Granite Block Transload

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In Elberton, Georgia, granite is mined in blocks rather than stones.


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This facility is on the CSX, obviously. The gantry crane/roof is about 60ft x 250ft. There is an open storage yard to the left, which is about 250ft x 250ft. The height of this one is probably about 40ft, but if you notice, the height is determined by the locomotive. The gantry crane clears it, and so the roof must clear the entire gantry crane. There is a small skid steer in the picture, but I suspect there was probably a larger wheel loader or something to actually arrange the large blocks in the yard.

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There were between six and twelve gondolas under the gantry crane, and maybe a half dozen more on this old siding. At one point, the siding itself was a mainline of a small railroad; much of it was removed in the mid 1930's or so. Industries and growth then transformed the right of way. If you can make it out, the gondola on the end is B&O, so it's probably a fair assumption that all are railroad owned, vice a leasing company.

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This was a different location, but still in Elberton. It is of older design, but perhaps more visually appealing. It had an old siding in the center of it, and due to its location of across the street from the Seaboard Airline Depot, could possibly at one time been railroad owned, or functioned as a general loading/unloading area.

I paged through the Walthers website, but didn't see a ready for use kit that seemed to be close to this. Very few seemed to be a traveling gantry, most just went from side to side. Perhaps one of those kits could be used for the gantry portion, and the supports could be fabricated using a jig.

James
 

PEIR

Eastern RailNet
Thanks for posting pics of a small but unique industry James. Do you know how many loads a day/week get shipped out?
 
I don't know how often they ship. I happened upon it when I was in the area, looking for trains.

Just by the number of cars available in the pictures, I'd guess two or three cars, twice a week. Possibly going to a large metropolitan area, Chicago, New York, someplace too far to truck, but with high demand.

James
 

Rico

BN Modeller
Thanx James, cool idea for a small industry.
There's one of these East of here in Whitemouth MB. I should try to get some pics of it.
 




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