10 yrs. later; finally modeled it!

Ralph

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Jun 18, 2002
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I used to go past this aggregate plant near Mt. Marion, NY every day and always wanted to include a model of it on a train layout. I took this picture ten years ago as a reference during a visit to my home town but then put it aside.
 

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Ralph

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Jun 18, 2002
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Thanks everybody! You're all so encouraging it makes it fun to try new things and show them off. I'm happy with the way this came out. I took a risk and cut into an existing scenicked hillside to add the industry. I think the conveyors make it look busy. Here's one last pic from a little further away.
Ralph
 

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Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Jun 18, 2002
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Oops! Yeah I really did a good job modeling that, huh? Can't tell it from the prototype! :D Here's the pic I meant to post!
 

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Drew1125

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Fantastic modeling there, Ralph!:cool: :cool: :cool:
Isit a kitbash? Scratchbuilt? Alittle of both?:)
(inquiring minds want to know!:D )
 

Ralph

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Jun 18, 2002
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Thanks Charlie! Its mostly scratchbuilt with scribed styrene on the main structure. First time I've used it. I need more patience and practice cutting it. The hopper structure on the left side that the converyors sprout from is framed by sections of an Atlas bridge. I used Walther's conveyors. The loader toward the right side of the pics is made of good ol' carboard.
Ralph
 

RailRon

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Nov 23, 2002
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Ralph, this model really looks impressive. Also the settiing into the landscape is very well done. It surely paid out to dig into these hardshell hills! :D

But I have a question, too: What does an aggregate plant do? Never saw something like that here in my country... :(

Ron
 

interurban

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Aug 21, 2002
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AGGREGATE,, The collecting together ,or ,, a mass formed by the union of individual particles.

Small rock, stones used in the mixing of cement sand and "aggregate" ( small rock) to form a solid base or wall.:eek:

I think;) is that it Ralph??????
 

Ralph

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Jun 18, 2002
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Thanks Chris, that did nicely! :)
Ron, I need to research this a little more but the industry pictured appeared to heat up rock in long cylindrical kilns behind the main structure and then drop them red hot into piles below. It looked neat at night! The black rocks were then loaded into open hoppers and I believe were shippped north to a couple of large cement plants.
Ralph
 

RailRon

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Nov 23, 2002
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Ralph and Chris, thanks for your informations.

Maybe that I have some difficulties with the translation of the proper expressions, but I think now can figure out what this plant does.

I suppose that this is a sort of a rotating oven in which the natural raw materials for cement (limestone and clay with aluminum oxide) are baked to 'clinker'. To get the cement powder we all know, this clinker is ground in huge ball mills.

Probably this aggregate plant does the baking of the clinker, which emerges as a dark grey mass from the kiln. (Looking at the dark heaps in your pics, Ralph, I thought the plant had something to do with coal industry! :D)
As you said, the clinker has to be shipped to the cement plant where it is ground, mixed with some more chemicals and filled into bags...

The setting of your model now makes even more sense - it suggests that the limestone quarry is just around the bend from here. A great source for traffic on your layout!

Ron