Hi all, thank you very much. This stock pen was made in tw sizes by MTL. I bought mine early in 2016, seems now to be out of stock generally. Joe, if you want it interchangeable you have to assemble it on a stable ground plate. I found the kit very fragile.
The interchangeable industries will each receive a base plate that the kit or scratch build item will be assembled. I have three areas that are interchangeable, module 04 has the option of a MFA Grain Elevator or Ft. Smith Ice House. Module 06 option of Van Buren Stock Yard or Phillips 66 Oil Depot and module 08 option of Mansfield Coal or yet to be named Saw Mill. Joe
That loading ramp is typical Northern Pacific standard. I have the N.P. standard blueprints for both the 12' and 16' wide ramps, and with a little embellishment, is was what I used when I made the MTL loading ramp kits. As far as the stock yard kits, yes, they are fragile. When I designed them I had to choose either a chunky but more robust design, or a finer but more fragile design. I produced those kits at a time that Make My Model was coming out with fine but fragile rapid prototype Z Scale models, so I decided on the finer more fragile appearance. I am currently working on a bunch of NP combination depots, and some of the details I am using are way more fragile that the stockyard kits were, but the appearance is much finer. I'm curious, do the current generation of Z Scale modelers prefer chunky and lumpy but more robust models, or finescale but delicate models?
Here is a photo of a custom stockyard I made for Jeff Merrill. This stockyard has 3 loading ramps, which are spaced to align perfectly with 3 MTL 40' Stock Cars. I used thick acrylic tube paints to simulate cow pies, and as always, I had fun with it by modeling a guy who slipped in a cow pattie and fell in it! (second photo) The method used to fill the stockyard was to use dogs, and cowboys on horses to herd the cattle across the fields and plains into these stockyards, then onto stock cars headed east, usually to Chicago for butchering. Here is aphoto of a larger stockyard in Chicago where the livestock were held prior to butchering:
Hi Robert, great to read that you are the designer I am very happy about the details and appearence of this kit and had no problems to assemble it. But for moving to and off the layout (see Joe's post) I think it is too fragile.
What I forgot to include in the instructions, was to spray the assembled model with Thompsons Water Seal, or Marine Spar Varnish, because the water seal will absorb deep into the micro plywood layers, and "Plasticise" the model, making it MUCH stronger and resistant to breakage. The varnish will leave the model with a gloss appearance, so it will have to be followed by a dull cote or flat clear finish after the spar or waterseal.
Yesterday I finished my little "loading ramp-project". Because the location is a curved track I decided to build a ramp of concrete using the method of my retaining wall in freight house area. I made a wooden base from 8 mm plywood, dimensions came from the mock up. Then I applied plaster, from which comes the concrete-like look. I smoothed surface, leaving chipped edges and damaged areas, then weathered with acrylic and powder paints carefully. On top I tried to imitate some tire traces. After adding some gras and bushes it looks like this now, awaiting still some trash.
Recently I made the buildings for my "John St. Evans Building Materials Co." from two Luetke kits, a bit modified and weathered. This local dealer will receive lumber, metal profiles and paints, so box cars, gondolas and flat cars can be switched to this spot. Pictures while trying to find the general arrangement...
Now it's time for one of the main structures of the layout, the grain elevator. I built it following straight the instructions, but reinforced the walls and pre-painted the parts before assembling. One question for you: Incoming trucks have to be weighed before unloading. Where was the scale at such small old elevators - inhouse or as a separate structure? Here is an overall view from the left end. I am waiting for some detail parts (fences, barrels, boxes etc.) to finish this industrial area. Next projects are the water tower and depot.
First, let me say you did a fantastic job with your model. The grain was weighed inside the elevator. They unloaded the grain first by dumping it through the floor, and it goes up into a bin which pours it into a big rectangular shaped hopper which was also a scale and weighs the grain there just before being dumped into the railcars. This video explains the operation:
Steffen, your layout is really looking better every time I see it, great details!! Your 40' boxcars that you use for grain shipping, would look better if you could find yourself some Micro-Trains "Grain Doors". Railroads back in the day would use cleaned out 40' boxcars for grain shipping, and in order to load them with grain, they would use wood pieces inside the doorway to load them. I believe one other manufacturer in Z makes them as well, but they really enhance the look of the local grain elevator.
Nice ... I really like your customized versions of Luetke 73310 boat house and 73211 sales office! Great!
I really like grain elevators. That connection of the railroad to rural cities. Being from Indiana, there in something engrained in me...there is a joke there somewhere.
That second video Chris posted shows that they actually have 2 scales, with the first scale being the weight of the grain truck before and after unloading, as well as the weight of what goes into the boxcars. So it looks like there are actually scales built into the floor for weighing the trucks.
Hi guys, thank you very much for your feedback and input, these videos are great and a very informative, very impressive. I like the scene where you can hear the wind and sound of the gas engine only. Seems I have to add 2 things: an office and a sound modul for the gas engine Did not know of these motors, but sure, they needed power for the belt line... Kurt, I like your idea of boards for grain transporting box cars. Were these box cars assigned for grain transport only or for other commodoties too? To this day I route my cars from, say, team track to freight house to grain elevator back to team track (after cleaning elsewhere).
I wanna say sugar as well, and other fine materials. They would be able to clean them out and then use them for other freight as well. With the boards in the doors, it gives the boxcar more personality too!
Hi, Steffen Excellent job. Your layout looks great. Are the Leutke kits paper? You can probably make your own boards for the boxcars. Boxcars were the main carrier of grains, salt, sugar, etc...until covered hoppers replaced them. I imagine it was pretty labor intensive emptying them out. They were quite common in their day. Keep up the inspiring work. Jim