Operating Grain Terminal

Colonel,
If you could email me your plans for the grain area that would be great...sometimes my printer does a great job of printing from the net...other times...not so hot. I promise you it will be put to good use. I estimate it will be about four months before the first track laying begins. I am finishing a small "helix like" area with both levels of benchwork already completed (except for this one location).

I will be also adding an intermodal area either to the left or right of what you have as that is what we have here in Vancouver, intermodal and grain in one long area in the down town core. One of my favourite areas to cut through with the car when I am driving downtown.

Once I get "scanner literate" I will start posting some pictures of the area, engines, cars, etc.

 

Yeah Alan, that's what it looked like alright! The 0-6-0 and 0-8-0 switchers were buisy shunting cars day and night while harvest was going on, then they would still be working on maize, barkey, and other feeds after that. Ralston Purena had a big facility for animal feeds and cereal grains. It wasn't all just flour back then. At one mill the yard tracks were set up open ended both ends so cars could go all the way through. In the morning a road train would pull in on one of the outer tracks, cut off the caboose then spot the end of the train to clear that switch (turnout). 40 to 80 cars were cut off leaving them on that track. While this was being done, a little 0-6-0 would come get the caboose and set it off on one of the tracks close to the dispatcher's office. The train would be backed into a longer track where either some more cars were cut off, or it would leave the rest of the train. It depended upon how many cars were on that train. The road engine, usually a 4-8-2 on up to 4-12-2' were taken over to the roundhouse and checked out. They were either bad ordered, out lawed, or serviced for an out going run, and crews changed. Meanwhile, "back at the yard", 0-8-0 switchers were breaking up the train and making up strings to go to the various mill ready tracks, depending upon which mill bought which car's load. Demurrage per car in those days was something like $5.00 a day after three days from sign-in. I would guess today it would eat your lunch! Gold-Medal and Light Crust were painted way up high on the two mills we caouls see from the back porch. One was on the east, the other on the west of one yard set. The arrival tracks were way out on the outside of the yards. Next in were the break-up tracks, then the ready tracks were next beside the mills. On the other side of the mills, were tracks between them. The first set (Still working toward the center) were the loading tracks, and make-up tracks in the center of the yards. the four north-south main lines went through the very center. Road trains not stopping at the mill area went west of town toward Harper and Dodge City. When a string to be off-loaded was lined up, the switcher pushed them up beside the siloes intake tubes. When those were empty, the switcher pusted those on past, and lined up the next 15 to 30. The empties were cut off, and another switcher took them to an inspection track. Guys would look in eack car, tack bad order, re-clean, or ship-set on the point board. A switcher would deliver cars where ever was noted. When the last car was unloaded, the pushing switcher moved over to another incoming train and started all over again. Another 0-8-0 was pulling the filled cars away, making upstrings for destinations all over the country. When a train was to be made up, a road engine was coupled to one string, pulled foreward, and coupled to another stgring, until the train was complete. A switcher woud have brought the caboose up and couple it onto the rear, and the train was cleared for the main line out of town to parts unknown. Its quieter today, not much whistle blowing, smoke, steam or excitement. Just the gentle purr of a 20 cylinder diesel sliding along going about the same chores. Either way, there is a lot of action from the time the cars were weighted coming in till waving good bye as a heavy train pulled out.

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Watash #982

 

to Frisco Bob and others in reply, my model of Enid has a penisula for 10th street yard that is 14 foot long. that is the yard you see in the website photos. Union Equity (excuse me, Farmland) elevator a is the long one with double track. I have UE elevators B, Y and Z also modeled back in the other room which has the BN tracks, plus General Mills, Pillsbury, Continental Grain and Mid America Grain all modeled. Couldn't find any more space for the others. There is another part of Enid, which is next to the 10th Street yard which contains my version of the Champlin refinery (when I was growing up).

I am currently making a revision east of Enid where the BN & Santa Fe shared mainline (not prototypical) to the Farmland plant at Fairmont. I am now adding the separate BN mainline which is prototype from Champlin to the Farmland plant and on into Fairmont, with the crossing between the two railroads which is already in place.

Operating sessions, when we have enough people, get interesting as we operate the BN Avard district along with the Santa Fe, so two dispatchers are required, the interplay around Enid gets interesting.

Also there was a post about unloading grain around big terminals. In the 1950's I worked for Santa Fe during wheat rush while doing college at Phillips U. Union Equity A and B brought cars through with a cable, and had a cardumper which bashed through the grain door on one side and turned the boxcar (in those days) on its side to dump into the pit. I used to watch totally facinated as they did this. My dad was the Santa Fe yard engineer and he would handle up to 80 car cuts with air using a Geep between 10th st yard and the Elevator Y and Z yard. Enough for now.

 

What do you think Colonel, want me to send you some legs to support the ends that overhang your layout? That's like the ones in Wichita were. When it gets warmer, do you want me to go take photos of the one in north Ft.Worth?

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Watash #982

 

Colonel, just to complicate things, you could have one "Last" bin only partly built (as under construction). That would give you an excuse to have covered hoppers of cement cluttering up your yard, intermixing your consists and deranging your schedules. HA!

