Inbound loads for a tire factory

[bnmike1971]

I am modeling Hoosier Tire.What inbound load would be delivered other than Carbon Black?
Thanks for any replys,Mike

[Gary S]

Just making a guess, but how about gons or coil cars loaded with wire on reels? This would be for the steel belting in the tires.

[Charlie B]

Here is the list of materials, lots of possibilities for railcars
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_manufacturing">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_manufacturing</a><!-- m -->
Charlie

[FCIN]

Here's a link to one of several web sites that describe the tire manufacturing process: http://www.ststire.com/tire-resource-cen...l-tire.php. Might give you some ideas.

Also here are Google http://maps.google.com/maps?q=La+Vergne+...e&t=h&z=17 and Bing http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=q016qh7...orm=LMLTCC aerial views of the Bridgestone/Firestone plant in LaVergne, TN, that might give you some detailing ideas. Only rail cars I see in these views are the carbon black covered hoppers, along with a Trackmobile they use to move the cars.

If we're talking about the same company, the Hoosier Tire & Rubber plant in Plymouth, IN, isn't rail served, so it wasn't much help.

[bnmike1971]

Thanks guys,feeling alittle like "Randy".Never even crossed my mind to google the subjuct...lol.I wasnt sure about rail service to the plant.I grew up in the northern Indiana area,and about 30yrs ago went by the plant i thought was in Lakeville Indiana as a kid with my dad.I remember him saying "What a dumb name for a tire".He was born and rased on the east coast.The upper level of my layout is based on the town of Mishawaka In.I am putting industires and things i remember a a kid there.Plus i drag raced thru high school and in to my early 20's.So the Hoosier was always my brand of slick(and who doesnt love the smell of burnt rubber in the morning)

Mike
CEO of The Burlington Northern Terminal RR

[FCIN]

and who doesnt love the smell of burnt rubber in the morning

Talk about bringing back the memories! I loved drag racing, but as close as I ever got was the '69 Roadrunner that I got when I was discharged from the Army. Nothing like a little street racing...

I saw on the Hoosier Tire web site that their headquarters is in Lakeville (looks like maybe a mile north of town). Again no railroad as it looks like whatever railroad used to go through Lakeville has been abandoned for several years. I've been to Plymouth a couple of times, but never saw the plant or knew that it was there. When I started looking for it on Google, I was rather surprised that there wasn't a rail spur going to it as the railroad line is pretty darn close to the plant. Look's like a small operation considering their popularity.

Never made it to Mishawaka, but had planned on going there some years ago when the Indiana Interstate took over the line going to/through there. Unfortunately, they quit before I made the trip.

[MountainMan]

Rubber, various "fillers" such as sulphur and other chemicals, and steel wire.

[Russ Bellinis]

I've never given much thought to tire manufacturing, but as I read this thread, and the links that were included, the question occurred to me, "what does raw rubber look like and how is it shipped?" I think it comes from a tree, when it is harvested, is it ground up and shipped in bags, curt up like cord wood or pulp wood, or is it shipped in bulk like plastic pellets in a covered hopper?

[MountainMan]

Rubber is shipped in large blocks, and would be mixed with large blocks of synthetic rubber in the factory. See if you can find the "How It's Made" video about tires on YouTube - it will give you an excellent primer on what goes into manufacturing modern tires.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+it%27s+made+tires&oq=how+it%27s+made+tires&aq=0&aqi=g1&aql=&gs_l=youtube.1.0.0.1751.9287.0.11878.19.14.0.5.5.1.279.1893.8j0j6.14.0...0.0.NAMlMv3izmQ">http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... AMlMv3izmQ</a><!-- m -->

[teejay]

Ed , I've been a long time drag racing fan too and get my fix over on the HAMB site ......<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=228509&page=1622">http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/show ... &page=1622</a><!-- m --> ....lots of good old stuff over there .

Mike , the tire plant would be and interesting build ...keep us updated on your progress .

Terry

[MountainMan]

I've never given much thought to tire manufacturing, but as I read this thread, and the links that were included, the question occurred to me, "what does raw rubber look like and how is it shipped?" I think it comes from a tree, when it is harvested, is it ground up and shipped in bags, curt up like cord wood or pulp wood, or is it shipped in bulk like plastic pellets in a covered hopper?

The rubber is shipped like this:



The synthetic rubber is shipped like this:



At the factory, it goes into a machine that shreds it, kneads it, mixes it and molds it into a homogenous mass with similar blocks of synthetic rubber and whatever chemicals and additives are intended as part of the batch, such as compounds to resist UV deterioration.

[Russ Bellinis]

Is the rubber shipped in boxcars or does in come in on an open car? It would be cool to have a load of rubber in a gondola, but I suspect they use boxcars.

[Brakie]

Russ,The raw rubber is shipped in boxcars or 53' trailers as is any scrap.

The rubber could be made in house if the tire company has a banbury department.

[mountaingoatgreg]

Hey guys,

We have a very large Goodyear plant we serve, they get Carbon Black Cars and loads of Lube Oil in tank cars.
This plant does not get any metal or rubber from the railroad.

[Brakie]

Hey guys,

We have a very large Goodyear plant we serve, they get Carbon Black Cars and loads of Lube Oil in tank cars.
This plant does not get any metal or rubber from the railroad.

Sounds like they make their rubber in house since carbon black(nasty black powder) is used to make rubber.