Small Cement Factory

[dricketts]

I'm currently working on a prototype route in the Kansas City, MO area. There is a cement plant off the main KCS line pictured below I'm modeling.

I was hoping someone might be able to give me some insight. From the picture, what material might be unloaded and by what method? Notice the cement trucks in the lower left corner. Would it be normal for unloading to take place on the main line? Seems somewhat odd to me.

Thanks for any info. Let me know if you have any questions. I live fairly close to the plant.

 

[ish6]

Hello,

I've created a few cement factories in my days which can be found at the DLS -- I have also created products to be use with the cermet factory, if you use Auran IND track, of course!!

Now, a cermet factory can upload a numbers of things, so, if you can be more clear on what type of material you would like to upoad (google cemet factory to get a detail explanation of such products) then maybe I can suggest a couple from the DLS!:wave:

Ish

 

[Sampug394]

...Apparently you shouldn't Even bother making a Unique model of the Factory just because there's already one that doesn't suit your Needs.


Snide-ness aside, an Exerpt from Wikipedia to help: (Don't Kill Me)

Cement is made by heating limestone (calcium carbonate), with small quantities of other materials (such as clay) to 1450°C in a kiln, in a process known as calcination, whereby a molecule of carbon dioxide is liberated from the calcium carbonate to form calcium oxide, or lime, which is then blended with the other materials that have been included in the mix .
The resulting hard substance, called 'clinker', is then ground with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make 'Ordinary Portland Cement', the most commonly used type of cement (often referred to as OPC).

The Products going in should be Limestone, if it exists, and Gravel.
Going out, Cement.

 

[dricketts]

Thanks for the info. Limestone and gravel unloading at the site makes sense.

My goal is to make my route as accurate to the prototype as possible while using existing items on the DLS.

Now my question is how does the product unload from the main line? There doesn't seem to be any structure around the track for unloading. Could it be that heavy machinery with buckets simply unloads it from open gondolas?

 

[ish6]

Hello,

Limestone -- I made these:
http://www.auran.com/TRS2004/DLS_viewasset.php?AssetID=130998

upload: from my good friend: download his --
http://www.auran.com/TRS2004/DLS_viewasset.php?AssetID=116223

for hoppers
http://www.auran.com/TRS2004/DLS_viewasset.php?AssetID=41326

If you like to use my pieces: limestone
http://www.auran.com/TRS2004/DLS_viewasset.php?AssetID=130980

Also i have made cement factories:
http://www.auran.com/TRS2004/DLS_viewasset.php?AssetID=98282

http://www.auran.com/TRS2004/DLS_viewasset.php?AssetID=66993

TAC Cement Transport Company
http://www.auran.com/TRS2004/DLS_viewasset.php?AssetID=123771
Has product to load, etc

There are a few more from other creators, so just choose whatever you like :wave:

Hope this helps -- goodnight!
Ish

 

[backyard]

Where's it?...

Hello dricketts, next time you get in the air over that plant copy your lat-lon coordinates...I want to see it for myself, to see what is going on there...

 

[dricketts]

Try this link:

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.as...&dir=0&cam=39.0162426087697~-94.5161163840891

It's from bing maps. I like using both bing and google. Bing seems to have better resolution at lower altitudes but google is more feature rich. I've been told bing uses low flying aircraft vs. satellite data.

 

[backyard]

Interesting....

Thanks for the link...I enjoy using Bing Bird's Eye, (Microsoft Virtual Earth), Google Earth & NASA World Wind.

It was a bugger to find anyway...

As I suspected, the hopper cars located there are not related to the cement plant, there in fact never has been a siding there...

Your link posted has engines on the north end of the string of covered hoppers or I would have said they were in for storage...

There are many(more than a dozen) cement plants in the KC area I found on Google maps(search "concrete plants", etc), you might see if one is present with a rail load-out.

The structures immediately next to the tracks are simply temporary raw material(sand, gravel) bunkers for material storage.

I suspect that DOT Builders Grade sand is mined there, so an on site truck may be hauling it there for a loader to take as needed.

Keep up on this project, we have all the equipment needed to build a rail serviced ready mix concrete plant!

 

[dricketts]

Thanks for the info backyard and where did that shot come from? It shows much more detail!

 

[jadebullet]

It is not a cement plant. If you look, there are no cylindrical kilns, clinker storage or anything like that.

What you have there is what is called a concrete batch plant. It probably sells bagged, ready mix cement, as well as wet concrete as evidenced by the mixers.

Essencially, you will have a cement plant create the cement and load it into either bulk semi trailers, or covered hoppers. (Normally 2 bay, with round hatches.)

Anyway, that facility will receive by rail, covered hoppers of cement for turning into concrete. Other raw materials, such as gravel and sand look to be delivered by truck.

Sand, Gravel, water and cement = Concrete.

 

[backyard]

Microsoft Virtual Earth

Now called "Bing Maps," features a "Bird's eye view" that usually gives four views at a set angle & you can zoom really low for a high resolution picture.

Where you usually see bridges conform to the shape of the terrain, Bird's eye view gives a proper shape to all objects.

My beef with Bing is that they overhauled the product & now your cursor gives land elevation in feet instead of the metric option, that allowed viewing the map in a second monitor whilst working terrain elevations in Trainz in the main monitor, now you have to use a calculator.

 

[dricketts]

Thanks for the clarification jadebullet.

Thanks for the bing "bird's eye view" tip backyard. I've been using bing maps for several months now and was not aware of that feature. It brings out much more detail.