Hey, everyone. I was wondering if anyone models modern Southern California and had any industry ideas. I need like two or three industries one of which could be about 2ft by 2t. My only ideas are a cement plant for the big one. Also does anyone know of a HO scale cement plant structure kit for under $200!![:^)] That was the cheapest I could find and I dont have $200 lying around. Thanks in advance![swg]
Q1: Researching the prototype is an enjoyable aspect of this hobby. “Southern California” is a vast area with a full array of businesses/industries. Check out some books on railroads in that portion of the country and study the background of the train photos for ideas. What type of freight cars are seen most often in the area modeled? That can help indicate what is being carried. Research involves more than tossing a question out on the net.
Q2: Again, research can be helpful. It took me less than two minutes in the current Walthers catalog to find “Medusa Cement Company & Accessories” in the Walthers Cornerstone series for $39.98 list. That structure looks as if it could be expanded by adding more silos cheaply made from PVC pipe or other tubing.
I apologize for the “stern” tone. I recognize that your screen name likely indicates that you are relatively new to the hobby. I do recall, however, when I had to rely on outdated railroad books from the public library as I didn’t have enough funds to purchase the information. A tremendous amount of information is available to you for free on-line, and if you dig it out yourself you will be far more likely to retain it and weave it into the development of a good layout. Good luck.
Bill
At least one of the popular map programs puts business labels on buildings in their satellite views. One posted here had a truck-train transload warehouse (About 8 feet long in HO, which could be selectively compressed,) a graphic arts plant (probably received paper in boxcars, ink in tank cars) and a Frito-Lay operation with a partially removed siding.
A newspaper printing plant would receive paper and ink, but the L.A. Times printing plant would probably exceed your 176 scale foot square by a factor of considerable.
Here in North Las Vegas, there are several moderate-size propane distrubutors which receive product in flange-wheeled hot dogs and distribute by truck.
You might want to consider making the major part of an industry either as backdrop or virtual. (Refinery tank car loading/unloading racks on the layout edge, that tangle of tanks and plumbing either a photo-mural or imaginary in the aisleway.)
Unlike the days of yore, modern rail-served industries tend to be huge, and to receive anything from multi-car cuts to unit trains. Smaller outfits are usually served by trucks.
The best research tool, if you are looking at your local area, is the Mk 1 Mod 0 eyeball, with attached camera and notebook. OTOH, thanks to our currently paranoid society, discretion is advised.
Just a few ideas. Playing with satellite views will give you more.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I guess the big question in my mind is “What era are you modeling?”
When I think of Southern California and trains, two things come to mind. The first is agriculture and shipping friuts and vegetables by refrigerator car. This can be any era, but if you go back to steam and transition times, then you’ve got the extra “industry” of the icing platforms for the reefers. The other industry is intermodal shipping, but that’s a huge container port and it’s only modern.
You could scratch build the plant. Evans Designs sells a modeling software that’s available at Micromark or from them for <$50. Paper buildings work well if you take your time. The silos could be made out of PVC pipe with some Plastruct parts added for ladders, valves, windows, etc. The advantage of the Model Builder software is that you can create building fronts to stand in for industries until you get the cash or right ideas for actual models. You may find that scratch building is an enjoyable part of the hobby as I have done. FYI…I mount the building parts to black foamcore with photo paper friendly glue and gusset the corners with 45 degree cut foam core…works great.
If you are doing a cement plant you can model a gravel supplier/ quarry yard to go with it. I have my yet to be built cement plant and on the other side of the layout is my gravel supplier. For the gravel supplier I have a spur off the main line and piled up different colors and sizes of woodland scenic ballast. Added a couple front end loaders and a bulldozer and a small office building and I was ready to go. My layout is a shelf layout around my garage so they are opposite ends so I can do pick ups of gravel, travel around to the cement plant, go back with the empties and go again or the gravel yard can also supply ballast for the MOW crew of the railroad.
Some time back in the '50s there was a scratchbuilding article in MR. The subject was the Los Nietos gravel bunker owned by (then) Consolidated Rock Products. I couldn’t find it on a present-day quick look at satellite views, but I have seen similar structures all over the country. Our hosts might be able to provide copies of the article, and I’m certain that the structure can be built from raw materials for far less than the price of an equivalent craftsman kit. [Edit] It received product in hopper cars and distributed by truck.
