markpierce Brick manufacturing plants were commonly located immediately adjacent to the clay pits, so clay was typically received by conveyer belt or truck. It isn't usually economical to haul low-value materials (in relation to their volume and weight) like dirt or limestone a long distance. Mark
Brick manufacturing plants were commonly located immediately adjacent to the clay pits, so clay was typically received by conveyer belt or truck. It isn't usually economical to haul low-value materials (in relation to their volume and weight) like dirt or limestone a long distance.
Mark
Mark,While working on the Chessie we switch the Didier-Taylor Refractory at South Shore,Ky and we did indeed switch car loads of fire clay.It wasn't unusual to switch several car loads at a time.
Also we switch out boxcars of brick.These bricks was usually billed to steel mills.
We never switch tank cars of fuel or coal.It was my understanding the kilns(rolling,tunnel and hive) was gas fired.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Even when the value of the raw material is raised by making it into bricks or cement, shipping the finished product long distances would also be uneconomical unless they were somehow unique. It wouldn't be typical to ship bricks or cement across the continent. Purchases of locally produced goods could be made at much lesser cost when one takes into account the shipping costs.
Fire clay(a heat-resistant clay) is indeed shipped in covered hoppers..You can receive covered hoppers of sand as well.
Sorry but,pallets usually comes from a local supplier/rebuilder by flat bed truck
I would not think clay would be shipped in hoppers. Clay is one of the most stickiest commodities that is very difficult to discharge. Raw clay from the ground likes to clump and stick to everything. Even our plastic lined dump trailers will get clay stuck to the sides and nose of the trailer. Another consideration is weight and density. Brick plants would more than likely receive raw clay in either a short side gon or side dump car. If the clay was dried and processed prior to shipping it could have been shipped in small shipping containers inside a box car. Pelleted clay could be shipped in small covered hoppers.
Another product brick plants would be served by rail is fuel for the kilns. Liquid, coal, coke, or some type of gas.
Sand, aggregate, fly ash,gypsum, pallets, and other raw materials are all transported by rail.
Load out would be in box cars or flats or even drop side or end gons.
Some very large brick plants also made concrete brick/block and other products like flew lining and pavers. There is also specialty brick like fire brick and sewer brick.
Have fun
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
The prototype I am modeling has a large brick plant that I want to include on the layout. I am wondering what type of rail traffic a typical brick manufacturer would have. I have good aerial views of my prototype plant as well as several ones in my local area (I never realized there were so many rail-served brick operations!) It looks like nearly all have a loading dock where skids of bricks are shipped out by boxcar. Some also have covered unloading tracks with conveyor systems. I presume this is where covered hoppers of clay and/or open hoppers of sand are unloaded. I have seen some open hoppers of sand being unloaded in a few photos, but never any clay hoppers even though you can tell clay gets brought in somehow since there is a lot of "spillage" around the unloading pits.Does this research seem correct? Does clay even move in covered hoppers? Would appreciate any more info anyone has regarding this.Jamie
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