Question About Walthers Refinery Kit

[Kisatchie]

I'm interested in getting one (or more) of these kits:

https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3219

Problem is, how many kits could I probably get away with using in making up a model refinery? I've lived in Louisiana almost all my life, with the many oil refineries within easy driving distance, but I've somehow managed to never visit any to get ideas for models.

Also, could anyone point me toward a model maker of large oil storage tanks to go with the above refinery kits?

Thanks!


Hmm... maybe Kiz could
refine his questions...

[Philip H]

Kiz,
How big a plant do you want to model? Exxon Baton Rouge has 5 or 6 of these in one plant. Then you need to have finishing units, which differ depending on the product being sent out (gas, bunker oil, polyolefins). As to tanks - plastruct has done some credible models but honestly you should grab some small HO tanks and use those. You could also get some 4 inch PVC and cut it to height.

[Spades]

From Walthers website all things N scale.

https://www.walthers.com/exec/search?scale=N&category=Structure&subc=TANKTWR

It is HO but would be a very large tank in N scale. Walthers recommends you remove the top stanchion and railing to make it N appropriate. 

https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3167

Might be too large:   https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3168

Check your local Lowes Home Depot for PVC coupling make great tanks and use plastastruct stairs and railings.

[carlso]

Kiz,

here are some shots of my N scale refinery. This model is made up of two Walthers units, one Plastruct unit, and some scratch built items as well

1st one was made at first test fitting.....................



2nd shot is same unit at night...........................



3rd shot is my two scratched crude oil tanks with floating roofs. Made from 3" PVC caps and some Plastruct ladders and other styrene parts..........................



The final shot shows two of the Walthers kits plus one casting of the same tank...



One thing to remember is that tanks come in many, many sizes. You can use PVC parts, such as the 3" caps that I did, or 3/4" slip connectors. Many times, I have used the old amber colored prescription bottles. Just let your imagination run wild. One thing, when building a refinery model, we should always include some red colored piping to represent fire fighting water lines.

Please, do not hesitate to ask questions that you may have and I will attempt to give you a sensible answer. I am by no means an expert, but with 33 years service with Chevron and in every refinery they have including Pascagoula, Miss., Port Arthur, Tx., Salt lake city, Ut., and El Segundo & Richmond Ca., so I have seen many things. I spent approx. 17 years at the El Paso, Tx. refinery.

Carl

[carlso]

Kiz,

I don't mean to hog your thread, but I found 3 more images that will show how  I divided up the two Walthers kits.

1st one is the two units and you can see that I cut the two furnaces off of the kit base and moved them to different locations........................



The large FCC unit is entirely scratched and is made up of Tylenol bottle, prescription drug bottle, cigar tubes.

2nd is of the Plastruct refinery kit and some scratched overhead piping. The LPG spheres are ping pong balls.......................



3rd image is just an overview of the complex showing how I tied things together and is pretty much at the finished stage................



I failed to add that this complex sits on a 4'x8' module in our club layout.

Have fun,

Carl

[Kisatchie]

Kiz,
How big a plant do you want to model? Exxon Baton Rouge has 5 or 6 of these in one plant.

I don't know... maybe 3 Walthers kits worth of refinery. Every time I cross the Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge, I try to sneak a look at the Exxon refinery. Pretty big place!


Hmm... while Kis is busy
looking at the refinery
while he drives, I'm in
the back seat, terrified...

[Kisatchie]

It is HO but would be a very large tank in N scale. Walthers recommends you remove the top stanchion and railing to make it N appropriate. 

https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3167

Yes! That's what I'm looking for. Thanks.


Hmm... I could use some
of those tanks to store
my banana daiquiris...

[Kisatchie]

Kiz,

here are some shots of my N scale refinery. This model is made up of two Walthers units, one Plastruct unit, and some scratch built items as well

1st one was made at first test fitting.....................

Wow! That came out nice. When I'm ready to build my dream layout, do you want to build a refinery for me? LOL.


Hmm... and here I am,
wasting my time trying
to become a petroleum
engineer through online
classes...

[Rossford Yard]

I have three kits together as one.  At one time, also had the Plastruct kit in there too.  It always seemed to be a highlight for visitors to the old layout.

I have some of the N Walthers tanks, but also think you can do those out of appropriate size PVC or PVC caps for drain pipe commonly found at Lowes and HD.  Also, if you happen to be against a backdrop a few of those mural companies have those printed on paper stock for mounting, and then you could use your space for the loading platform or a more impressive oil tanks area.

[spookshow]

I smooshed two refinery kits together on this layout. Reality was not consulted, lol 





It took me forever to find those five big tanks, but that was eight years ago. Not sure if they've been "unretired" since then.

Cheers,
-Mark

[carlso]

Very nice Mark

[LIRR]

Very nice work Carlso...

[nkalanaga]

Two of the tanks at the Marathon refinery at Catlettsburg, KY measure about 160 feet in diameter on Google Maps, so I doubt that most layouts will hold a tank "too big". 

I don't know how this refinery compares with those in Louisiana, but I've never heard it described as unusually large.  On Google it measures about 1800 feet wide at the north end, then follows a curve in the river to a point roughly a mile south of there.  The northern part is roughly rectangular, about 1800 feet square, with a convex curve to the south.  It would take a lot of Walthers kits, and would probably look better using HO kits.  Refineries are BIG!

The big tanks are across the railroad, outside the refinery proper, on top of a small hill.

If anyone wants to look at it, it's at 38.3776066 N,-82.6033949 W
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.3776066,-82.6033949,1698m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

[OldEastRR]

Reminds me of when I worked at a Caterpillar oil filter factory ... Cat has these various-sized canister (or had) filters with steel exteriors. There were more than enough "errors" on the assembly line to produce a whole dumpster of reject steel casings every night. These canister exteriors were of different diameters but had that smooth low rounded top that a lot of petroleum tanks have. I figured I could cut them down for N scale and asked the plant manager if I could take some home. He said sure, otherwise they have to pay to haul them away.
After a couple of nights me carrying out different sized canisters I noticed a lot of my co-workers were doing the same thing. I asked one guy what he was going do with his and he said put a border around his garden.
I don't think the company had many scrap canisters to have hauled away after that.
I did cut them down, sprayed them aluminum, and stuck some oil company decals on them. Nice looking STEEL N scale tanks, but s ince I didn't have any use for them I gave them  away.

[spookshow]

Very nice Mark

Thanks, Carl. High praise indeed, considering the source! 

Cheers,
-Mark

P.S. Love the lighting on yours!