So, I have been thinking about building a couple of N-scale modules/dioramas. On the one I would like to have a transloading facility for primarily covered hoppers and some boxcars. I model CN in the 1960's, and have been doing some research as to what shape one of these facilities could take. The photo attached is an aerial view of a facility here in Guelph, Ontario. http://www.traxxside.com/ It would be nice to use it as a reference point to scratchbuild structures off of, that is, if I could get away with calling it something from the 60's. If I scaled back the size of the operation (the whole thing wouldn't fit on a module anyway) maybe it would work? Does anyone have any photos/information of facilities similar to this? Anything would be helpful. Cheers,
That'd be a fun kitbash. You've got some Pikestuff buildings, maybe a Walthers kit for the tall silos (ADM Elevator or Medusa Cement), maybe some other source for the smaller bins...
I think you could use MOST of this facility and call its 1960s, except... omit the low wide one-story bulding in the middle of photo traxxside2.jpg in your post #3. omit the tall plain boxy buildings... those look more modern (and less interesting). The rest could be 1960-something. I think transload facilities for bulk commodities such as grain are more common now that rail service does not go as everywhere as it used to. I would look at photos of grain elevators and feed mills for ideas. GRAIN ELEVATOR (see also RICE) Farmers Co-op, multiple elevators, ground level, aerial views & town plat, Garvey Elevator (concrete silos) Coldwater KS Warbonnet 4Q 05 p.1 J. H. McCrady Grain elevator, Yewed, OK, looks like wood, outside braced. 1984 Warbonnet 4Q 05 p.10 Minnewauken. ND _Rail Mod Journal_ Dec94 p.8-10 giant steel grain elevator, scale drawings and distribution system details _ModRRer_ Feb02 p.72 Inside & out detailing grain elevators _ModRRer_ Dec 2001 p.102 Kitbash a concrete grain elevator w PVC pipe and Walthers elevator kit Model Railroader Jun08. p.48 Malt tower beside a harbor. Proto pix, plan. (blt in HO for Leisure Time layout) _Mod RRer_ Jul73 p.56 Modern concrete elevator, at Marsden, Saskatchewan. plans, HO construction article. how to detail: leg, distribution head, car puller. _ModRRer_ Jan00 p.89 Moscow Idaho Seed Co Model Railroad Planning 2008 p.50 Oak Lake grain elevator,wooden _Model RRer_ Aug74 p.54 Pauls Valley OK elevator _ModRRer_ Jan82 p.88, plans June83 p.77 Quaker Oats plant, Cedar Rapids, IA _World Book_, 1958 p.__I-3861 Wood crib grain elevators. Interior plans, etc history, pix. _RMC_ July83 p.53 Grain elevator, modern for Bay Junction layout Model Railroader March2011 p.41 FEED MILL A R Gilmore feed mill, Lakeville NY. plans,pix _Mod RRer_ Mar81 p.80 signs for A R Gilmore p.118 Crowell and Sons, scale drawing, detail photos, explanation of cyclones, construction history Model Railroader June2010 p.67 Eagle Milling, Edmond OK pix _Warbonnet_ 3Q 2000 p.17 Hinkle Milling Co., Thomasville NC, plans & pix _RMC_ Jan82 p.82 Inter-County Feed Mill, Woodridge NY. _ModRRer_ Jan78 p.112 Maxon Mills- Midwestern style grain elevator in Wassaic, NY. pix & plan, construction. MR Aug94 p.66 Modern feed mill, E.L.Moore, _RMC_ June72 p.42 Nickles Milling & Feed Plant, Gilberts,ILL _Model Railroader_ June72 p.38 San Miguel, Cal. Feed Mill, ca 1950s from proto pix & model construction, on "SP in LA" layout of Robt. Smaus. _ModRRer_ Apr2000 p.70 Water powered grist mills, overview, history & multi pix, by Frary & Hayden, _RMC_ Nov71 p.36 Waukesha Mill, pix _RMC_ Jan71 p.38 plans & model,_RMC_ Apr73 p.34 feed mill scene modeling Model Railroader Aug10 p.30
Here's an aerial shot of the joint ATSF-LAJ Fruitland Team tracks. It was done by Chris Walker of West Coast Rail Forum fame. The Team Tracks are now under control of BNSF. Here's a link to all the aerial pix I've collected for my modeling of the team tracks: https://picasaweb.google.com/107389354387456095061/LAJATSFAERIALSFRUITLANDTEAM8 The J (Los Angeles Junction RY) offloads covered hoppers directly into trucks. The Santa Fe side transfers steel products to trucks also.