Chuck (Modeling CentralJapan in September, 1964)
Sorry for the confusion and thanks for your help. I am modeling the present era. Also all of the industries are right next to each other so the quarry wouldn’t work. I don’t know about scratch building with paper because even styrene is pretty hard. ( due to age and lack of experience) I have about three feet deep and five feet across with a reversing loop through it somewhere. Also if anyone has any ideas on how to scratch build a modern platform that is about 4 to 5 feet long that would be great to get some pics. Thanks!
Hi all, this comes from the www.mremag.com hints and tips page
You might do well to try to simulate a larger industry such as a cement plant rather than actually try to model it. Where many larger industries come off the “main line” you can often see a fence and a gate with vehicles at the siding or sidings but the industry itself is nowhere to be seen or way out of sight behind trees or hedges and you are not really seeing very much at all.
So for example, where here in Melbourne we had the Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) sidings coming off the main western line on the Broad Gauge to Adelaide, we could see the lines ( there were quite a few sidings there) into and past the gates but not much else as there was a series of trees and bushes blocking the “view” of the factory buildings etc. Yet such an industry generated the need for many goods wagons (tanks, containers, vans/boxcars and flat cars of different types which added to the operating variety of trains working into the area.
To simulate it, any old siding with a fence and gate with views blocked by trees or walls can generate a lot of varied traffic on your layout… and you hardly have to build (or buy) a thing! Or your Cement Hoppers can come in and out some distance from where the “plant” would be…
Hope this Helps
Regards
Trevor
Hi again! Does anyone know of a scratchbuilt or kitbashed plastic pellet transfer facility. I dont what to spend $200 to buy a kit on ebay. Thanks!
A piece of schedule 40 (2" diameter) PVC pipe. Cut into four sections about 6" long each, representing silos that are about 40 scale feet tall - judged from the size of the little men on the Walthers drawing, those silos are about 40 feet tall.
Add plastic sprues or metal wire as piping, make railings and ladders from something - brass or other metal soldered together or glue together with superglue.
Make an unloading shed of sheet styrene. Or cardboard.
Cost - a few dollars. And some of your time.
Smile,
Stein
for modern california industry ,your going to need lots of weed material for the empty parking & shipping lots,an thin plastic sheets to make plywood sheets for covering doors &windows ,oh and lots a little" for sale" “for lease” and of corse "forecloser "sale signs .your going to have to model the 50s or 60s to get some california industry.ask me how I know…[swg] Jerry
Thanks for the ideas! I have come to the conclusion that im not all that bad at scratchbuilding and that is going to be the only way I am gonna get a plastic pellet transfer facility. And btw Jerry, im not gonna switch eras because i have a lot of modern stuff and REALLY like the modern era. Plus, If you take the Surfliner down to San Diego, the first 45 minutes is all industry and is really cool. Plus i already have half a layout in the modern era. (But i do get what you are saying) lol
THANKS!
Ps does anyone have pictures of a real (or HO scale) plastic pellet transfer facility? I’d love to see them.[swg]
Im sorry upteen ,My dry/rude since of hummer sometimes gets the best of me. sorry again Jerry
http://www.google.com - click on images, enter search terms plastic pellet transfer facility. Look through the images.
Googling for California Plastic pellets transfer, I e.g find Ventura Transfer Company at 2418 E. 223rd Street, Long Beach, CA.
Going to http://www.bing.com/maps, entering 2418 E. 223rd Street, Long Beach, CA, and going to Bird’s Eye View, I see a transfer facility.
In a similar way you can find many other transfer facilities and see how they look.
Smile,
Stein
UPTeen23 - Google is you friend. Type in Robert Smaus. He has done some wonderful articles in MRR modeling So. Cal. around Los Angeles area. Industries galore and I think you’ll find many good ideas there.
Jimmy
Go to bing.com/maps and search for “Gallo Winery, Modesto, CA” and check out the bird’s eye view.
I think that would be fun CA industry to model a small portion of, it’s served by the Modesto & Empire Traction Company http://www.metrr.com/index.php
And speaking of modern era, they even have a couple Railpower genset switchers:
Wow ! Thanks for all the help! i will google those and keep you posted. I was also thinking a transload facility would be coool to model. Any pics or ideas?