Sugar Beets?

[MasonJar]

Sugar beets were once a common crop in Southern Ontario. But other than a few circa 1950s pictures in Ian Wilson's various "Steam..." books, I haven't seen much about them. Apparently they were carried in open gons loaded at team tracks, and were a common "good" in the fall after harvest - so much so that there were "unit trains" of them.

Can anyone shed any further light on this?

Thanks.

Andrew

[doctorwayne]

Not much to add beyond what's in those books - if I'm not mistaken, there are photos in several of the books. In addition, there was a 12 page article in the November, 2008 issue of RMC on modelling California's sugar beet industry. While Ontario's industry was probably on a smaller scale, much of the operation looks to be similar, including the use of drop-bottom gondolas.
The article covers both the prototype operation and modelling, and includes a drawing of a good-size loader, in addition to plenty of photos of models and the real thing. It also suggests using Anise seeds to represent the beets: they certainly look good in the photos.
I plan on including at least one loader on the second level of my own layout.

Wayne

[railohio]

They were/are also a crop in Michigan.

The Southern Pacific operated it's famous "beet trains" in California for decades.

[MountainMan]

There is supposedly an old sugar beet factory in the outskirts of Denver which is still in caretaker status. They're pretty much like any other factory, and probably brick in this area, the most common turn-of-the-century construction material.



If I were modeling one, this would be my choice!

[MasonJar]

Thanks guys.

No intention currently to model the industry, although I have (future) plans for related rolling stock. One is a P2K Redpath 8,000 gal tanker, and the others might fit the Spring Challenge - two Tyco or similar 40' gondolas that need an "extreme makeover" to be presentable. I might avoid the interior work by filling it with sugar beets...!

Andrew

[nachoman]

I gather such trains and plants no longer exist now that most sugar is grown as cane rather than beets? Does anyone have an approximate date when beet trains were phased out?

[doctorwayne]

In the "Steam Through London" book, there are several photos of beet loading and reference to "all types of open cars being pressed into service". None of the ones shown, including steel and composite gondolas (one of which had very high sides) appeared to have the side extensions as seen on the Espee cars.

Wayne

[doctorwayne]

I gather such trains and plants no longer exist now that most sugar is grown as cane rather than beets? Does anyone have an approximate date when beet trains were phased out?

The RMC article states that the industry began a decline in the 1970s, with the last beet trains moving in the '90s. Part of the decline was attributed to the rise of corn sweeteners, which were cheaper to produce and easier to transport.

Wayne

[MasonJar]

I gather such trains and plants no longer exist now that most sugar is grown as cane rather than beets? Does anyone have an approximate date when beet trains were phased out?

After I asked, I did a little search for more about the industry as a whole, rather than just the rr-related part. Apparently, the Ontario crop was completely phased out in the late 1960's. None were grown for about 40 years, but now there are about 10,000 acres under cultivation again.

As doctorwayne points out, a lot of industrial sweetener starts as corn these days.

Andrew

[TinGoat]

A friend of mine is building an S-Scale Free-Mo Module set that features a Sugar Beet Loader on a siding next to a farm field.

He was able to do some research at the RedPath Sugar Museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Redpath Sugar Museum
95 Queens Quay East
Toronto, ON M5E 1A3
(416) 933-8341

He said that the museum was actually very good. Better than he expected, in fact.

The Surgar Beet Story on the website:

The origins of the Ontario sugar beet industry (1900 - 1910).
The history of the Dominion Sugar Co. Ltd. (1910 - 1930).
Changes in the technology of the sugar beet industry (1900 - 1967).
Government policies and the decline of the beet industry (1945 - 1967).
The closure of the Ontario sugar beet industry (1967).

[nachoman]

It is amazing sometimes where model railroad research leeds us. It starts as simple research on sugar beet cars and factories, and winds up with government manipulation of the sweetener industry. So, the sweetener in your can of soft drink is now related to your modeling project Just goes to show how all-encompassing this hobby can be.

[Flynn]

There is one piling station for Michigan Sugar in Dover Centre over in Ontario. Sugar beets are still processed for raw sugar in part of Michigan along Lake Huron. Check <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.michigansugar.com">www.michigansugar.com</a><!-- w --> for a list of their warehouses, factories and piling stations.

[BR60103]

Last year the Owen Sound paper had a story on a local building which had been built to handle the sugar beet trade. (Owen Sound at the south end of Georgian Bay, east half of Lake Huron)
I forget the details, but I think there was a combination of crop problems and bad design/purpose of the building which led to a very prompt failure.

[doctorwayne]

(Owen Sound at the south end of Georgian Bay, east half of Lake Huron)

David, your reply reminded me of the "elephant" of southern Ontario, of which I'm sure most southern Ontario residents are aware.

Wayne

[MasonJar]

Wayne...

Thanks for all the info guys. My "short" gon fleet is building nicely. I just acquired a Proto1000 40' drop bottom gon lettered for CNR with a build date of 1919.

Also on the roster is a Canadian Pacific that I modified to ride more prototypically on its trucks, and two "bargain bin" gons (CN and PRR) that need extensive work, but that are the right size.

Andrew