Trinidad Benham Corp

[FCIN]

Here's a little update on Trindad-Benham Corporation that some may find useful. Was looking around at some of their other facilities around the country (where decent aerial views are available) as a possible inclusion on the layout and found this one in Chino, CA, that is very interesting. Here's a Google link to the facility for closer study: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.011455...6&t=h&z=19 and some image captures that I made:
View looking South:     View looking East toward end of siding:     And view looking North:     What I find interesting about this facility is that you wouldn't need to model any portion of the structure, making it a good candidate for a foreground industry. You only need the track in the pavement along with the two unloading pit areas and the fall restraint system for modeling it in the current era (these would be omitted in an earlier time) and then of course have the area fenced off. Here's another view of the facility, obviously taken before the fall restraint system was installed and showing three covered hoppers on the track and one being unloaded:     Note that the siding is single ended, although it looks as though it might have been double ended at one time. Also note that the unloading pits appear to have gratings that are spaced to match a typical C113 type covered hopper and don't require moving the cars to unload, other than to move another one in to place.

At the closest Google view, it looks like there are electric cable car movers placed at the east and west ends of the two unloading areas, although I don't see any cable near them. Would be a nice detail to model. For those not familiar with what I'm talking about here's a link showing one of these devices http://www.saferack.com/capstans-and-railcar-movers.cfm. They used them extensively at the distilleries around here along with the manual car movers you see on that web page.

Not sure what those two loading ramps would be used for, other then perhaps to unload trucks of beans or rice or perhaps a rare box car of those commodities shipped in bags.

I've been looking for a good industry for my fleet of covered hoppers and one that would justify receiving several cars at a time and this one might just fill the bill.

Incidentally, Chino, CA, has some really interesting industrial spurs and industries. Look around...