In 1982 the new design Buffalo 2000 elevator was to be the future of the Canadian grain handling industry. Designed to replace old fashioned, inefficient and unsafe (fire) wooden elevators, it stored more, it loaded more railcars and faster, and was safer. Together with a fleet of new high capacity government grain hopper cars, this would be a double whammy that would save the industry.
Instead this unique design went largely ignored and simply became a footnote in history. Remarkably, a few 1920s style traditional wooden cribbed elevators were built AFTER the Buffalo 2000 was constructed.
The government hopper fleet was a success, so at least some of it worked out well.
One of three test elevators built to this pattern, this one still stands and here it's joined by some stored railcars.
If you'd to read more about this fascinating structure, click the link below.....
http://www.bigdoer.com/6084/exploring-history/buffalo-2000-grain-elevator-lyalta-alberta/
Chris “BIGDoer”
We invite your comments either here or on our website.
Chris and Connie: Off the beaten path.
Hiking - Adventure - History - Exploration
http://www.bigdoer.com
The Aerotrain of storing grain.
The Buffalo design was discontinued because of difficulties during the construction process. The concrete used in the chutes had to be poured under a specific temperature range, or the grain would not flow freely down the chutes. There would be a slight roughness on the low side of the chute, which would impede flow, leading to a total plugging of the chute. The original elevator of this type at Buffalo, AB, on the now abandoned CPR Bassano Sub., worked fine, but other attempts using this design experienced clogging problems. The cause was found to lead back to the temperature at the time the concrete was poured. This lead to an unacceptable increase in construction costs. On recent elevators you now see that the grain flows through large metal pipes.
As to your point that the CN line is abandoned, I direct you to the following story on the TRAINS Newswire about a group looking to form a shortline called the Badlands Railway. I'm not sure of its' current status.
http://trn.trains.com/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2010/02/Nascent%20short%20line%20files%20to%20buy%20dormant%20Canadian%20National%20line.aspx
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
More information on the, Badlands Railroad Co, plan for the line.
Railway Badlands Railroad Company Business Plan Final 13 Nov 09.pdf
Ken G Price My N-Scale Layout
Digitrax Super Empire Builder Radio System. South Valley Texas Railroad. SVTRR
N-Scale out west. 1996-1998 or so! UP, SP, Missouri Pacific, C&NW.
This type of elevator is still existing in Lyalta and Foremost, not seen in Boyle, if there was one built in Boyle
the cost of dismantling it would be prohibitive, perhaps it was never built. - - - any photos of the elevator in Boyle?
The one in Boyle was torn down in 2010. You can see it being demolished if you scroll down on this page....
http://en.db-city.com/Canada--Alberta--Northern-Alberta--Boyle
It looks like it was a lot of work!
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.