In response to some queries, here's a brief look at GERN Industries facility in Port Maitland,
the Gibson Works - Mining and Milling Division.
It's probably apparent to most that this complex incorporates a couple of Walthers kits, along with several scratchbuilt areas. The buildings, for the most part, are set at an angle to the front edge of the layout.
Here are a couple of over-all views of the complex, which is about 6'6" long.
The large building and silos in the centre of the picture started out as Walthers ADM Grain Elevator, with Added Silos. Because the back of the structure cannot be viewed, the silos were arranged to give the maximum number of visible silos, even though most have no backs. I used .060" sheet styrene to fabricate the supporting structure under the silos, which allows viewing of the cars spotted for loading. There's not much detail underneath, as the "ceiling" is quite a bit higher than the top of the openings along the side. Detail consists of plain doors with drop-down walkways for access to the cartops. I didn't bother to model the loading equipment.
The first "tower" (the part with windows and the dust collectors on the roof) is from the ADM complex, while the next tower, set back and a bit taller, is scratchbuilt from more .060" styrene. The corrugated metal equipment shed atop the silos is from the Walthers kits, all facing the visible side, with a plain styrene back. The tallest tower, farther back still, is the rest of the ADM building, sitting atop more scratchbuilt structure (the part with more dust collectors on the roof). The balance of the main building, starting at the section with the three stacked pairs of windows, is scratchbuilt. In the view with the doorknob in the edge of the picture, those silos are more leftovers from the Walthers add-on silo kit. The rooftop watertower is scratchbuilt from a heavy cardboard tube, with a rivet-embossed .010" styrene wrapper and roof.
Here's a view of a train passing by the silo area. The addition of the "concrete" legs really helps the structure to loom over the trains.
This is the same area, without a train in the way.
And a few more views:
The main line passes between the buildings of the complex. Here we see a weed sprayer extra coming off the TH&B interchange. That flatcar under the loading bays is used as an idler car to reach hoppers that are spotted too far in for the loco to reach. The low overhead clearance is protected by the "R" (restricted clearance - see rule book) sign.
Here, some EG&E general service covered hoppers (Bowser) are being pulled from beneath the loading silos.
This view through the "canyon" shows a couple of the overhead connecting passageways between the old and new parts of the complex.
And looking the opposite direction:
And from a bit farther back:
And as seen from the roof, looking east:
This is the older part of the facility, made from the Walthers Flour Mill. The near end is used as Walthers intended, while the other end and both sidewalls were combined with some more .060" styrene to create the long wall facing the siding. The back (blank) and far end wall, along with the roof and loading dock, are all built from more .060" sheet.
Most of this building uses the Walthers details, although the roof over the loading dock, to the right, is sheet and strip styrene, supported by brass rods. The boxcars spotted for bulk loading are scratchbuilt.
Here's a closer view:
The tankcar loading facility is all scratchbuilt, except for the brick pumphouse in the foreground. The large tanks are more heavy cardboard tubes with styrene wrappers, while the smaller horizontal ones are made from plastic tubes from rolls of Telescript paper. The loading platform is made from strip and angle styrene, while the piping is styrene rod and tube. The loading pipes can be swung out over the tankcars. GERN leases several tank cars that use this facility.
And here's a look in the opposite direction.
Again, from the end of the loading track:
The final visible part of the GERN complex is the warehouse from which bagged flux is shipped out in boxcars. Here's a car being spotted for loading.
The entire building is scratchbuilt: foundation and loading dock, along with the sub-roof is more .060" styrene (I buy this stuff in 4' x 8' sheets), the walls are Evergreen corrugated siding, and the roof is covered with Campbell corrugated aluminum sheets. This train is heading past the loading dock though, with a load of milling machinery. It'll be spotted inside the main building: the doorway is just visible in the first two photos in this thread.
A bit closer, with no train in the way.
And here's Grand Valley Mogul number 34 doing some switching at the plant.
This free-lanced industry, based upon an imaginary product, allowed me to build a fairly plausible looking industry (I think), yet gave me the leeway to add embellishments that I found interesting. It generates an enormous amount of traffic and also allows me to be a little bit imaginative in creating purpose-built rolling stock. Here are a few GERN freight cars, which carry GILX (GERN Industries Limited) reporting marks.
GILX 806 - Fluxene Peroxide Service (shortened Athearn car with added details)
GILX 807 - Liquiflux Service (shortened Athearn car with added details)
GILX 808 - Sludge Service (Athearn car with added details)
GILX 809 - Anhydrous Flux Service (Athearn car with added details)
GILX 5570 - Bulk flux service (MDC car - unmodified)
GILX 5575 - Bulk flux service (MDC car - unmodified)
While most of GERN's production output is shipped to industrial customers, for use in other products or processes, one division of GERN is directly involved in the production and marketing of pharmecutical products, many of which are advertised nation-wide, on billboards like these.
And here's an advertisement touting GERN products:
I hope you've enjoyed this look at GERN Industries. Your comments or questions are welcomed.
