The Carolina Sandhills Lines in HO Scale

[eja]

OK  .. How do you know ?

[packers#1]

OK  .. How do you know ?

I was a process engineer and then quality engineer at a power cable plant where we extruded plastic onto wire. My process department it wasn’t as big of a deal, but in the higher voltages departments that I dealt with in quality contamination was a big cause of test failures for finished product and one of the main checks we would do. Overall you don’t want that getting into the plastic period, but the quality reason is gonna vary from aesthetics to functionality based off whatever it is you’re making.

[davefoxx]

Thanks for all of the input and information, guys!  I really appreciate it.  So, at least tentatively, that siding will be a bulk transloading facility for SAND grain unloading.  Meanwhile, across the SBD mainline, another siding could use some definition.  So, I dragged out an unused Walthers kit that’s supposed to be an enginehouse, and I’m going to make it into Aberdeen Cold Storage and a destination for reefers.



DFF

[John]

So, here is my theory ..

The transload facility is the receiving point for SAND - primarily in the hoppers on the right side of the picture .. they are unloaded into the bulk trucks using the conveyor belt .. and then the trucks take the load to 156 Rattlesnake Trail - Aberdeen NC to Sterling Sand    https://sterlingsand.com/locations/

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.0398797,-79.4361327,3a,15y,105.78h,90.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s978hYl7FoQk8eU-HeWbK1A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

According to online records,  Mr. Hugh Hinton is a director of both Sterling Sand and the bulk load facility

[davefoxx]

John,

That makes sense.  Thanks for handling the research.  Sand would be good, because it would be a different commodity on the layout.  I already send covered hoppers for grain from the Seaboard System to the Aberdeen & Briar Patch Ry. and the Aberdeen & Rockfish.  Separate covered hoppers for sand would add a little more variety.

DFF

[John]

Yes -- it's an easy "industry" to model - 

It turns out the sand plant is just down the road from McCall airfield .. we used to practice airfield seizures down there when I was with ---- in the late 80s ..

I spent a lot of nights there

[davefoxx]

I found one of these Trucks N’ Stuff dry bulk trailers on eBay for a decent price.  The details are a little clunky up close, but when weathered and parked in the lot to help set the scene, it should be sufficient for now.  I’ll have to track down a conveyor, but, like John said, “It’s an easy ‘industry’ to model.”



DFF

[John]

How about this ???

[davefoxx]

I like it!  That can be 3D printed?  Nice.

DFF

[Point353]

Thanks for all of the input and information, guys!  I really appreciate it.  So, at least tentatively, that siding will be a bulk transloading facility for SAND grain unloading.  Meanwhile, across the SBD mainline, another siding could use some definition.  So, I dragged out an unused Walthers kit that’s supposed put an enginehouse, and I’m going to make it into Aberdeen Cold Storage and a destination for reefers.



DFF

If you're referring to the transload facility south of the A&R, then was it there during the time period of your layout?
A glance at the aerial photos at historicaerials.com suggests that it was not.
That siding appears to be on the north side of the A&R, which according to google streetview is approximately the site of the A&R engine facility.
The various aerial photos show buildings at that location back through the mid-1950s.
Not sure if it was always an A&R facility.

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[davefoxx]

This just might work.  I need to fill in the grooves in the floor in the far bay, because that’s not going to have rails over there. I also need to build up the foundation on the far side and install a retaining wall off the far back corner, since steel buildings probably aren’t designed to be sub-grade. 



DFF

[davefoxx]

If you're referring to the transload facility south of the A&R, then was it there during the time period of your layout?
A glance at the aerial photos at historicaerials.com suggests that it was not.
That siding appears to be on the north side of the A&R, which according to google streetview is approximately the site of the A&R engine facility.
The various aerial photos show buildings at that location back through the mid-1950s.
Not sure if it was always an A&R facility.

You’re right on both accounts.  The A&R enginehouse was always there on the north side of the mainline.  I had a version of it on the Seaboard Central 2.0, but it’s bigger than you think, especially with the multiple tracks in there.  I don’t really have the space to do that right, and I just don’t want all of that track.  Less is more.  Also, since I’m more interested in destinations for rolling stock than I am an engine facility, I’m moving the transload facility across the tracks and likely violating the space-time continuum.  I’m okay with that.  At least it’ll be correct in my CSX era.  Maybe. 

Thanks,
DFF

[davefoxx]

Primer and a base concrete color added.  I need to decide what color the metal siding will be- likely will be from whatever spray bombs I have in my inventory.  I went ahead and glued the rails to the concrete pad. Although it isn’t likely that it could have occurred due to current geometry, I’ll probably just put two rusty rails in the far bay, like they were decommissioned at some point.  Just in case you can see inside.  That seems plausible, and I was too lazy to try to fill those enormous grooves.



In case you’re wondering what’s going on with that weird concrete colored sawtooth profile on the interior back wall, that’s to replicate the foundation work on the exterior to allow the building to built into the side of the hill.  See?



I’ll use lightweight spackling to fill the gap up to near the top of the foundation, so the siding down below will be hidden.  And, don’t worry about that exterior door down in the hole.  That’s been plugged on the inside and the backfill will hide it.  No tunnels.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Roof.  Not painted yet and certainly not glued on.  But, it does give just a little more finished feel to the structure.



DFF

[Jbub]

I'm loving all the "little" changes to the layout. Is there any way to get an over viewing shot of the whole layout to get an idea of how everything fits together?