New Extention 2 My HO Layout

[TruckLover]

Hey everyone, I have been planning on making a extention off my HO layout ever since I got the ADM Grain Elevator and I don't have room for it. So I came up with an extention I am going to start next weekend. Here is a picture drawn to scale (benchwork in in., buildings actual dimentions in in.) I measured everything to makesure that they would fit.

1. Starting at the top left, The red lines are the tracks. The red line at the top left comes off the mainline on my existing layout right now and there is a switch that goes to the track at the top of the drawling (the track is curved down like that to make a wider radius curve) This track goes to the top covered shed in the ADM Main Building.
2. The track also continues down to the bulk transfer conveyorwere open top hoppers will be unloaded. This is the Walthers cornerstone series Conveyor w/pit.
3. There is also 2 conveyors that go up to the row of 8 silos (16 in total). The conveyors take the material unloaded from the bulk transfer conveyor and onto the top of the roof were it is distributed down the 2 conveyors on top to all 16 silos.
4. Then is the ADM Main Building with a covered shed on each side for covered hoppers.
5. After the bulk transfer conveyor, the track continues down to a switch that goes to the other covered shed on the ADM Main Building. The track also continues down to the wall (bottom track) and will serve as a boxcar siding or run through for a train unloading open hoppers.
6. The measurements are labeled for the benchwork also in inches.

So, what do you guys think?

Also, if anyone hasany ideas on what this building could serve as, I would like your input also.

Thanks In Advance

 

[Triplex]

Also, if anyone hasany ideas on what this building could serve as, I would like your input also.

It's a grain elevator. What else does it need to be?

I see you've been planning carefully. That's a lot of space to devote mostly to one industry (maybe I'm too used to thinking in N-scale terms), but it looks like the scale of the building kit requires it.

 

[TruckLover]

It's a grain elevator. What else does it need to be?

I don't think that anything that is involved in the grain process comes from open top hoppers (3 and 4 bay) though? That is why I was wondering what else this building could manufacture.

I see you've been planning carefully. That's a lot of space to devote mostly to one industry (maybe I'm too used to thinking in N-scale terms), but it looks like the scale of the building kit requires it.

Yep, everything is drawn to the exact dimentions of the kit.:thumb:

 

[Triplex]

I don't think that anything that is involved in the grain process comes from open top hoppers (3 and 4 bay) though? That is why I was wondering what else this building could manufacture.

I was wondering about the open hoppers. The only other industry I can think of offhand that would look like this is a feed mill, and they wouldn't use open hoppers either. Large silos are used to store other things, such as plastic pellets shipped in covered hoppers, but I don't know if this building is exactly appropriate for that. Cement plants also use silos, but don't tend to look quite the same, either...

 

[green_elite_cab]

I would revise that. the "northern" loading area is for trucks, not trains. surely you have grain trucks!

also, grain elevators typically have more tracks to them. you would have your mainline, the loading track, and storage tracks, depending ont eh space ( there may be storage tracks to hold the rest of the train while cuts of cars are bing filled)

the train is generally loaded by pushing the hole thing through the elevatore while it dumps.

make sure you get eh right kind of hoppers to. you can check out the curretn hopper thread, but generally you'll want covered hoppers that have long "panel" doors, and wider discharge gates. They do not use open hoppers for grains so that the load doesn't become contaminated. the ADM building is only a grain builidng. thats the prototype, and it is specifcally designed for the transportation of grain.


I also checked on my track planning stuff, and you don't have nearly as much room as you'd like. that grain elelvator with eht exta soloes will take up so much space, you'll have less then a foot square for anythign else in between the tracks.

I personally think you can finda better industry for the spot.

 

[doctorwayne]

Josh, the grain elevator building that you're using is the same one that I used for GERN Industries. You don't need the bulk unloading areas or the conveyors with this structure, as the usual practice would be for trucks to bring grain into one of the sheds at the side of the building, where they would dump it into a pit. An elevator inside of the structure would lift it, then it would be distributed to the siloes.
Those conveyors (I'm not totally familiar with the design) would be more suitable for a coal or gravel operation, and would not likely be found that close to a grain elevator. However, it is your railroad, so if you want them there, go for it.

Wayne

 

[santafewillie]

Josh, I assume that since you have 16 silos that you are kitbashing two ADM elevators and using hopper sheds on both sides. Otherwise the covered shed on the top of your drawing is for trucks. Unless you are using it as a storage facility served only by railcars, you will need a place for trucks to unload. Get rid of the bulk transfer conveyor; grain doesn't ship in open hoppers. Move the whole thing to the left a bit and move the lower turnout to the left also. Most elevators that I have seen have an equal amount of trackage on both sides of the sheds so that strings of cars can be pulled or pushed through without the constant uncoupling and spotting. Just my observations, as Wayne stated, "it is your railroad".

