While I'm not planning to model a scrap yard as such my larger colliery has some obsolete equipment which is being cut into convenient size for shipment out. Whenever a gon load accumulates it's loaded on tram cars, run over to the overhead crane and loaded aboard. My smaller colliery, which is doing what I think of as, `Strip out and back out,' loads such things as used rail, pipe and pumps salvaged from the worked-out part of the underground mine.
Some thoughts on a modern scrap/salvage yard:
And an observation. Back in the early 1960's the JNR scrapped a bunch of obsolete 2-6-0s (8620 class.) They were lined up on a team track, then the cut-up crew came in with torches, a magnet-equipped crane and a parade of dump trucks. Within a few days there was no sign that there had ever been a locomotive on that track.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
The area I'm trying to model had a scrap yard in part of a former Rock Island railroad yard. They even used the old roundhouse and much of the former shop grounds. While the CNW operated the rest of the yard, and had several tracks still running into the scrap yard, I didn't see a whole lot of rail movements out of the scrap yard. Most of the scrap piles looked like they'd been there for 20+ years.
Then, there was the week they hauled a bunch of scrap a few hundred yards to an industry siding.
The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!
If you model the Rust Belt as I do, a scrapyard is a necessity. I'm sure the "junk"n my scrapyard would horrify many here [there has to be a better place for a brass steamer] I assure you it will be either put back into service someday, or parted out for other B&O brass projects. She needs a lot of work, and at least for now, my patience has reached its end. The rest of the scrap actually tells the story of a layout that is over 40 years old. The Rivarossi locomotive remains are leftovers from projects as well. This is a busy industry on our layout, and that is the significance of it, and it makes a nice scene. There is beauty in just about everything! -Stan
I chose to model a salvage yard I frequented in my youth, and like most everything we model, had to be compressed to fit the available space. DJ.
Over on the Railwire, we did a "12" x 12" modeling challenge", wherein we had to build something that fit in 144 square inches. I have an unlimited supply of stuff that I've accumulated over the years, so a scrap yard seemed like a natural fit. To that end, I present to you, Nathan's Supply and Equipment...This was a fun project... especially since everything in it came from the parts bin... not a single dollar was injured in the process of building this diorama! I have a mobile crane I have to build to finish the scene, and a few signs to add. The irony of it is that I don't really have a place for it on the layout.
It will probably end up on the shelf at my office as a conversation piece... We deal with a lot of scrap metal where I work...
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
This is good stuff. My son requested a scrap yard scene for the expansion we're working on. I wasn't sure how big to make it to be rail served, and hadn't started researching. But now I've got a better idea of what to do. I've got a narrow area between the yard tracks and view block that should be perfect. It should look good there on the outskirts of the yard.
mobilman44 Hi! Hope this doesn't turn out to be one of those polarizing pot stirring posts........
Hi!
Hope this doesn't turn out to be one of those polarizing pot stirring posts........
How about a thought provoking post?
There should be several ideas on modeling scrap yards beyond the to small for rail service type.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
This is not what you would call a scrap yard but last year on several occasions I saw where CSX had place some old gons on a dead end spur to no where that hadn't been used in years. Next a crane with a claw showed up followed by semis loaded with scrap.
The gons were filled, taken away and returned several more times.
Where the scrap came from and where it went is any one's guess.
They haven't showed in some time.
This would be a ligitimate scene to model.
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up
Personally I like scrap yards, so much to look at with all the textures and rust. I just wish Snake Eye Bennett's place could have more room, buy I wish that for my industries. '.
The New York and Atlantic serves Gershow Recycling in Medord NY. When I lived in the area several years ago they switched several cars in and out almost daily. Gershow was a big operation, dealt mostly in scrap autos and was home of the Auto Gobbler. Space limitations would make this an ideal background industry.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=386355
I think they add a great amount of visible interest in a small front of the layout setting as well.
John R
John R.
Hope this doesn't turn out to be one of those polarizing pot stirring posts..................
Scrap/junk yards have been around for as long as our railroads and are a fact of life. I don't have one on my layout and really don't care to have one. I do have some scap loads for gondolas, however.
The teardown facilities for steam locos were doing big business in the 50s and 60s, but after that I doubt if many would be seen.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Lehigh Valley 2089 I want everyone's opinion on this one. What do you think of those that decide to model scrap yards on their layouts? If you do approve of scrap yards, do you agree that they should include a steam engine or two to depict a railroad that is modernizing? Also, could they generate enough traffic for a model railroad?
