I had an old Walthers feed mill I’d kitbashed for a previous layout that found a new home on my current layout as a feed and fuel dealer. It never looked big enough to me to justify rail service. I also felt it looked over-weathered.
Before:
After:
I added a Walthers State Line Farm Supply store to the mill and painted both in a similar scheme. I made new signs for both structures and added some Athearn tractors (I painted one red to look like an old New Holland tractor). Now it looks more like one of many “add-on” type structures you see in eastern and central PA.
Two men discuss the new John Deere 1956 model 60 while one’s son tries to get his father’s attention…
Some of the guys on the Railwire suggested that I install the tractor loading ramp that came with the store on the other side of the tracks where the thick underbrush is. Sounds like a good plan to me!
Yes I agree! Every time I see his layout I keep thinking my new one is too darn big. And now he is making improvements! I say we organize an angry mob and have him make our hollow core door layouts look that good! Jamie
Nice job Dave!! You mentioned that the building seemed too small for carload lots.When trying to generate freight revenue with that type of building keep in mind that those kinds of businesses did a lot of farm related sales, You have done it by adding the tractor dealership and repair, but they also sell water troughs, corral posts and poles, nowadays prebuilt metal corrals, water tanks, fertilizer services that includer spreaders and sprayers and othe types of farm machinery, coils of plastic irrigation pipe, sprinkler pipe and systems.Not to mention hay and straw which one might see stacked outside.BILL
Nice job, Dave. [8D][tup] That sort of scene is a sight that’s fast disappearing here in western NJ, a victim of the McMansion building frenzy. You also jogged a memory of the giant Ralston Purina feed tower that used to straddle a siding in Flemington.
Who made the John Deere tractors? The detail on them is razor sharp.
The tractors are Athearn (see first post). They make a full range of John Deere products from the 50s to today.
I had to paint one red, though, because New Holland tractors (made in New Holland, PA, near Lancaster) were common in PA and painted red before Ford bought them and started making them in blue.
Yikes! Those fuel tanks are dangerously close to the road. I foresee a man-made disaster in the making. And the tanks block access to the loading dock. Why not place them down the track beyond the coal dump?
Dave–Very much like the farm supply places I’ve seen in the Appalachians.
Regarding previous post: A few concrete posts would protect the tanks (not necessarily the driver), a solution I’ve seen used where propane tanks were closer to the road after a highway widening project. Depending on the era, tanks might be fenced as well.
I know, no dunnage on the flat for those tractors; this was just a quick set-up for the shot:
Here are the platform and coal trestle from the other side… Yes, the proximity of those tanks to the road is very disconcerting; some sort of barrier will be forthcoming (probably post and cable railing as was common in PA in the 50s).
