10-08-2011, 09:34 PM
Since the subject came up on another thread about a soup plant as a possible industry to model and what they might ship/receive by rail, I spent a little time this evening looking for prototypes of the Campbell Soup Company (Umm, Umm, Good).
Results were a little disappointing in some ways. Their plant in Napoleon, Ohio, is no longer rail served; the line going by it having been abandoned, and the aerial views are terrible.
Their large facility in Camden, NJ, was demolished in November 1991 (here's a video of the demolition if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh7Jqa4Xy_I).
They have a plant in Maxton, North Carolina, but the aerial views leave a lot to be desired and I couldn't tell much about it: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2120+Nc+Hi...0&t=h&z=17. There may even be a separate industry located next to it, as some aerial views show what appear to be empty gons on some tracks.
They also had plant in Chicago, IL, with a water tower that looked like a can of Campbell Soup http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwilson...482430099/, but looks like it's been demolished too. The water tower looking like a soup can makes me think of the Dixie Cup Plant in Lexington, KY, with it's Dixie Cup water tower that is a local landmark.
However, their plant in Paris, Texas, does have good views and is rather interesting: http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=pmf5wm7...orm=LMLTCC
Looking at the facility, on the east side there are two separate tracks.
Starting at the south end of the facility, is a single ended spur where box cars appear to be loaded/unloaded at a rather interesting little structure that is open on the track side and with a ramp leading up to it on the road side. Neat little structure in and of itself. Looks like it handles two cars at a time with several more available and room to move them down for loading/unloading.
Moving north from that track, is a double ended siding with 4 tank car spots within a fenced area and what appears to be a corn syrup tank car on spot.
On the north side of the plant there is another track that splits in to two tracks where pressure differential type covered hoppers are being unloaded at the end of those tracks inside a covered shed. If you look closely, you can see the end of a covered hopper in the shed.
Just north of that track is yet another spur that splits in to several spurs that are obviously no longer in use. It looks like two tracks might have gone inside the structure at one time or perhaps went around to the west side of the structure to the shipping dock area; unfortunately now handled by truck. The building appears to have been expanded and covers where the tracks originally went.
Located in Texas, they would have a good local supply of meat and vegetables for using in their soups, so the need for them receiving produce or meat by rail wouldn't be too likely. Canstock and packaging materials might be received but some one in the area would have to verify if those commodities are received by rail or truck.
Campbell also has some plants in Canada, but I haven't tried to look at any of them.
The Paris, TX plant is a large facility and if someone was interested in modeling it, it could easily be the basis for a complete layout.
This little project reminded me of an interview I once saw on TV with Michael Landon. He said that he worked in a soup plant for a while and after having worked there, he never again would eat canned soup! Didn't mention which company he worked for, but I hope it wasn't Campbell!
Results were a little disappointing in some ways. Their plant in Napoleon, Ohio, is no longer rail served; the line going by it having been abandoned, and the aerial views are terrible.
Their large facility in Camden, NJ, was demolished in November 1991 (here's a video of the demolition if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh7Jqa4Xy_I).
They have a plant in Maxton, North Carolina, but the aerial views leave a lot to be desired and I couldn't tell much about it: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2120+Nc+Hi...0&t=h&z=17. There may even be a separate industry located next to it, as some aerial views show what appear to be empty gons on some tracks.
They also had plant in Chicago, IL, with a water tower that looked like a can of Campbell Soup http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwilson...482430099/, but looks like it's been demolished too. The water tower looking like a soup can makes me think of the Dixie Cup Plant in Lexington, KY, with it's Dixie Cup water tower that is a local landmark.
However, their plant in Paris, Texas, does have good views and is rather interesting: http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=pmf5wm7...orm=LMLTCC
Looking at the facility, on the east side there are two separate tracks.
Starting at the south end of the facility, is a single ended spur where box cars appear to be loaded/unloaded at a rather interesting little structure that is open on the track side and with a ramp leading up to it on the road side. Neat little structure in and of itself. Looks like it handles two cars at a time with several more available and room to move them down for loading/unloading.
Moving north from that track, is a double ended siding with 4 tank car spots within a fenced area and what appears to be a corn syrup tank car on spot.
On the north side of the plant there is another track that splits in to two tracks where pressure differential type covered hoppers are being unloaded at the end of those tracks inside a covered shed. If you look closely, you can see the end of a covered hopper in the shed.
Just north of that track is yet another spur that splits in to several spurs that are obviously no longer in use. It looks like two tracks might have gone inside the structure at one time or perhaps went around to the west side of the structure to the shipping dock area; unfortunately now handled by truck. The building appears to have been expanded and covers where the tracks originally went.
Located in Texas, they would have a good local supply of meat and vegetables for using in their soups, so the need for them receiving produce or meat by rail wouldn't be too likely. Canstock and packaging materials might be received but some one in the area would have to verify if those commodities are received by rail or truck.
Campbell also has some plants in Canada, but I haven't tried to look at any of them.
The Paris, TX plant is a large facility and if someone was interested in modeling it, it could easily be the basis for a complete layout.
This little project reminded me of an interview I once saw on TV with Michael Landon. He said that he worked in a soup plant for a while and after having worked there, he never again would eat canned soup! Didn't mention which company he worked for, but I hope it wasn't Campbell!
Ed
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"