

[Kootenay Central]

 

Moving stock by rail is an era that is good to be gone.

Misery on wheels.

[g. gage]

I was in the US Coast Guard in the 50s, 60s and at time went on inspections at the docks around the SF Bay Area. Once in a while we’d come upon this overwhelming, nauseating smell and there it would be pallets or boxcar loads of salted hides. The boxcars were stenciled “for hide service only” however the sign wasn’t necessary.

 Have fun, Rob   

 

[barrok]

 HMMM MMMM!  Yummy!  Just makes you want to go out and buy a steak from a cannibal cow laced with some toxins!  Good thing steak and burger tastes so darn good!