What should I put here?

[Erik W]

My next project, after my yard track realignment I'm about to start, is to scenic this area:


I really don't know anything about these things, so I have absolutely no idea what would be around this cement silo/plant.  I realize in the real world you probably wouldn't have one of these so close to the other businesses but it seems to work visually here.  What should go in the empty area in front of this thing (between the mainline and the spur tracks), a front end loader and pile of gravel, or sand or something?  Some kind of conveyor?  Cement trucks?  Etc? 

Like I said, I'm clueless on this one so any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Erik

[FrankCampagna]

A garage for Cement trucks. (Does anyone make bulk cement haulers?) A pile of cement blocks. An office building. And yes, piles of the mixing ingredients.

Frank

[GaryHinshaw]

Just by coincidence, I was looking at this thread on the A-board with photos of Ernie Poole's MRL layout which includes this nice scene:



[photo by Pete Wisniewski].  You probably don't have quite enough room for all of this, but I think the concrete block storage 'bins' work really well here.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Eric, I'd say a fence, and probably some weeds.

Don't get too ambitious and try and cram too much in.

[Puddington]

It really depends on if the cement company also forms; if so then tons of stock items will be around - if not then "less is better" rule would be my suggestion.

[David Leonard]

You may want to put in some roads or driveways so that the vehicles can get in and out. Then decide about the leftover space. Leave room for trucks to turn corners!

[CoalPorter]

I'd remove the other small warehouse and turn the cement operation into something more realistic. I assume the cement company is a bulk wholesaler and they receive cement by rail and ship out in pnumatic truck loads to concrete batch plants. So you need to add a place to load pnumatic truck trailers. You could also bag the cement under several private label brand names and ship those by semi to places like Home Depot and Lowes. So you could add a bagging and shipping building. You could also add a fence around the property and a guardhouse/truck check in shack. You probably also need to add a truck scale somewhere because you are selling by bulk weight. You could also add a general yard and business office. Add some trees, dirt, weeds, and trash etc.

[Chris333]

A ready mix plant by me:
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qvmc6t888y53&style=b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=24529490&encType=1
But I don't think it is the same type of operation. (no silos)

The real Medusa Cement plant:
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qnr4k58m2bbf&style=b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=9213633&encType=1
Much BIGGER operation.

[Chris333]

Another Medusa:
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=34.019105~-85.050048&style=h&lvl=16&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1
Very large.

Ok here is one:
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa48/bcsmith46/Cemexplantold.jpg

[cv_acr]

The real Medusa Cement plant:
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qnr4k58m2bbf&style=b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=9213633&encType=1
Much BIGGER operation.

That's a full cement making plant, a la the Walthers Valley Cement complex. The medusa cement kit like Erik has there is just silos, looks more like a simple rail-truck transload/storage operation rather than a ready-mix, and certainly not an actual cement making place with kiln etc. I'd probably just have the covered hoppers come in on one side, and load trucks on the other - which I think is basically how the kit is actually designed. Probably need some additional equipment tanks and conveyors for a ready mix plant, but I'm not quite sure there. All you need to do is mix dry ingredients.

[James Costello]

The area of Portland I'm trying to work into a track plan for a switching layout has this neat little cement facility:









Pretty basic set-up....looks like a similar operation to the Medusa kit.

[sizemore]

I'd keep it simple, have weeds bordering the mainlines and cement trucks backed up, parked side by side facing the backdrop. Maybe one truck being serviced. I'd say 5 trucks or so maybe a pick'em up truck.

Something like this, insert tracks as appropriate:

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCC&cp=qgbhzt8kgftg&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=31263181&encType=1

[John]

Google and Live have to be the most revolutionary tools to ever hit model railroading.

[asarge]

Erik,

Here is yet another plant in Elizabeth(North Marietta Georgia) where the Georgia Northeastern connects with CSX. It used to be Williams Brothers with only one track and is pretty small but as you can see it has a small office building, Garage, and ample space for parking and materials storage.

http://maps.live.com/#JnE9eXAubWFyaWV0dGErZ2ElN2Vzc3QuMCU3ZXBnLjEmYmI9NTIuMjE0MzM4NjA4MjU4MiU3ZS00MC45NTcwMzEyNSU3ZTEyLjY0MDMzODMwNjg0NjglN2UtMTI5LjAyMzQzNzU=

I haven't been there in a few years but they finally destroyed the old steam era yard and engine tracks on the west side of the yard.

[Mark5]

Google and Live have to be the most revolutionary tools to ever hit model railroading.

Yeah, it's pretty cool. I'm waiting for the 1970 views though.