Alcanman Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Hi,  In earlier threads I've been looking at Plastic Pellet facilities as a possible industry for a new project.  Finding this pic at DeLand, FL however, made me think that a small transload PP facility would fit nicely on the team track at Palmetto.     I scratch-built built a similar structure and placed it on the team track but, somehow, it didn't look quite right.  Then I saw this much larger facility at nearby Toolworld, Eustis, FL     The relatively small silos looked very appealing. (They had also solved the problem of moving the hopper cars around by using their own truck!)  I decided to install a couple of small silos, which would receive plastic pellets from hopper cars and then be transloaded into trucks for distribution to a local plastics factory.    Next pic shows the first PP hopper arriving at Palmetto     I was lucky to find the Atlas 5701 PP hopper on special offer at Gaugemaster at £14.95 ($25.00)  However, as this car is over 60ft, I wonder if there are other smaller cars available which would be suitable for PPs eg. Atlas ACF 4650s, some of which have small round roof hatches?  So it looks like with this new traffic flow, Palmetto has had a reprieve from abandonment!   regards,  Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 The modern plastic pellet cars are really big cars, the Walthers equivalent is about the same length too - however the old Athearn blue box 4-bay centerflow is modelled on a older (1960s) plastic pellet car and is only 55' or so... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Thanks NSE, Â I wasn't aware of those old Athearn cars being used for plastic pellets. Â Had a look at their website and found some RTR car examples with round hatches, Â Â cheers, Â Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 It's specifically a plastic pellet car as set up with round hatches and 'piped' outlets (not sure whether the trough hatch version is even accurate with those outlets to be honest!) - but either way they have done in it many inaccurate liveries over the years as they just used it as a 'basic' model for all Centerflows regardless of size or shape - it even had Canadian grain liveries at one point! - I would guess that most if not all the railroad-owned schemes that have been put on that car are on the wrong car... Â They do make some obvious pellet car schemes: http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH72300 Â But probably the best one as you're a modern modeller would be to try and find a plain grey one: http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH72274 Â They did that livery on the blue-box kit as well which might improve your chances of finding one? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Thanks again. Â Most of the prototype cars I've seen in pics are, indeed, plain grey. Â I can also see the vee shaped bottom hatches and pipes which do indicate they are PP hoppers. Â Â cheers, Â Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Thanks again.  Most of the prototype cars I've seen in pics are, indeed, plain grey.  I can also see the vee shaped bottom hatches and pipes which do indicate they are PP hoppers.   cheers,  Mal  Mal, I dunno if you'd be interested, but I picked up a plain grey ACFX liveried one of the Athearn cars at Barrow. its an old blue box job, with only vestigal brake gear, but there was an article a while back in Model Railroader on bringing them up to scratch. I've not touched it, so its still got plastic wheel, although it does seem to have Kadee #5s fitted.  PM me if you want it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Most of the prototype cars I've seen in pics are, indeed, plain grey. One thing that stands out to me is how in real life most covered hoppers these days seem to be plain grey, whereas in the model world they all seem to have big lettering - either Railroad or Private Owner... maybe the model manufacturers think we wouldn't buy plain grey hoppers as they look so boring..?? Â Neat addition to your layout Mal - glad the new traffic has saved it from abandonment - that's following reality a bit too closely for my liking...!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Is CSX Palmetto likely to become RailAmerica Palmetto? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 One thing that stands out to me is how in real life most covered hoppers these days seem to be plain grey, whereas in the model world they all seem to have big lettering - either Railroad or Private Owner... maybe the model manufacturers think we wouldn't buy plain grey hoppers as they look so boring..??  It's a very good observation (*), but i'd observe the manufacturers have it right unfortunately, a lot of folk out there do buy stuff 'because they like the look of it' (aka, it's pretty!) and not because it's neccesarily the one that's most accurate for their situation.  Check out Intermountain's 'to do' list and see which ones get cancelled, it isn't ones lettered for the big railroads or with flashy paint schemes... http://www.intermountain-railway.com/newshocomingsoon.html  If you see a run from Atlas or whoever else with a mix of cars, one of which is plain grey, it won't sell out first...  (* Okay you have to temper it with local knowledge and observation though, grain trains on BNSF often seem to be made up of primarily their modern brown 'earthworm' cars or a scruffy mix of brown and green older cars from their own fleet...)  Jon - good call on remembering the detailing article, wasn't too long ago either, this year I think? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011  Mal, I dunno if you'd be interested, but I picked up a plain grey ACFX liveried one of the Athearn cars at Barrow. its an old blue box job, with only vestigal brake gear, but there was an article a while back in Model Railroader on bringing them up to scratch. I've not touched it, so its still got plastic wheel, although it does seem to have Kadee #5s fitted.  PM me if you want it.  Thanks for the kind offer, Jon  However, I've just got rid of my old Athearn blue box cars and upgrading to newer, more detailed cars.  Has Athearn upgraded the tooling with their RTR version of this hopper car?   regards,  Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Is CSX Palmetto likely to become RailAmerica Palmetto? Â Sorry Tim, Â You've lost me there! Â Â Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 No worries - I will keep it in the "to be upgraded" pile. In the meantime my wee boy can use it without fear of damage! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Has Athearn upgraded the tooling with their RTR version of this hopper car? Â No, it's the same except for metal wheels, knuckle couplers and putting it together yourself.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Â Sorry Tim, You've lost me there! Â Mal I wondered if I was being too obtuse! It was just based on the comments on the line being kept open by the new industry, i.e. Not profitable enough for CSX so they sell it off to a shortline Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Thanks Tim,  I suppose, I was also being a bit obtuse too. I had been looking for ideas for a new layout, which will mean that Palmetto have have to go.  Sometimes you just need some inspiration to revitalise an existing layout, and this little transload facility has done that for me.  Also, provides a great excuse to buy some new cars.  Looking at the Intermountain site I found this ACF 4650 car   Then I found Atlas have done the same car, twice!   Presumably, it's a plastic pellets car?  However, now I think it may be too colourful  Also, is it based on a real prototype?   Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 http://www.garethbayer.co.uk/wotw/thumbnails.php?album=165 Capacities there aren't the same as the 4650 the model has, but it has the look all right? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Mal Similar to the intermountain version http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/srchThumbs.aspx?srch=SCLAIR&search=Search  Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1905 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I can't find my pellet hopper, has anybody seen a grey hopper? Â Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Thanks guys for all your help, and especially Jon for his kind offer. Â Â cheers, Â Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I think yours is just behind the grey one Dave... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Sorry couldn't resist  Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Sorry couldn't resist  {found it} Now all Dave1905 needs to do is a bit of "Inglenook" style switching to get it.......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Anyone else get the mental image of a bloke with a clipboard perpetually walking the rows there.......nope........nope.......nope........nope.....ACFX492----aww nope.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Hi, Â Model Junction have this devilish red one in stock and I was tempted to buy it.... but no, I'll have to look for a plain grey one! Â Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1905 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Anyone else get the mental image of a bloke with a clipboard perpetually walking the rows there.......nope........nope.......nope........nope.....ACFX492----aww nope.... I have actually had to verify the cars in that yard in a past life. Normally you have the switcher pull a cut by you or you drive down the roads between the tracks where there are some. Walking was a last resort. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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