Scratchbuilt oil refinery

The Orion Oil Refinery is an N gauge structure that measures 36 inches from end to end and is 12 inches deep at one spot. The refinery is located at Abercom on my Maberly and Tayside Railroad.
It is made out of various plastic containers, an empty hairspray container, wood dowelling, wire and bits of wood. There is even an old cigar tube included. I painted a background chimney with flames and smoke using acrylic paint. The only purchased items are the 1.5 V light bulbs. There are 30 of them on the refinery.
I painted the various components with automobile lacquer.
Here are two pictures of the finished product.
The second picture is to the left of the first.


To get an idea how to go about building a refinery I went to the local library and found this diagram which was of great help.

I made 5 modules. A crude oil distalation unit, a catalytic cracking unit, a naptha disulfurzea, a polymerization unit and a straight run gasoline treater.
The hand railings around the units were made from my wifes suggestion to use waste canvas. This product is used in needlecraft. This next picture shows what I did with it.

I also made all the ladders out of copper wire using a jig. The next picture shows ladder stock and that is an N gauge figure standing next to one of the ladders.

Last is a picture taken in the evening to show the lights. I use blue bulbs in the ceiling to give a moonlight effect.

Thanks for the opportunity to enter this contest.

[ 06 September 2001: Message edited by: Robin Matthysen ]</p>

 

All I can say is "Wow!" I'm not a modeler, but must say that is very impressive.

 

Excellent, Robin, excellent!

Thanks for adding tip for creating the railings - looks easier that using styrene rod or brass wire.
And the flow diagram. It helped me understand the processes crude goes through in order to get the products we take for granted.

But the night shot takes the cake. The lighting is very effective!

Gary.

 

Hi Robin,
I congratulated you on the refinery when it first appeared on your M & T Site and my comments still hold good. You have done a fantastic job creating the look and atmosphere of the real thing. I think I am particularly qualified to say this because I worked in a large refinery for 33 years so am very familiar with the plants that you have modelled. I have two concerns however:
1)Does Canadian Enviromental legislation really allow Orion to constantly belch smoke from their flare-stack
and 2)The night shot is far too realistic..... I want to be able to sit back and forget all those long night shifts
A great job Robin and a credit to you. Keep up the good work.
Best wishes,
John.

 

Thanks for your comments everyone. Once I started scratcbuilding it has given me more and more reasons to carry on with the MAT. scratchbuilding has solved many frustrations I used to have trying to find a kit that would do justice. Scratchbuilding has not been as difficult to do as I first thought it might be. What is important is to save all sorts of odds and ends as you never know how they may fit in. As my friend Helge says, don't throw anything away. Now I do research in magazines and the library for ideas.
Alan, it took about a month to complete the refinery but then a while longer to find a power source for driving 50 of those little 1.5 volt bulbs. 30 in use on the refinery and 20 on a power station and steel plant. My friendly hobby shop was able to get me a voltage regulator from Cicuitron. The PS-A2 works like a charm. It converts an 8 volt 2amp transormer into the necessary current to drive the lamps. The brilliance is adjustable.
John, here in Canada I have seen flamming stacks in our chemical valley around Sarnia Ontario. I have also seen them at the big STELCO and DOFASCO steel plants at Hamilton Ontario so the environmentalists haven't been able to cause any changes yet.

 

Robin -

What a fine job! I have never seen a refinery constructed with such detail!

[ 27 May 2001: Message edited by: Ironhorseman ]

I didn't say this although I agree with the comments........I think it happened when Trainboard was having software problems. Either that or Ironhorseman has hacked into my account

[ 06 September 2001: Message edited by: John Whitby ]</p>

 

Originally I used the Zing website to host the pictures of my oilrefinery entry. As you know, Zing went belly up. Watash suggested I repost the entry so I have done that. My new web host is Bravenet and they allow personal web sites up to 20mg. and can use them for posting pictures here.
Try it

 

It sure reminds me of Monsanto Refinery at Texas City, Texas. I have a friend who was a Chemist at Union Carbide there and have visited several times. You have done an excellent job on a total Scratch build.

(PS Had to go find out just where he did work, sorry).

[ 09 September 2001: Message edited by: watash ]</p>

 

Thanks Robin for posting your refinery on Train Board. I have had the privilage of seeing it on Robins M A T Railroad and also of watching the progress. Again I say this is a fantastic model.

 

Robin,
NICE WORK!! I like it. I want to build something similar to it but in HO and maybe not a refinery but a steel mill or ore processing plant of sometype even maybe an ore dock! Very inspirational! For the size of it and for another the fact of it being a major structure on a layout..

 

7600AM-1 Robin also has a fantastic scratch build Steel Mill about the same size. Maybe he will post it here for you if you want it

 

Telegrapher,
Call me John is easier to remember. But yes I wouldn't mind seeing the steel mill.... I live in a place that at one time were full of them everywhere!!! Pittsburgh, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Weirdon WV These are some of the places and some still in existance today yet... So that kinda inspired me to model one in a decent size to represent the area so...

I sure would appreciate the sight of one to get something started...

 

Robin,
A 21 gun salute to you! You did a superb job and thanks for posting. It gives me an oportunity to know it is possible to do anything you want if you put your mind, time and money together for any project!

Rob

 

Thanks for the kind words Rob. As far as cost was concerned, all I had to buy was the automotive lacquer paint which I got at Canadian Tire and the fifty light bulbs to light it.
All in all it was about $50.00 I did use a lot of scrap I had in my workshop though. Doweling etc. which could add to the cost if you don't have a lot of stuff around. I never discard anything if I figure it may have use in future modelling