Future Modeling Project?

[upguy]

This is a picture of the Ash Grove cement plant at Nelson (between Huntington and Baker City) on the Union Pacific mainline in eastern Oregon. I hope to model at least a portion of this in N-scale on an N-trak module that will also be a focal point on my layout.

I don't suppose anyone out there in cyberland has a picture of this plant in the 1980's? The plant was a more managable size for a modeler back in those days. (They had a major construction phase in the 1990's) It is much bigger now than it was then.

Anyway, it (or one like it) is an impressive structure that could generate a lot of traffic for a model railroad, and you don't have to model a major city to make it fit in to the landscape.

 

[roryglasgow]

What function does that big dome perform?

-Rory

 

[upguy]

Dome function?

The dome may be some kind of dryer, but that is only a guess. Here is another picture--taken from near the plant office looking down the loading track.

 

[upguy]

Rolling Stock

The facility also services a lot of very interesting looking cars. Here is a sample.

 

[upguy]

Most of the cars are Union Pacific, but there are others represented too.

 

[roryglasgow]

I didn't realize it in the first picture, but after seeing the second...that place is huge!

What is that doodad on the right in the second photo? The thing with the ladder and the "antennae" sticking out the sides...

-Rory

 

[TR-Flyer]

Dear UPGUY:
Don't have any pictures of your plant but i'm the architect for a new office/lab at a plant in SC. Why don't you stop by the plant and see if they have any pictures of it from the '80. They've got a number of pictures of the plant i'm involved with hanging in the engineering building on-site. Most factory Owners and managers are proud of their facility, if they're any good at all, and would probably get a kick out of knowing that someone thought their busines was neat enough to be modeled by someone. Just be sensitive to any concerns the business might have re: proprietary items.

Cement plants are really interesting places, they look like scenery right out of Max Headroom or Blade Runner. They also offer opportunities for animation. The clinker "pipe" turns around slowly 24/7 and the towers are tall enough to require warning lights. There's tanker, hopper, boxcar and gondola traffic and a quarry as well. Be sure to weather all your cars, there's ALWAYS dust EVERYWHERE.

Good luck.
Ted

 

[upguy]

Nelson Plant in 1988

Here is a picture that I took of the same plant in 1988. As you can see, there has been a tremendous change since then. Unfortunately, this picture does no have the detail that I need to do the necessary modeling.

The "dodad" that you mention, Rory, may be a safety platform for truckers to safely work on closing hatches etc. on the tops of their trailers after loading. (That's my GUESS.)

 

[Drew1125]

upguy,
looks like an interesting challenge for a model!
Are you interested in a kitbash? I can think of 3 or 4 Walther's kits right off the top of my head that would provide parts for an approximation of such a plant.

 

[upguy]

It will most likely have to be a kitbash project using several Walthers kits--Medusa Cement, North Island Refinery, Flood Loader, ADM Grain Elevator, and possibly some others. I'll have to look carefully at the possibilities. The pictures that I have shown here so far do not begin to show all the structures necessary, but that is why I hope to do the 1980's version. There is just too much plant in 2002!

Here is another shot of the present facility from another angle, and this still is not all!

 

[upguy]

Here is some more of the 2002 plant complex. This structure is to the left of the previous picture.

 

[WM-N-fan]

I'm modeling a cement plant also. I have a thread going in the N-scale forum. The plant I'm modeling is pretty big, but not nearly as big as what is considered to be (when done) North America's most modern and largest cement plant. That plant is in Union Bridge Md. about 20-25 min. away. It looks like a spaceship. The plant used crane (can go 500 ft.) that still isn't as tall as some parts of the plant! That crane is I think the largest in the world and as of a few months ago is a ground zero. I wouldn't even want to think about modeling this giant. It'll take up a 8-4 without the quarries!





http://unionbridgevfc8.homestead.com/page8.html

 

[upguy]

I have finally begun to work on building my cement plant. I don't have any pictures yet, but I was wondering if anyone else has some progress shots on their cement plant modeling projects. Let's see what you've done.

 

[rcwatkins]

That cement plant is one massive plant!

 

[belg]

www.ashgrove.com/testimonial/ AGCCdurkee.html
This is a link to their webpage and a night image I thought you might enjoy and use.
Pat

 

[Ralph]

Upguy,
I've started a cement plant but have let detailing it wait while I work on other projects. More boxy looking than the pics above, I based it on a couple of articles about the cement industry I saw in MR years ago. I don't have a loading facility for it yet so I really appreciated the picture you posted. I plan to add something like it. My plant is about four feet long on an HO layout. Best wishes on your future project!
Ralph
Here's a not very good photo of it.....

 

[Ralph]

Several days later...I was inspired by the loading facility in your pics above so I constructed this one for my covered hoppers to be spotted under. Now the operations at my Hudson Cement seem more realistic...cars were just sitting next to the structure before. Thanks for the idea!
Ralph

 

[pomperaugrr]

I just saw a new product announcement on the Walthers website. It is an HO cement plant model: Valley Cement. It is a bit pricey, but the kiln can be motorized. I may have to look into kitbashing one of these into an n scale model. Check it out under the 2004 new products section. http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3098

Gee, you HO guys get all the good stuff

Eric

 

[upguy]

Looking good, Ralph.

Thanks for the link, Eric. Wouldn't you know it. I have almost completed gathering everything that I need for a scratch built plant, and now someone comes out with a possible substitution. Do you suppose that an N-scale version is also in the works? Probably too much to expect.

I will take a picture tomorrow night of the kiln that I have built. I still haven't constructed the buildings housing the ends of the kiln, so I may still use the Walther's kit if I can get it in time. I need to have things completed by the end of June for a GATS show coming to Boise...stay tuned.

 

[pomperaugrr]

upguy:
Knowing Walthers, I am not going to hold my breath for an n scale version. I was going to scratchbuild and kitbash one for my layout. Looking at the photo, I think that the scale of the structures would be better for n scale, with any doors, windows and handrails replaced with n scale ones. What caught my eye was the rotating kiln. I was trying to figure out how to make one turn reliably. I'd love to see pictures of what you've made so far.

Eric