Power Plants

[sirenwerks]

It did. The question one should ask is do you want to restrain your modeling choices to those that larger scales suffer from?

[Freighttrain]

Here is ours.Only 1/2 mile from my house.I can see the stack.All coal is now trucked in.You can see the old railbed when it was once served by trains.Goodyear tire next door still uses the tracks for Carbon black and large loads of rubber..


http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=pp1xxg7v25nw&lvl=18&dir=270&sty=b&where1=Gadsden%2C%20AL&form=LMLTCC

[Wlal13again]

It did. The question one should ask is do you want to restrain your modeling choices to those that larger scales suffer from?

True,  but it has some good ideas in it..

[Smike]

Mocked up something real quick in AnyRail for a 72" x 20"

[Scottl]

I like the plan.  Is the second curving lead on the right side needed (not linked to the roatary dumper)?  Not sure what that is for.

For interest, some plants used both coal and oil, depending on history and market prices.  We had one near us that finally converted to oil and natural gas.  The oil could come in tank trains and have some unloading and storage tank elements to make the plant more interesting.

One thing to include is the water supply.  Some plants are on rivers and lakes with pump houses, cooling ponds, etc., others have pipelines coming in.  These plants use lots of water for steam.

[Smike]

The second curved cut off I was thinking would be used for storage of empties once they are run through the rotary dump. Full cars could be sourced from the top siding. The middle for moving the switcher back and fourth.  I think there is room for the Gas or Oil secondary power source.  I like that idea. Not sure If I want to try to include a water source, but agree, its a must on the prototype.

[Scottl]

That sounds good.  For water, maybe just some large diameter pipeline, a pump house and that kind of detail.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

They're usually located on a water source (river, lake, ocean, etc...), so just a pump house is probably all that's needed.

Just remember to leave enough room on the left for a nice big tail so you can dump full cuts.

[JSL]

A couple good power plants to look at on Google Maps or earth are the one in Alma Wisconsin and the one in Becker MN, Sherco, both served by BNSF, but good to look at for ideas.

JSL

[MichaelWinicki]

Slightly off topic, but those plants that were serviced by rail, but not now– I can't imagine that it's less expensive to bring resources in by truck.

[Scottl]

Gas conversion?

[Brakie]

Slightly off topic, but those plants that were serviced by rail, but not now– I can't imagine that it's less expensive to bring resources in by truck.

The one in Columbia Mo is still rail served-both the Columbia Terminal Ry and power plant is owned by the city of Columbia..

Trucks will only work if the mine(s) is near by or if the coal is tranloaded from barge to truck..

[wcfn100]

Another small utilities plant was located in Waterloo.




(click for larger map)

I had always looked at maps and wondered what that track that looped down was for until I saw the picture above.


You can see it's right on the river.  The area to the left is a huge coal storage area.  A substation would be a good detail to add to a scene.


Jason

[nscalemike]

Thanks all for the great replies!  Lots of good information and I'm glad its encouraging more possible modelers!  There's a few plants that look very modelable in N-scale.  I'll have to look them over a bit more, but lots of promise here.

Brian, do you know anything more about that Springfield Mass plant (I think that is the right city).  It looks like it only has two tracks that stub into an unloading shed, plus a couple other stub tracks.  Are hoppers off loaded one at a time?

Also, the plan that is posted by Smike would make a nice model.  Kinda wishing I had a bit more room!

Mike

[algowest]

Mike-
Regarding BNSF power on a coal train on CN lines - sure thing!
I work close to the Durand/Chicago CN mainline and see approx. 1 coal unit train per week destined for a power plant on Lansing's west side using BNSF power.
-Andy