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Watash #982
"See you in the Pit"

 

When you are building bins for your grain elevators, don't buy the commercial stuff. I bought a poorly put together "pre-owned"...lol...grain elevator set. I'm not to sure who makes it but I suspect Walthers. I'm not to happy with it as it strikes me as too low. I too am used to large grain elevator systems, like the picture posted above. I will turg what I have and use white PVC pipe to build a proper grain empire.

 

Be sure to post how you get clean, even cuts on the white pcv when you do it. I used some, but found it hard with the tools I have to get nice even cuts. You are right, the Walthers is too low for the midwestern and southwestern elevators. There are some that aren't round silos, but a hex shape. I haven't had the nerve to even start one of those. Example is the Farmland (former Union Equity) Y and Z elevators in Enid Oklahoma.

 

To achieve square cuts on PVC tube, there is a plier type cutter obtainable at most hardware stores that will cut clean. On larger diameters, I have used the common roller type pipe cutter to deeply score the tube, then finish the cut through with the plier type.

If you place a large hex nut on a piece of paper, (or on a copier) and draw around it, then connect each of the flats, the 6 points are pretty accurate. Draw lines across connecting opposit points to find the center. Measure and draw a circle around the center large enough to match the points of the hex shaped silo you need. When you then draw a line from each intersection, parallel to the flat of the nut, you will have made a hex shape the size you need for your silo, but with one added advantage. You will also have the intersecting angle necessary to mate separate slabs when glued together. All six slabs will be identical, so you will only have to set your table saw to that angle once, if using thin plywood for the side slabs. Saw one side, turn the piece end for end, and cut again. Turn the next piece up side down and cut again and so on. It is the same way old wooden barrels were made.
Back before computers, school kids were taught how to layout all kinds of 4,6,8, etc sided boxes and make them out of construction paper, or Bristol Board. Its also cheaper than purchasing.

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Watash #982
"See you in the Pit"

 

I made the mistake of buying three walthers grain elevator kits before I learned they were short when compared to the systems that others have talked about on the system. The kit is set up so that it cannot be modified to put a base in place under the bins to give a taller look.

I have seen plans/descriptions of kitbashed elevators. Anyone have a favorite?

 

Back in grade school at Wichita, Kansas, our teacher wrote to Pillsbury and they sent us a paper punch-out book (must have been 18"x24"), of a mill, all printed in color. The class put it together on a library table at the back of the room as a class project. Our parents marveled at it when open house came around. They took pretty good care of us back in the 30's.
Its just possible, some sort of Public Relations paperwork is available today. Maybe Calander, photo, poster, etc. They might even provide an erection diagram and floor plan blue line print. It would be worth asking. Then go from there.

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Watash #982
"See you in the Pit"

 

All is not lost with those Walther's silos. In Vancouver BC Canada, some of our large grain elevators are two heights with the taller ones in the middle and the shorter ones on either end. I have also considered stacking the walthers silo, but I have also wondered if the are to fat, too big a diameter.

 

I remember seeing some shorter more squatty bins, that I was told were for grain storage before being ground into meal. I think corn, maise, and larger grains like that, where wheat, rye, and rice are stored in the taller bins(silos). I'm not sure, but you could call a mill and find out.

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Watash #982
"See you in the Pit"

 

Hello everyone,

Sorry for the delayed response.

RSN48, I don't have a specific answer for you. I would imagine, however, if the cars are being unloaded at a high capacity terminal, such as a marine terminal, that the cars could be unloaded in about 5 to 10 minutes. The limiting factor in this case is that someone will have to activate the doors on the bottom of the hopper. But, I would imagine that the car is positioned on top of a trough or grate into which the grain falls and then is lifted to the ship or a nearby storage elevator.

I would defer on this point to anyone with actual (not speculated) knowledge.

I know when it came to loading cars, you usually had one guy on top of the cars opening all the loading hatches fast enough so that the switcher rarely had to slow.

Colonel, thanks for your kind words and the warm welcome.

How goes your project?

By the way, (off topic) I've recommended this bulletin board to a friend and he really likes the friendly, helpful tone here.

So, to all contributors I appreciate it.

I hope to be more punctual in replying to posts. Thanks for your indulgence.

 

Happened to see a post on the SLSF board about the lines in Western Oklahoma and their fate. Since in my earlier posts I m entioned that I was modeling the Santa Fe around the Enid District, I thought some might be interested to know that decals are available for Grainbelt/Farmrail covered hoppers. The Grainbelt (I believe, I don't have my notes here) comes into Enid and terminates in the old BN yard. during harvest time this line generates a lot of grain traffic, so I did 6 covered hoppers in these decals and paint scheme which is an off orange. I had a spur at Enid indicated as Farmrail but never did much with it as far as an interchange. Now I am. These little feeder railroads are very important to the movement of grain in season, especially since the major railroads have abandoned these little branches and the elevators they serve. Another interesting one is the Kyle Railroad across northern Kansas into Colorado and terminates at Limon. They run a pretty large grain operation with a variety of grain cars.
PS those decals I mentioned are from a guy in New England. If anyone is interested contact me for address. I ordered off the internet and got them right away.
Bob