Water Mill Help and Elevator Advice


paper-tiger

paper-tiger

Member
Hi guys! I'm slowly progressing on my my tiny 4x8 layout, but I'm relying on your advice and opinions on a couple of topics, because I'm torn...
I want to put a water mill in a certain place, and I want to recreate the spirit of this building:
motor-work-day-7-26-11.jpgmotormill.org, the Motor Mill in rural Elkader, IA.
This is a horizontal wheel mill and I have a vertical wheel plan, but I am wondering... Do you know of a kit in HO scale that could be effectively 'bashed' in to this shape? I would like to avoid fully scratchbuilding the thing, and my budget is probably a maximum of $30(US) for the kit. It looks much like a house, except for the doors in unexpected places. Also really needs to be at least 3 stories high. Otherwise, the stone walls and roof are the characteristics I'd like to recreate.

In addition, I have a matter of opinion that I would like to have resolved. Should I face the grain silo this way:
frontele.jpg
Or this way?
backelevator.jpg

Further musings and photos at http://www.paper-tiger.org/2015/04/20/mill-inery-and-switching-positions/ but I would very much like a bit of feedback from people who know!
If it were your space, what would you like better? I'm not trying to be prototypically correct, just remain reasonably within the bounds of "believability". The SD&GN goes in a perpetual double circle for now, but I would like it to do so with style.
 
I like the first orientation of the elevator, to me, seeing the round silos in the foreground looks nicer than them tucked in behind.


Sent from my Vic20 using Java Moose
 
To me the 1st orientation is better if the elevator IS the scene. However I get the impression it is supposed to be working in conjunction with the town it is sitting in. Therefore, I like the 2nd orientation. To me the storage cylinders to the rear helps separate the front low scene from the rear high scene. It also opens the front up allowing more options there.
 
Thanks for the feedback everybody!
@Iron Horseman - the elevator is definitely supposed to work with the town - I'd like to put a co-op gas station on the other side of the parking lot. For now, I just stuck all my buildings on there regardless of their state of completion, just to get a feel for positioning and space needs.
@RailRunner - that is a gorgeous mill and really looks like my prototype! Your painting job is looking great so far, too. I've never tried a hydrocal model before but it looks like that one would do very, very nicely. It looks like the guy might even have a matching stone wall to be able to build the foundation and race "down" in to the riverbed. the other option I was considering was to kitbash the DPM freight station in to what I want, but that looks like a lot less work. What does the other side of the model look like? I'm not seeing any pictures from other angles on the site.
@CN2117 - I kind of agree with you. The silos are 'prettier'. They look kind of cool rising out of the river valley from the other side, too.
 
P1000243.png


Sorry it's taken me so long to get back with you. With two small kids and a demanding job my time is limited.

Anyhow, hydrocal is a forgiving pain-in-the-you-know-where. I've shattered this building several times. Some glue, paint and wood filler (colored mortar) seem to work well. Hopefully you can't see my sins. I have two hold-ups to finishing this project-

1. I need to build up the dam/retaining wall and associated basin.

2. I'll need to redo the roof. I decided not to use the hydrocal roof, but use a piece of styrene with some Bar Mills shingles on it. Even in the plastic "shoebox" where this project resides the roof isn't holding up well. I need to cut some thin cardboard and attach the shingles to it. I think it will also fit better.

BTW- Clint Crow is great to do business with. I purchased two more kits, one of which wasn't in stock and he was able to dig one up and get both going in short order.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Can't help much with the mill thing but I'd go with the elevator in the second position or slide it forward in the first.
That would give you more track on the other end of the load out for the cars.
As is the first position will only fit one car at a time unless you have room to add track.
 
paper-tiger
The elevator spur needs to be long enough for 2-3 cars past the unloading spot. The usual way those cars are unloaded is for the 1st car put on spot w/ handbrakes set. when 1st car unloaded hand brakes released then reset when 2nd car spotted. This continues till last car on spot. The 2nd spur isn't really needed if above method is used. Besides the elevator company would have to pay RR every time those cars are moved between those two spots.
 
I like the second orientation of the elevator, but with Rico and cajon's suggestions for the spur. There would be a driveway and road section leading away then that would dovetail nicely into your town. Or to cross the track suggesting an industrial park type of interaction with the train/truck traffic.
 
I grew up in Sioux City, Iowa. Of the 5 grain elevators in the nearby area, all had through tracks, usually 1 track through the workhouse (though 1, the now ADM, had 2) and 1 outside the workhouse for run around.

From a prototypical standpoint, the orientation would not matter, though as Andy (cajon) stated, you need to have room to push the empties past the workhouse. From a purely esthetic standpoint, I like the 1st view better, but from an operational standpoint, putting the workhouse in orientation 2 gives you more space for the empties past the workhouse.

EDIT: And there would also be a roadway through the workhouse for trucks to empty into the elevator
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top