New Industry on the Layout

Hello all,

In our last virtual ops series one of the intra-layout moves on my layout involved this old NYC Pacemaker being forwarded to KP Steel Supply to be loaded with new 55 gallon drums for Drywell Inks on John R.'s Layout.

KP Steel Supply sits along what I've been referring to as KP Steel's Holding Yard whose tracks are often used in our virtual ops to accommodate strings of coal hoppers, gondolas loaded with scrap, or multiple coil cars.  

The Pacemaker is seen above set out on a track that really should be occupied by several coal hoppers.   It was seeming more and more unlikely to me that a business like this would be in such a location. 

Another thing I found dissatisfying about KP Steel Supply is its lack of a visible loading dock that doesn't provide any views of the steel drums being shipped.    

Speaking of steel drums, John R. recently posted about making 55 gallon steel drums from wire crimps based on and idea found in the Model Railroad Luddite Blog which is referenced in John's post below...

"Roll Out The Barrels" blog post from the N.Y.C.T.L.

I really wanted to replicate his barrel work to show another commodity that is shipped between us, which furthr motivaed changing the manufacturr of the barrels on my layout

I have also been trying to come up with more loads for our depressed well flat car which has recently been employed to ship an oversized air conditioner from Peerless Appliance to SCC College.

 I thought some larger drums or tanks might fit the bill such as in this example I found online.

 Again, however, there really aren't any ways to show such loads being placed in cars at KP Steel Supply.

So, after some pondering I came up with a new industry that would make steel drums and larger tanks and can be located outside of the KP Steel complex.   Introducing Amalgamated Container Co, (ACCO)!

ACCO is another shelf layout industry that is supposedly located near Mayfield Yard.  It will be served by the Kings Port & Western after cars are forwarded to my freelanced road by the Penn Central at West Mill Yard.    

The structure itself is a simply a cardboard box turned upside down, supported on the inside by strip wood to keep it square, and covered with corrugated craft paper to suggest corrugated metal siding.  Michael's Arts and Crafts stores used to carry this paper in packs but discontinued doing so several years ago.  I finally found similar sheets sold individually at JoAnn Fabrics.   A building flat made from lightly corrugated plastic sign material helps create the illusion that this is a large factory. 

The distinctive oil drum signs were made by finding a Google Image and using Word to superimpose a circle on the image to add the company letters.  

I made several black and white wire crimp drums and assembled them into stacked loads as John R. had done.  

 
I also purchased Walthers Industrial Tanks kit and added them to the scene as additional loads...

 
...the largest is for the depressed well flat car while others fit neatly into a gondola.

I'm pleased that the new industry generates a number of possible operations including receiving steel coils, paint, pallets, and printed labels while shipping 55 gallon drums to Drywell Inks and tanks of various sizes to as yet to be determined consignees.

The video below captures what I imagine to be a typical op at ACCO.  A local from Mayield Yard pushes a loaded steel coil car into the building for unloading while the boxcar behind it is set out at the outside loading dock to receive 55 gallon drums.  The loco then moves to pick up a depressed well flat and gon, both loaded with new industrial tanks.

One last thing:  I moved the Pacemaker to its new location at Amalgamated Container where it will be loaded with those black and white drums.

 That's it for now but look for Amalgamated Container Co. to be featured in a future P.C.C.M.!