no lights but that might be for the future and you are right no access to a loading facilities
jeff
Hi!
VERY NICE! As an old refinery guy I just love that string of tankcars, and the overhead piping is outstanding. Someone did a lot of TLC on that string of pipes!
One comment that you may take for what its worth...... In a refinery or tank farm, you rarely see people as there is usually no reason for them to be there, unless its maintenance time, or when someone is physically verifying inventory, etc. Your workers will typically be around the tank car loading/unloading racks or spots, but from my experience there are usually only a few around.
Hey, you're making me "homesick"!
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
mobilman44 wrote: Hi!VERY NICE! As an old refinery guy I just love that string of tankcars, and the overhead piping is outstanding. Someone did a lot of TLC on that string of pipes!One comment that you may take for what its worth...... In a refinery or tank farm, you rarely see people as there is usually no reason for them to be there, unless its maintenance time, or when someone is physically verifying inventory, etc. Your workers will typically be around the tank car loading/unloading racks or spots, but from my experience there are usually only a few around. Hey, you're making me "homesick"!Mobilman44
You wouldnt happen to know anything about the old Augusta KS Mobil refinery would you? Trying to find out what they sent out in their tank cars and what both East and West end spurs were used for. I've heard that one of the spurs may have had covered hoppers. Any ideas what those couldve been used for? Thanks!
Hi,
The Augusta refinery was unique during my time in that it produced asphalt - a mixture of heavy oils and aggregate. Their volumes were small (as compared to the typical big oil refinery), but its location was good to handle the Kansas/Oklahoma crudes and its ability to manufacture asphalt gave it value.
I do not know for certain what was on those particular racks, but suggest that one could have been crude oil, and the other products (gasolines, fuel oils, base stocks, asphalt, etc).
Rarely did I have a conversation with my peers there that the subject of the 1937 (9) flood did not come up! I also recall that they had some really good people working there too!
Mobil closed the refinery in the early '80s when low value oil economics just could no longer justify it.
If you learn more, please add it to this posting!
Thanks,
In the glorious 50's, our family lived in Norman, OK, but my Mom's sister lived in Augusta. Every year, sometimes twice, we'd make the trek up 77 and then on 54 to Augusta. They lived in some old run down white military type apartments right next to the refinery. I remember three things about that refinery, the Scony Mobile sign that seemed larger than life, the burning flame and the terrible smell!
IF you haven't seen the Scale Rails write up on the fellow that built a model of that refinery, you are shorting yourself.
Joe Daddy,
PSm
Having seen Jeff's tank farm many times, it makes me repetive!
Was the Mobil (Socony) refinery the only one in the Augusta area?
I do have that Scale Rails edition but if memory serves me right I wasn't certain if it was the Mobil refinery or another one.
mobilman44 wrote:Hi! Was the Mobil (Socony) refinery the only one in the Augusta area? I do have that Scale Rails edition but if memory serves me right I wasn't certain if it was the Mobil refinery or another one.Thanks,Mobilman44
The Mobil refinery operated from 1917 - 1983. Few more details here.
Looking at Stephen Priest's Emporia Subdivision website
He called the Augusta Refinery a Texaco facility. None the less, it is very nice work.
There is a big refinery 15 miles away in ElDorado, Kansas. Still in operation from what I read.
I just ordered a back issue of that Scale Rails magazine with the Augusta article in it. I am looking forward to seeing/reading it. Thanks to all who have added info here as it helps me tremendously!
I have 4 2'x6' Free-Mo modules dedicated to this facility. 2 spurs 2'x6' each which will house the facility and 2 sections end to end for the mainline/sidings etc. The original only had 1 siding, but I added a 3d for tank car set out, passing etc. I will post pics of progress as I get them. Just got the track laid and partly wired. On one 2'x6' section I will have 7 Walthers Oil Loading platforms back to back serving 2 tracks. Also have 2 North Island Refineries and 1 United Petroleum Refinery that I will have intermixed with scratch built items/tanks etc. I will probably have 2 of the bigger Walthers tanks as well. The other 2'x6' section is the West end spur which I'm still trying to find out what it serviced. It will be mostly a tank farm with atleast 1 track entering into it. It'll be quite the project, but am excited to be doing it. When I see awesome Bulk tank Storage facilities by a few guys on this site... it gets me motivated as I cant wait to see it finished. Eventually, it will have lights etc. The Augusta KS Mobil refinery may be gone, but it will be back in full glory in no time on my layout.
Stay tuned!
Here's a pic of the Augusta KS Refinery in 1975
Anyone know what the big Black tower is? You can see the 2 spurs going into the facility, looks like the West side (right) is already gone. Anyone know where these tracks went and what was serviced, especially on the West end?
Thanks!
The "big black tower" is probably the asphalt unit. Normally I would say it was a coker, but given that Augusta (Mobil) produced asphalt, it almost has to be it.
The trackages were either for feedstocks or products, and they were typically separate one from the other.
mobilman44 wrote: Hi,The "big black tower" is probably the asphalt unit. Normally I would say it was a coker, but given that Augusta (Mobil) produced asphalt, it almost has to be it.The trackages were either for feedstocks or products, and they were typically separate one from the other.Mobilman44
Thanks Mobilman44! I really appreciate all you've helped me with so far!