 

[TruckLover]

Cement plants also use silos

Great Idea, maybe I will make it a cement building were powdered cement and concrete are manufactured. I could keep the bulk transfer conveyor and the 2 conveyors that go to the top of the silos.

Some of the silos can be used to store sand, some for powered cement, some for water, and whatever else. I would be able to have open and covered hoppers and maybe some boxcars. The building would produce and fill hopperd in the lower shed with powdered cement and concrete can fill cement trucks in the top shed. The lower shed will also serve as an unloading place for hoppers.

Thanks Triplex for the idea:thumb: :thumb:

 

[TruckLover]

g_e_c:thumb: , Wayne:thumb: , and Willie:thumb: , thanks for your input on the building.

I appreciate all your responces

I am going to modify the track plan according to your responces to help make the Concrete Plant

 

[green_elite_cab]

g_e_c:thumb: , Wayne:thumb: , and Willie:thumb: , thanks for your input on the building.

I appreciate all your responces

I am going to modify the track plan according to your responces to help make the Concrete Plant

I don't think you can use ADM grain for the conrete though. afterall it is a grain elevator model. You should probably grab medusa cement or something.

I think a lumber yard would fit in there. you could have trucks and for lifts busily shuttling wood from place to place.

 

[TruckLover]

I have the medusa cement plant and have since kitbashed itto make the row of silos. I still have all the equipment that was on the roof, (duct work.....) and am going to place those on the building as well. I am working on the new plan right now.

 

[TruckLover]

Ok, here is the new one,

I took the top track out, moved the bottom switch far left and added a road for the cement trucks. The road also serves as access for dump trucks for the sand piles.

 

[viperman]

cool to see the planning process like this Josh! I'm sure you will figure something out!

 

[TruckLover]

Thanks Steven

Ok, I spent a few hours working on the Concrete Plant last night.I added the machinery that came with the ADM building and I also added all the rooftop machineryfrom my old Medusa Cement Plant that has been kitbashed into this building.

Some of the machinery has been just simply glued down and some has been modifiyed to fit the space available on the roof.

Here are a few pictures of the building. I scratch built a conveyor housing using cardboard for the top of the silos. I decided to only add 1 conveyor instead of 2. I Also have to add all the doors and windows back on the building to.

 

[TruckLover]

This last pic. shows the conveyor going to the roof and into the conveyor housing on the roof. I still have to add the front to the conveyor houseing to hide the inside. Also have to spray the conveyor white to match the rest of the building. (notice all the other trucks and trailers on my workbench/computer desk that I am currenty working on lol)

 

[viperman]

Thats quite a stack of trailers there Josh. Looks like the building is progressing nicely. Is this the final plan for the extension:?

 

[TruckLover]

Thanks Steven,

Yes that is the final plan minus one of those conveyors (green). I going to build the bech work next week at my grandparents house next weekend and have it in by the week after and start to lay the track/set the building in it's final place.

Still need to get me one of those Bulk Transfer Conveyors (make that 2, 1 for this building and 1 for the steel mill complex.)

 

[KCS]

Josh, where did you get that ADM kit from? I shopped around at Walthers and the one I ound was small compaired to that one unless you built two kits into one? The one you have is more of what I'm looking for. Do you have a ink to where I might find one?

 

[green_elite_cab]

Josh, where did you get that ADM kit from? I shopped around at Walthers and the one I ound was small compaired to that one unless you built two kits into one? The one you have is more of what I'm looking for. Do you have a ink to where I might find one?

they sell grain silo add on kits for the grain elevator.

 

[green_elite_cab]

Thanks Steven

Ok, I spent a few hours working on the Concrete Plant last night.I added the machinery that came with the ADM building and I also added all the rooftop machineryfrom my old Medusa Cement Plant that has been kitbashed into this building.

Some of the machinery has been just simply glued down and some has been modifiyed to fit the space available on the roof.

Here are a few pictures of the building. I scratch built a conveyor housing using cardboard for the top of the silos. I decided to only add 1 conveyor instead of 2. I Also have to add all the doors and windows back on the building to.

is there a prototype for a cement plant like this? at first i thought you could probably pass it off as a cement plant, but i started noticing that most cement plants i've have a vastly different shape... I googled it to, couldn't find anything like that.