GERN Industries Gibson Works...
#1
GERN Industries Gibson Works, in Port Maitland, Ontario is the world headquarters of GERN Industries, well know for their famous GERN-Brand Flux and other fine Flux Products.

Here are some views of the plant (aerial photos courtesy of Secord Air Services)  -

Here's the plant as approached from the east - the low structure in the left foreground is from where bagged and boxed products are shipped, and company supplies are received.  Immediately beyond that is the main plant, with the railway storage silos centre-frame.  The flux ore is mined from under Lake Erie, with current operations extending almost two miles offshore.  That's an inlet of the lake at far lower-left:

   

Here's a closer view, which gives the viewer an idea of the plant layout, including the oddly truncated shapes of the component structures.  The smaller building, centre, with the world-famous "If It's GERN, It's Good" slogan, is the original plant:

   

A look at the original plant, which still loads both boxcars and hoppers when necessary.  Part of the floor area has been re-worked to accommodate some of the processing equipment for liquid products, with the storage tanks to the right of the photo:

   

   

And a few closer views of the tankcar loading area:

   

Underground drainage pipes ensure that any spills or leakage is carried away safely to nearby Lake Erie:

   

The most distant part of the complex, with the rooftop water tower and adjacent storage silos, obscures the view of the Lake Erie dock facilities.

   

Even though GERN is the Erie Northshore's largest customer (by tonnage), a full 80% of production travels by lake boats to far-flung customers.
Here, a leased CNR loco switches the silo track - with restricted overhead clearance, (no locos allowed) an idler flat is often needed to reach the cars:

   

   

Here we see Grand Valley Mogul 34 spotting some new milling equipment - the doorway to the mill can be seen in the first and second photos:

   

And finally, a couple of views from the west end of the complex:

   

   

Let's take a look at some GERN rolling stock.
Much of the plant's output is shipped in 100 lb. bags (which, because of technical advances from the GERN Laboratories, weigh only 75lbs), and can travel in ordinary boxcars, like this SOO Line car shown here:

   

Bulk shipments of GERN products are becoming more and more popular with many larger customers nowadays, pioneered by these cars, which are are product of the fertile minds at the GERN Research & Development Division, working in conjunction with the Carshops of the Elora Gorge & Eastern Railroad.  

   

Basically a boxcar, the doors have been fitted with GERN Flux-o-Seals (patents pending) to prevent both leakage of the cargo and moisture incursion.  Both powdered and granular flux is loaded via roof hatches and, at the Customer's receiving area, the cargo is quickly dumped from the four longitudinal underfloor hoppers.  In addition, the car can be easily converted to bagged flux service with the simple installation of GERN's patented Converto-Panels, which provide a smooth, flat floor atop those hopper bays.

Another innovation from GERN is the covered hopper, specifically designed for bulk lading only.  These GERN cars were built, under licence, by Pullman Standard:

   

Another GERN licensee, ACF, built these EG&E cars, used in both general service and flux service:

   

In addition to the large quantities of dry flux products, the Gibson Works also produces several liquid varieties of product, among them Liquiflux, used in pharmaceuticals  and many food-related applications:

   

Anhydrous Flux, once considered a waste by-product of the sludge-making process, has become an important additive in the paper-making process, and is finding an ever expanding market in a number of other fields:

   

Flux Sludge is an integral component in almost all manufactured food products, enhancing flavour, prolonging shelf-life, and making food look at least 3% better than it otherwise would.  It's also widely used in the hide tanning and brick-making industries:

   

Fluxene Peroxide is an enhanced by-product of the flux milling process, removed from the flux ore before final milling.  This material travels in shortened tankcars, like the one shown below, due to its extreme density, which is attributable to it being the "removed component" which leaves that 100lb. bag of flux "as light as a feather".  This is the proverbial "ten pounds of flux in a five-pound bag" and a little of it goes a long way in it's many applications, which include glass-making, forestry, agriculture, zeppelin production, and explosives:

   

This car, with three separate compartments, is used to deliver various types of GERN liquid flux products for industrial useage:

   

Here are a few recently added cars, and updated versions of some of those shown already...

A Tangent radial course tank car...

[Image: Tangent%20radial%20course%20tank%20cars...%20004.jpg]

...and an insulated version of the same type...

[Image: Tangent%20radial%20course%20tank%20cars...%20003.jpg]

Here's the former 5575, an MDC car upgraded with wire grabirons along with hatches and outlet gates from Bowser's ACF cars...

[Image: REBUILT%20MDC%20COVERED%20HOPPERS...%20017.jpg]

GERN also got a couple of similar cars from a nearby road, and simply "patched" them with GILX reporting marks...