And, don't forget, "If It's GERN, It's GOOD"
Wayne
the Gibson Works - Mining and Milling Division.
It's probably apparent to most that this complex incorporates a couple of Walthers kits, along with several scratchbuilt areas. The buildings, for the most part, are set at an angle to the front edge of the layout.
Here are a couple of over-all views of the complex, which is about 6'6" long.
The large building and silos in the centre of the picture started out as Walthers ADM Grain Elevator, with Added Silos. Because the back of the structure cannot be viewed, the silos were arranged to give the maximum number of visible silos, even though most have no backs. I used .060" sheet styrene to fabricate the supporting structure under the silos, which allows viewing of the cars spotted for loading. There's not much detail underneath, as the "ceiling" is quite a bit higher than the top of the openings along the side. Detail consists of plain doors with drop-down walkways for access to the cartops. I didn't bother to model the loading equipment.
The first "tower" (the part with windows and the dust collectors on the roof) is from the ADM complex, while the next tower, set back and a bit taller, is scratchbuilt from more .060" styrene. The corrugated metal equipment shed atop the silos is from the Walthers kits, all facing the visible side, with a plain styrene back. The tallest tower, farther back still, is the rest of the ADM building, sitting atop more scratchbuilt structure (the part with more dust collectors on the roof). The balance of the main building, starting at the section with the three stacked pairs of windows, is scratchbuilt. In the view with the doorknob in the edge of the picture, those silos are more leftovers from the Walthers add-on silo kit. The rooftop watertower is scratchbuilt from a heavy cardboard tube, with a rivet-embossed .010" styrene wrapper and roof.
Here's a view of a train passing by the silo area. The addition of the "concrete" legs really helps the structure to loom over the trains.
This is the same area, without a train in the way.
And a few more views:
The main line passes between the buildings of the complex. Here we see a weed sprayer extra coming off the TH&B interchange. That flatcar under the loading bays is used as an idler car to reach hoppers that are spotted too far in for the loco to reach. The low overhead clearance is protected by the "R" (restricted clearance - see rule book) sign.
Here, some EG&E general service covered hoppers (Bowser) are being pulled from beneath the loading silos.
This view through the "canyon" shows a couple of the overhead connecting passageways between the old and new parts of the complex.
And looking the opposite direction:
And from a bit farther back:
And as seen from the roof, looking east:
This is the older part of the facility, made from the Walthers Flour Mill. The near end is used as Walthers intended, while the other end and both sidewalls were combined with some more .060" styrene to create the long wall facing the siding. The back (blank) and far end wall, along with the roof and loading dock, are all built from more .060" sheet.
Most of this building uses the Walthers details, although the roof over the loading dock, to the right, is sheet and strip styrene, supported by brass rods. The boxcars spotted for bulk loading are scratchbuilt.
Here's a closer view:
The tankcar loading facility is all scratchbuilt, except for the brick pumphouse in the foreground. The large tanks are more heavy cardboard tubes with styrene wrappers, while the smaller horizontal ones are made from plastic tubes from rolls of Telescript paper. The loading platform is made from strip and angle styrene, while the piping is styrene rod and tube. The loading pipes can be swung out over the tankcars. GERN leases several tank cars that use this facility.
And here's a look in the opposite direction.
Again, from the end of the loading track:
The final visible part of the GERN complex is the warehouse from which bagged flux is shipped out in boxcars. Here's a car being spotted for loading.
The entire building is scratchbuilt: foundation and loading dock, along with the sub-roof is more .060" styrene (I buy this stuff in 4' x 8' sheets), the walls are Evergreen corrugated siding, and the roof is covered with Campbell corrugated aluminum sheets. This train is heading past the loading dock though, with a load of milling machinery. It'll be spotted inside the main building: the doorway is just visible in the first two photos in this thread.
A bit closer, with no train in the way.
And here's Grand Valley Mogul number 34 doing some switching at the plant.
This free-lanced industry, based upon an imaginary product, allowed me to build a fairly plausible looking industry (I think), yet gave me the leeway to add embellishments that I found interesting. It generates an enormous amount of traffic and also allows me to be a little bit imaginative in creating purpose-built rolling stock. Here are a few GERN freight cars, which carry GILX (GERN Industries Limited) reporting marks.
GILX 806 - Fluxene Peroxide Service (shortened Athearn car with added details)
GILX 807 - Liquiflux Service (shortened Athearn car with added details)
GILX 808 - Sludge Service (Athearn car with added details)
GILX 809 - Anhydrous Flux Service (Athearn car with added details)
GILX 5570 - Bulk flux service (MDC car - unmodified)
GILX 5575 - Bulk flux service (MDC car - unmodified)
While most of GERN's production output is shipped to industrial customers, for use in other products or processes, one division of GERN is directly involved in the production and marketing of pharmecutical products, many of which are advertised nation-wide, on billboards like these.
And here's an advertisement touting GERN products:
I hope you've enjoyed this look at GERN Industries. Your comments or questions are welcomed.
And, don't forget, "If It's GERN, It's GOOD"
Wayne