I want everyone's opinion on this one.
What do you think of those that decide to model scrap yards on their layouts? If you do approve of scrap yards, do you agree that they should include a steam engine or two to depict a railroad that is modernizing?
Also, could they generate enough traffic for a model railroad?
Let's look at the other side of the coin.
Scrap yards that require rail service is usually large and there lays the trap.As to date 99% of the model scrap yards I've seen was small and couldn't fill a gon in fact it may be impossible to load a gon unless its none by hand since there's no crawler crane with a magnet-a very important item for loading scrap..
Another thought is scrap is classified into various groups such as mill,aluminum,iron,industrial,automotive,rubber,tin and some forms of scrap may need process such as stripping electrical wires for the copper.
As far as old railroad equipment sorry,but,those are usually cut up by specialty scrap yards that specializes in scraping large machinery,railroad cars,locomotives and heavy equipment.
Modeling a scrap yard is possible as a rail served industry as long as you allow enough space,have a crawler crane and understand how scrap is stored.Also don't forget a scale for weighing inbound scrap and a office building.
No space for all of that? Then place your scrap yard along the back drop with large plies of mill scrap,a fence with gate,a crawler crane with magnet and you're good..Again and I stress this have large piles of scrap so it looks like the scrap yard is larger and needs rail service.
A note about the ground..Be sure its dirty and not looking like a well manicured front yard and bury the track in dirt and there's no need for ballast.
My scrap yard is called Reggie's Junk Yard. Reggie buys scrap from various sources including junk autos and trucks. His crews are working in the first photo to cut up some structural steel for loading into a gondola.
In the second picture, you may see piles of scrap. Included are old parts from railroad freight cars that Reggie's crews have cut up. Reggie does not handle scrapped locomotives. He did salvage an old wood box car, and he converted it into his auto parts store.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Scrap yards actually make great industries to model for the very reason that rail-served scrap-yard are sizable (as opposed to smaller salvage yards for vehicle parts). Why, you ask?
Because they have mountains and mountains of scrap, such as this (google image scrap yard brings up lots more) - postion the scrap yard near your backdrop, put a few mountain of scrap flats along the backdrop - in front, the active rail siding, maybe a small office, and a few cranes/front end loaders with either claws or electromagnets to load the gondola. Bam!, a nice industry along a narrow (but long, I'm afraid) section of layout
I have read many suggestion for modeling scrap mountains (rigid insulating foam almost always serves as the base, same as coal piles or dirt piles): pencil shavings, cardboard clippings, metal filings (securly glued, of course), saw dust, coated broken pieces of lasanga(!), and so on - usually a mix of materials and all suitably painted, weathered, and grimy.
Around here, steam locos were either cut up by the railroad, or shipped, dead-in-tow, to a steel plant. Once there, a few often got a new, albeit short, lease on life.Scrapyards can be interesting to model, but most of us don't have room to adequately portray more than a small portion of one.
Wayne
I think scrap yards are a very good industry for any model railroad because they can be as large or small as one wishes. Not only that they can fit any spacial footprint.
I would think only large to really large ones would deal with items as big as scrapped steamers.
Likewise the size would determine whether it needed rail service and how much traffic it generate.
scrap yards are an industry, although some railroad equipment has met the cutter's torch there, some has been saved by people walking through.
I would like a scrap yard personally. But nothing past a couple old wagons being broken up or maybe a boiler or two. It is a part of the cycle, something is made, useful life is used up, and then it is broken up and the reusable components are recycled and the process starts over.
As much as I would hate to have a locomotive being scrapped, it is a part of the cycle.
If you can read this... thank a teacher. If you are reading this in english... thank a veteran
When in doubt. grab a hammer.
If it moves and isn't supposed to, get a hammer
If it doesn't move and is supposed to, get a hammer
If it's broken, get a hammer
If it can't be fixed with a hammer... DUCK TAPE!
I like to think of a scrapyard as both a scenic opportunity and an industry, but then, I look on all of my industries that way. The typical scrapyard, like mine, probably doesn't even deserve a rail siding. It's more of a dump for rusting hulks of cars and, yes, some railroad parts thrown in too. But here, there's no active "scrapping" going on, no shredding, no compacting.
Still, any industry with a track might get the occasional load out followed by empty in sometime during an operating session. It just might happen to be that day of the week, or of the month, when those Woodland Scenics checker players (don't look, they're not there yet) get up off their crates and do some work for a change.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.
-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.