[Image: REBUILT%20MDC%20COVERED%20HOPPERS...%20019.jpg]

Another Tangent car, this 6,000 gal. tanker was lettered using 168 individual pieces of decal...

[Image: ROLLING%20STOCK...%20023.jpg]

Please feel free to post your own GERN photos and news here.   Questions about GERN and about joining the GERN family are always welcomed, too.

Wayne
Reply
#2
Fantastic pics!! What a great way to start a GERN thread!!!!
~~ Mikey KB3VBR (Admin)
~~ NARA Member # 75    
~~ Baldwin Eddystone Unofficial Website

~~ I wonder what that would look like in 1:20.3???
Reply
#3
Don't cha just luv it! Worship
<!-- e --><a href="mailto:jmarksbery@aol.com">jmarksbery@aol.com</a><!-- e -->

W.C. & T. RAILROAD
N-Scale
Owner:
Col. Jim Marksberry
Reply
#4
jmarksbery Wrote:Don't cha just luv it! Worship
I do, I do Big Grin . This sight never ceases to amaze me Worship Worship
Kurt
Reply
#5
Fantastic Wayne! Thanks for bringing a GERN thread here and for starting it off with such inspiring pics! Great stuff! To help demonstrate the diversity of the GERN line of products I'll present GERN's Cement Flux plant in the Upper Hudson Valley. GERN flux cures cement 3% harder and faster!

[Image: IMG_0613.jpg]
[Image: IMG_0614.jpg]
[Image: IMG_0624.jpg]
[Image: IMG_0604.jpg]

I still need to create some GERN lettered hoppers.

I'm looking forward to seeing other examples of GERN Industries across the world!
Ralph
Reply
#6
Great-looking plant, Ralph, and an impressive size, too. Modellers with less real estate available on their layout shouldn't despair of having their own GERN facility, either. GERN is the "Superman" of layout industries, able to generate many carloads of product from even a telephone booth-sized building. A building flat against the backdrop will do just fine, as long as there's a suitable door with a siding. Even if you can't squeeze that into your layout, GERN could be in an unmodelled part of town. I have several industries in Dunnville that are either not represented on the layout or barely represented, with rail access being a pair of sidings under the staging yard. The Evell Casket Co. is one of these, represented by this partial structure in front of the backdrop. This end of the building is where the pencil pushers work - no siding or loading doors in sight.
[Image: Freightcarphotosandlayoutviews01-1.jpg]

Wayne
Reply
#7
I found this article in The Miami Herald. Thought I’d post it in case you haven’t heard the news already.

[Image: Miami_Herald.jpg]
Kurt
Reply
#8
cnw1961 Wrote:I found this article in The Miami Herald. Thought I’d post it in case you haven’t heard the news already.

[Image: Miami_Herald.jpg]

2285_ Kurt, this is great new, thanks for the info. Now if we could get a Gern facility here on the west coast, Hummmm

Joe Thumbsup
Reply
#9
Kurt: beauty, eh? Thumbsup Thumbsup

Joe, there are already several left coast facilities, with plenty of room for more.

Wayne
Reply
#10
Wayne, so glad to see a new GERN thread started here!! I love the pictures and they never get old!! Your GERN Complex is truly a work of BEAUTY!! Thumbsup Thumbsup

Ralph, your GERN Plant is looking SWEET too, i see you added some things since last saw it Thumbsup Goldth
Josh Mader

Maders Trains
Offering everyday low prices for the Model Railroad World
Reply
#11
Wow , very inspiring.
Lynn

New Adventure <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://bigbluetrains.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=9245">viewtopic.php?f=46&t=9245</a><!-- l -->

Great White North
Ontario,Canada
Reply
#12
doctorwayne Wrote:Kurt: beauty, eh? Thumbsup Thumbsup

Joe, there are already several left coast facilities, with plenty of room for more.

Wayne
Being I haven't laid any track yet, I'll have to carve out a little room for a modest Gern facility
here in So. Cal.

Joe Thumbsup
Reply
#13
GERN never ceases to amaze me....!!! That by itself it'll boost S. Florida's economic activity by 3% is nearly miraculous....Particularly when most economic indicators project a shrinking of the overall economy next year.... Nope

Perhaps this is the kind of industry folks in the New Mexico desert might try to bring a little (at least 3%) economic growth to the area.... Icon_lol

Ralph...That is an impressive plant as well...!! Thumbsup
Gus (LC&P).
Reply
#14
That's great news Kurt! Looking forward to seeing what "Good" thing develops!
Ralph
Reply
#15
Steamtrains Wrote:GERN never ceases to amaze me....!!! That by itself it'll boost S. Florida's economic activity by 3% is nearly miraculous....Particularly when most economic indicators project a shrinking of the overall economy next year.... Nope

Gus, never underestimate Flux Icon_lol .
Kurt
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)