I am trying to decide on a industry/business for a spur on my track. I don't have a lot of space. I am sort of thinking of a scrap metal yard/dump. I thought about scratch or kit bashing the office and probably putting a fence around it. My real question is find the right crane to put in the scene. I don't have a lot options from what I have scene but Woodland Scenics has this. I just wanted some opinons if they think this would look ok in the scene or out of place. Thanks.
Opinon Needed
- Thread starter RaiderCTE
- Start date
I have one of those Insley backhoes, sort of as a running piece of history in my yard. You would be better served with a crane that has a lattice boom and either a magnet or clamshell bucket. Boley and Life-Like make inexpesive models that you could kibble the bucket or magnet for. Kibri makes a beautiful one that has all the necessary parts---at a premium price. I think a yard is a great idea for that end. On small layouts like your's and mine, it gives us a legitamit industry that can be any size, without overwelming the skyline. Good luck.
How about a team Track.It gives you many more options as far as types of cars you can use.develop a yard office unloading ramp etc and the crane is a natural for offloading and or loading heavy pieces of equipment.A few open air sheds and perhaps a storage warehouse would complete the scene.
A bulk oil and gas facility would be another option,In fact,you may have room for Both!!
A bulk oil and gas facility would be another option,In fact,you may have room for Both!!
When the company I work for had their shop in South Central Los Angeles, there was a tank manufacturing company next door. I don't know what part of the country you are modeling, but here in So Cal. many industries that would use a fully enclosed building elsewhere because of the weather, just use a roof with open sides here. A full size replica of that tank company would fit nicely in the space you have available. The tanks they made looked to me like compressed gas tanks, either for air or something like propane. Most stood vertical and were about 8' tall. The building was long and thin, just about two tracks wide with a small office off to one side in a "lean too" type sheet metal structure. The main part of the plant was an open shed made up of steel "I" beam supporting cross trusses that supported a sheet metal roof. There were two tracks coming in from the back with an overhead electric crane to unload mill gons loaded with flat steel stock. They cut up, shaped, and welded the steel into tanks. Scraps of steel were loaded into mill gons to go back to the steel mill. They would receive 2-3 mill gons of flat stock, and generally had two mill gons standing by to receive scrap. When the mill gons were full of scrap, the railroad would pull the loaded ones out and leave empties. I think they received the new steel about once a week. when the gons were empty they were pulled out, unless the scrap loads were full. If the scrap loads were full, they would move the empty gons that were just unloaded into the scrap spur, and take away the scrap loads. It would make a nice compact loads in/empties or other loads out industry. I think a combination of the Walthers shop with overhead crane, and Pike Stuff corrogated building kits could be used to make a believable building, and some tubing with dome ends and angle iron legs would make completed tanks. With a bright light in a workers hand, you could simulate someone welding up a tank.
That tank fabricator facility sounds interesting, got any pics? One of the toughest parts of modeling is the revenue that justfies the existance of your road. When you take an honest look at the size of some of the industries we model, we could hardy fill a UPS truck once a week much less a daily two or three car drop-off/pickup. Alas, the trials of our hobby...
I'm sorry, I never got any pictures of the tank manufacturer. The plant fronted on Alameda St. in Los Angeles. The front 1/2 of the building was typical of a Pike Stuff steel building without a back wall. The office was in front, and they had a fenced in area in front with completed tanks on display. The back 1/2 of the building would be a Pike Stuff without side walls. The "loads in" track was probably 3 car lengths long. The "scrap out" track was about 2 car lengths long. The overhead crane was an electro magnetic type. The space at the end of the "scrap out" track was used for metal storage. The steel was stored on "A" frame racks that sat in the area in front of the "scrap out" track. There were various machine tools around the shop including a drill press, a large brake bender, I think a lathe and Bridgeport mill, as well as torches and welders. You would need to model three or four "A" frame racks to hold various sizes of angle, sheet, and plate steel.
I think there was also some sort of "wheel tool" to shape sheets of steel into cylinders for welding.
I think there was also some sort of "wheel tool" to shape sheets of steel into cylinders for welding.
Hi Raider,
Sorry it has taken a while to reply, but the web site I wanted to link you to was down for the past few days.
Here it is: http://www.hotrak.ca/ . Go to "Modules" and then "NTC Branch". A great scrap metal yard has been created in a very small space. The era is 20s and 30s, but could be adapted for your more modern (I assume from the hi-hoe pic) times. Jacques has a steam-powered crane, but you can't really see it (except the boom) in the pictures. I have seen it in person, and it looks great. Don't know how long those things lasted...
Hope that helps.
Andrew
Sorry it has taken a while to reply, but the web site I wanted to link you to was down for the past few days.
Here it is: http://www.hotrak.ca/ . Go to "Modules" and then "NTC Branch". A great scrap metal yard has been created in a very small space. The era is 20s and 30s, but could be adapted for your more modern (I assume from the hi-hoe pic) times. Jacques has a steam-powered crane, but you can't really see it (except the boom) in the pictures. I have seen it in person, and it looks great. Don't know how long those things lasted...
Hope that helps.
Andrew