Large Scale Central

Grain Elevator

Prototypes
#1

This technology has to be 70 or 80 years old. Some of you will remember grain elevators like this. Obviously before OSHA, as the operator crawls around moving belts!

A veritable one man show…

Almost 16 minutes long, and watch it on full screen:

http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2010/07/not-sure-why-i-found-this-compelling.html

It gives new meaning to the phrase 0-5-0 switcher :wink:

#2

Very interesting. I’ve toured the Grist Mill at Burnt Cabins, PA which is still operating and recently restored to water power. There are lost of similarities in the material handling equipment. The one fact that I found most interesting was the loading: 150 cars per year with only one man doing all the jobs of the elevator. I assume that they don’t operate year round - perhaps 9-10 months per year so that’s about a car every two days during operating season.

#3

thanks that was very interesting, sad to say operations like that may soon longer be with us.

#4

Thanks Bruce.
I enjoyed that.
Ralph

#5

Truly remarkable. Thanks Bruce.

You can always bank on this Forum bringing a wider aspect of railroading to ones attention.

#6

Very interesting on the old equipment they are still using and working like a charm… Tk for the post Bruce… neat stuff.

#7

neat post Bruce.

#8

That was great Bruce. Thanks for posting. I actually moved box cars like that when I was a younger fellow and doing the shipping and receiving for the place I worked. The first time I did it I overshot the door a bit. It was a lot harder moving the car back. Must have been a very slight grade.

#9

Great film.
I recently saw some guys moving a dry cement hopper into a ceramic tile making building just like that, with those levers.
That elevator operator needs a little Davenport switcher.

#10

Great stuff. A grain elevator is on my short list of ‘stuff to build’, mostly to hide the septic system vent.

#11

Most interesting, thanks for posting the link. This type of thing makes this a great site.

#12

Bruce… Wonderful link & Video… thanks… :slight_smile:

#13

I’m glad I’m not the only one that uses nails for cotter pins…:wink:

#14

I wont feel so bad about moving a car into position with my hands now…

#15
Bob McCown said:
I wont feel so bad about moving a car into position with my hands now...
Be sure and use a mini-lever though! ;)
#16
Richard Smith said:
Bob McCown said:
I wont feel so bad about moving a car into position with my hands now...
Be sure and use a mini-lever though! ;)
Anyone know the official name of that device?

Good post Bruce it actually had my attention… I kinda wish it was longer!

#17

http://advancecarmover.thomasnet.com/category/railroad-car-movers? check this link Rooster rail car pry bars

#18

Thanks
:wink:

#19
Richard Smith said:
Bob McCown said:
I wont feel so bad about moving a car into position with my hands now...
Be sure and use a mini-lever though! ;)
You know, I bet that grain elevator operator in the video would just use his hands, if he could. ;-)
#20
Ric Golding said:
Richard Smith said:
Bob McCown said:
I wont feel so bad about moving a car into position with my hands now...
Be sure and use a mini-lever though! ;)
You know, I bet that grain elevator operator in the video would just use his hands, if he could. ;-)
I'm sure he would. hehehe! The problem was to get the car rolling in the first place. Once it got going you just shoved with your hands and threw a 2x4 under a wheel to stop it, then climbed up and set the brake. Unless you over shot on a very, very slight downgrade like I did. Then you had to lever the car all the way back just a few inches at a time to get it back. Phew!.

I’ve seen where there was a bit of downgrade a person climbing on the car, releasing the brake and then riding the car slowly into place and stopping it with the brake without ever levering it at all.