Industries

This post will show each of the industries served by rail and the traffic that they generate.

Now a look at the industries on the layout. First is the grain elevator and mill. Two silos and a loading point.

 

Two covered hoppers have been placed to deliver grain to be milled for the bakeries in the nearby locality.

 

 The odd box car also placed delivering packaging materials, or other associated ingredients not shipped in bulk.

A large customer of 43rd Street yard is Associated Storage. A large three storey building with the capacity to load / unload multiple cars at once. General storage for various distributors includes cool stores so reefers are seen as well as box cars.

A rake of three boxcars from differing parts of the country are in the process of being unloaded.

 

Two older style reefers are delivering fresh fruit for rapid distribution to the nearby markets.

 

Two longer boxcars loading goods to be taken to a far away location in the west. As a mobile crane moves in to position at the team track in anticipation of an incoming load.

 

The mobile crane awaits the load to arrive before loading the two gondolas. The load may be scrap material or even garbage to be taken to landfill off the "island"

 

9744 the shunting loco on duty today has just delivered a flat with a load of concrete pipes for the sewer renewal program of the city.

 

 With the loading removed to a nearby hardstand the flat is released back into the "empties pool".

9744 returns to clear the team track so that there is sufficient room to bring in another flat to be placed at the TOFC ramp.

 

With the east end of the team track clear another flat is placed at the ramp at the west end.

Once this flat is placed and secured the yard "tug" can load the two old style short trailers that are used for deliveries within the restricted confines of the city.

With one trailer loaded the "tug" couples to the second unit to perform another traffic blocking operation.
 
Some skillful backing is required to load the trailers.

 

With both trailers loaded the switching crew will be called to remove the flat for loading onto the car float for transfer to the mainland.

Opposite the TOFC ramp is the dump for one of the towns coal suppliers. This is a modern storage facility that replaced a labour intensive set-up with a bottom dump chute and elevator. Access to this siding is off the lead to the abattoir complex so hoppers are placed and propelled over the dump using a car pulling system.

The crew of 9744 are propelling two hoppers beyond the chute, to be unloaded when required.

With a more modern flat placed for a larger trailer, 9744 has returned to clear the rapidly unloaded coal hoppers.

Looking to the west end of the yard the remaining four industries can be seen. Furthest away is the abbatoir complex, the crane track, Evans cycle factory and the fuel supplier.

9744 is placing two livestock cars into the cattle unloading spot while also placing a reefer in the dispatch spot. Livestock wagons are unloaded virtually instantly. This is due to ease of unloading and also the fact that live animals must be released as soon as possible after their sometimes long transit.

This view shows the livestock unloading pens and the cool store loading platform where the products are distributed from. The occasional box car also delivers packaging products.

This view shows the arrangement at the abattoir complex with the tracks unoccupied.

Evans Cycles is a small industry plying its trade in a re-purposed building. It receives components and ships complete bikes.

A boxcar a long way from home. Perhaps loading a consignment for cyclists on the west coast.

The latest consignment is just being cleared. It should be at its destination in a couple of days.

At the back of Evans Cycles is the crane track.

A view of the crane track from the east. This shows the access for road traffic. Again some skillful driving is required, but in a location where real estate is scarce this was the best option. 

The crew are positioning two flats in the crane track.

A view seen all too often for the motorists who choose to use this level crossing.

The limited length of the crane track requires the crew to block the road when positioning cars.

The impatient motorist has given up and performed a U-turn to find an alternative route.

The final industry is the fuel merchant who has a small storage facility that distributes various petroleum products throughout the industrial area of the city.

The two tankers had been discharged and have been taken from the siding to be loaded back onto the transfer barge.