Peanut Processing Plant

[FCIN]

Well here's another "different" rail served industry that could be incorporated on a layout - even as the main industry on an ISL and goes along with my previous posting about a peanut butter plant - a peanut processing plant.

While rail fanning on the NS yesterday, I saw several 25,500 gal tank cars carrying this logo, so had to investigate:     Here's their web site for further information: http://www.goldenpeanut.com/ They have plants located in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas and most, if not all the facilities are rail served. Aerial views of their plant locations leave much to be desired, but still can give you a good idea of the facilities and track arrangements.

Products produced include various grades of shelled or raw inshell peanuts, refined peanut oil and extract, and peanut meal/flour/fiber. Even the hulls get processed.

As far as rail traffic, depending on the era, they'd receive box cars or covered hoppers of raw peanuts from their suppliers, then would ship out the various products in box cars, covered hoppers, Airslide or pressure differential covered hoppers and of course the 25,500 gal tank cars, so you'd have a fair mixture of freight cars at such a facility, not to mention some rather unique looking structures.

So have a look at their web site - especially the Locations/Other Locations page http://www.goldenpeanut.com/Locations.aspx which includes photos of the various facilities. You might get some good ideas for another "unusual" industry for the layout.

[FCIN]

Here's a 16in X 96in HO scale switching layout plan that I've designed for a friend based on the Golden Peanut Company facility in Ashburn, Georgia (Google Aerial View: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Ashburn,+G...a&t=h&z=17).     As you can see by looking at the aerial view, the track plan is pretty darn close to the switchback arrangement of the actual facility, although straightened out a tad to fit the available space. Still, being based on a prototype location and track layout is a big plus.

My friend likes covered hoppers and tank cars, so we've got that covered with this facility and can also use box cars for peanut loading if desired. There is room to spot 2 covered hoppers (or box cars) for shipments of peanuts and one tank car for peanut oil loading (with room for another empty to spot later) at any one time. Also allowed for a "company switcher" to be parked on the end of the spur if desired (I suggested a GE 45 ton), or you can just have a road engine staged with the inbound cars on the connection (Prototype road is the Georgia Southwestern), pull in to the scene, do the work and then shove back toward the main.

Track will be code 100 with Peco medium radius turnouts and I have several surplus structures (grain bins and a few odds and ends) that can be used on the layout. Even though he primarily just wants a small layout for testing the locomotives that he details, modifies and paints; over the past year, I've managed to get him very interested in switching operations. So after hunting for some possible prototype locations that might fit and trying a couple of possible plans, it looks like he may go with this one.

With the limited space, traffic is limited to 3 (or 4?) cars inbound/outbound maximum per operating session, but with the two separate industry tracks and car spot locations, it should be interesting enough to keep him busy when the mood to do some switching comes along. It's also a nice small plan for a first time layout builder to work on his skills, IF he wants to go further than just laying and wiring the track and having a couple of structures on the layout.

Right now, I have no idea when he might actually start working on this layout, but it would take only a short time to get the track laid, wired and be able to run something. He did go home last night with the plan and a big smile and since he's already purchased the shelf - it might be this week.

Perhaps, a small prototype based plan like this one might interest someone else. I'm actually tempted to do this layout myself in addition to my much larger switching layout, currently being developed.

[fwwrmodeler]

Ed,

Ive taken photos of their two plant locations down here in TX for modeling ideas for the FWWR that I model. This area is called the Old Peanut Line and runs from Dublin, TX to Gorman, TX approx 20 miles.

Here is De leon, TX facility:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=gorman,+tx&hl=en&ll=32.110137,-98.534698&spn=0.004099,0.008234&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=61.669968,134.912109&vpsrc=6&hnear=Gorman,+Eastland,+Texas&t=h&z=18">http://maps.google.com/maps?q=gorman,+t ... s&t=h&z=18</a><!-- m -->

and their facility at Gorman, TX which is the end of the branch:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=gorman,+tx&hl=en&ll=32.211004,-98.666539&spn=0.008188,0.016469&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=61.669968,134.912109&vpsrc=6&hnear=Gorman,+Eastland,+Texas&t=h&z=17">http://maps.google.com/maps?q=gorman,+t ... s&t=h&z=17</a><!-- m -->

[Brakie]

A small engine like a GE 44,45 or 70 tonner would suffice as a plant switcher.

In the stean era a 0-4-0T would work-better would be a fireless 0-6-0T.You would need to add a power house and steam line.

[Justinmiller171]

Ed, any chance you could get your friend to join Big Blue?

[FCIN]

Ed, any chance you could get your friend to join Big Blue?

Well I know he checks out the site now and then to read my postings and others that I tell him about, but I haven't been able to convince him to join. He says that since he isn't building a layout (never has) and only details and paints locomotives and cars that he wouldn't have anything to contribute.

By the way, I talked to him tonight in regard to us going rail fanning Friday and he mentioned that he's not really sure if he wants to try and build any sort of layout other than a simple test track!!! I'll keep after him though, as any one that can do work like the examples below, could build a great little layout!        
P.S. - Look's like I've gotten this thread way off topic!

[Justinmiller171]

Ed, just for the heck of it I set up that track-plan on one of my Hollow-core doors, my version fits well in 80 inches even with Peco long turnouts.

I was wondering what type of building would be used when loading peanuts onto boxcars, would it need a warehouse? or would they load them on using forklifts or something similar?

[FCIN]

Justin;

Go to the Golden Peanut web site for their processing plant locations: http://www.goldenpeanut.com/Locations.aspx. Then you can use Google and/or Bing to look at the facilities to get an idea of what the various structures look like.

If you're shipping out the peanuts in bags, then I'd say they'd be loaded from a warehouse. If you're using covered hoppers, then something resembling a grain elevator would probably be used.

I've looked at most of the facilities, but be warned, most of the aerial views leave a lot to be desired. In a few cases, Google Street view is pretty good.

[Justinmiller171]

Thanks Ed!

Hopefully me building that layout will help convince your friend to build it too, If I can build it than anybody can!