Coming Soon - Hamilton-Paice Industries

[MasonJar]

Inspired by Josh (Trucklover) and a sale on Walthers Modulars components, I am building a structure based on the 3-story building plans found here -> <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/modulars/3story">http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/modulars/3story</a><!-- m -->

I have enlarged the building, giving it a bigger indoor unloading space for rail, and turned the "back" of the building into the front by moving the main entrance doors.

I need some suggestions for what this industry does. At this point in the planning process , it will feature:

• indoor loading/unloading for rail and trucks
  
• outdoor loading unloading for rail and trucks (no specific unloading dock for rail though)
  
• freight elevator from outside ground level
  
• outside winch from dock level
  
• chimneys
  
• roof vents
  
• skylights on some of the flat roof
  
• a water tower
  
• no other outbuidlings planned (not yet anyway)
  
• no onsite power supply (i.e. it's attached to power in the "regular" way)
  
• no special unloading facilities (e.g. tank car or hopper unloading) are visible - could be inside though

The building is late Victorian in origin, although I am aiming for the 1920s and 30s. I am open to some further modification or addition of other details if needed.

So what does Hamilton-Paice do? I am sure that Gern flux figures in the process somewhere , but other than that, I am stumped.

Thanks for you suggestions!

Andrew

[doctorwayne]

If GERN is involved, it could be something as simple as a blending and packaging facility. While the flux from different mines is all required to meet GERN's stringent standards of quality and uniformity, certain naturally-occurring inclusions give some varieties of GERN-brand Flux properties that may be of particular benefit in certain end uses.
For the timeframe of your operation, most likely traffic would be in-bound boxcar-loads of bulk flux, unloaded by a crew with shovels. Product from different producers could be blended as required, then bagged and shipped out to retailers, or to other operators who would use the material as part of their own manufacturing process. Other in-bound shipments, either via rail or by truck, could include other chemical additives and packaging materials (cloth or paper bags, or wooden barrels or steel drums). Out-bound loads would be in boxcars, or, if necessary, un-iced reefers - as long as the product is protected from moisture, or in trucks.
Another benefit of this type of business is that it will generate at least 3% more traffic for your railroad.

Wayne

[MasonJar]

Thanks Wayne!

I guess I had not thought much about the traffic, assuming perhaps that it would be worked out after the fact. However, your point (I remembered as soon as I read it! ) that many, many commodities, even in bulk, were moved in boxcars in the 1920s is a good one. So from that point of view, I really am more flexible. Boxcars could carry lumber in and furniture out, or empty glass bottles in and full ones out, or even flux...!

Any other ideas?


Andrew