Looking for ideas regarding Arizona industry

Hi,

New to the forums, so I’ll do a quick introduction. I’m in the Air Force currently stationed overseas, getting ready to move back home (Arizona) this summer. Looking to get back into the hobby after a long break, and hopefully get my kids involved as well. All my former equipment is long gone so I’m starting from scratch; planning on ATSF in n-scale, mid to late 50’s in Arizona. Since nothing’s built I’m still flexible with regard to desert, mountain, rim country, etc. The size will be limited to an HCD (or equivalent), or possibly 2 in an “L” shape or a similar sized shelf layout. Nothing’s final yet…

My question is pretty basic; I’m looking for ideas regarding what kind of industry would be a good fit for ATSF in rural Arizona in the 50’s. I know what was there historically, but am asking for pointers about what would be a good choice for a relative beginner to model in n-scale on a small-medium sized layout. Looking for something I can find appropriate locos, freight cars, structures, etc.

I started looking online and noticed a great selection of reefers in various styles for ATSF, so I considered a meat packing plant, with stock cars in and reefers out. Unfortunately, my wife would prefer an alternative, and since she’s the lone voice of reason in a house full of boys, I try to let her get her way when possible.

So with that idea out, what else could I use those reefers for? How hard would a citrus operation be to model? Not sure how much potential that has for regular operation, but it might provide a base to build from.

If reefers aren’t a good fit for an Arizona industry, I’m open to other ideas from anyone willing to share. The other thought that came to mind was cotton; I don’t know much about cotton farming or transport, but I’d be willing to learn if it seems like it has potential. I know the other “c” is copper… but I’d like to stay away from mining for now; that’s (hopefully) for the next layout.

Thanks for reading through my rambling letter, and thanks in advance for any help.

Harlan

 

C'mon over to the N scale forum both here and at Atlas. There's a hard-core group of about half a dozen of us that model N scale ATSF in Arizona. I do Winslow-Flagstaff-Williams. John Sing does a wonderful "Peavine" modular 4x4 layout that has outstanding scenery. John Breen does his "United Railways of Arizona" which has a suspicious Apache Railroad feel to it. Until he went into On30, Verne Niner's Arizona Divide layout was legendary for ATSF in the 40's.

If you can find it, you probably want this book on the Peavine:
http://www.signaturepress.com/az5.html
There's enough photos of everything there for inspiration.

 

Mining, moving ore, moving anodes, finished copper goods out.
Forestry, trees, although not sure when trucks took over.
I've seen cotton mills with rail sidings, but not sure how old or what was used.
There's a gigantic Purina Foods mill in Flagstaff. Lots of hoppers and tankers in, and lots of finished output (though now in trucks). I'm loosely modeling that operation.
Not sure about citrus. There were a lot of vegatable processing sheds along Grand Avenue, most are not used by rail much anymore. Used to be a lot of reefer traffic and icing work in Phoenix and Glendale.
Even today we have a lot of inbound lumber, veg oil, chemicals, and autos via rail.
Halfway up the Peavine is an online customer shipping flagstone and other rock.

 

As a military guy, this might be the most interesting industry in the state to you. I didn't even know it existed until I met Verne and his layout interpretation; then when I was out there last year I looked at the site. It's basically a big industrial shortlinhe railroad in the Arizona forest, its own locomotives, etc.

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM55AH

If you get a USGS map up you can see the track plan. This could make an interesting model.
Terraserver is clear enough: Microsoft TerraServer Imagery
I mean, what's not to love here:
http://www.camp-navajo.org/PictureGallery/image_gallery/originals/1260140078.jpg

 

Hi, HKH,

Arizona in the mid-50s - if you're thinking down in the desert, then you
had a ton of produce and vegetables coming out of the Phoenix
area, headed to eastern markets. Thus, the SFRD ice reefers,
along with icing plants, would be one good industry.

You can see my implementation of the packing plant/icing plant at:

http://home.comcast.net/~j.sing/#Overview_of_my_N_scale_4_x_4_Santa_Fe




Just representational in nature, but may be of some help.

I actually grew up in Glendale, Arizona, born there in 1959.... so
feel free to ask questions

 

Cinder mining is/was quite common along the Santa Fe. There is the cinder pit at Darling (Winona exit on I-40) and the old cinder mine behind the I-40 rest area west of Bellemont. Santa Fe used the stuff for ballast for many years in various shades of gray, pink and black.


Ed
former Flagstaff, Winona, and Bellemont resident

 

Here's my model of the cinder pit at Winona:



That's a photo of the actual cinder cone there on the backdrop. There's a short branch that wanders off to it in the prototype. There's an interchange siding at Winona (Darling) that is usually full of cars. Along with ballast, a lot of this material ended up going to a cinder block manufacturer in Phoenix.