Some of you my have seen my post on my first structure. When I set up my track plan I included an extra siding. I had planned on placing the Water Street Terminal on this siding. After pulling it out I discovered the rail loading dock was set on the wrong side. First I scrapped the idea and started looking for another structure. Then I moved a few things around and decided to go with it. Then came the decision what it would be. After looking at the building I decided to make it a small town Coke bottling plant. I have seen several and they have the same style as the office for the terminal. I stopped by the LHS and picked up a can of Floquil Tuscan spray for the brick. I masked it off as the bottom portion is concrete. I think it came out pretty nice. I also realized the plant would need a large door onto the dock. So with my handy Dremel tool cut a door to size taking out two windows. The Coke sign came from an advertising web site. Now I need to get "schooled" up on making decals, etc. Possibly some of you know where I can find Coke decals already made? Lastly I decided to cover the center dock from the plant to the shipping/warehouse. Still have to figure that out too. Thanks for looking.
Looks nice and that can be a great switching generator. Here in DFW, in current times, the amount of corn syrup tankers (just like the Atlas version) that go into our local plant is staggering. They park some on leftover sidings near downtown, and then built a open transload platform in the nearest yard to handle the volumen that the two tracks in their plant couldn't handle. In model form, it could be an excuse to shuttle a few cars back and forth several times during a session.
I actually worked at a Coca-Cola bottling plant for a few years and you have nailed the look.Some years ago there was a collectors card set that featured old Coke ads.I have used these on my layout for signage.Not tremendously clear in this picture but they are on the yellowish building on each end and inside the overhead.They have a small "bottle disc" sign on the back that I have used on the front of the diner(tealfront)I cut the logo on top of the union station from an ad.I also letterd my building "Southeast Missouri Coca-Cola Bottling Co." to help locate geographically the location of my layout.
The feature that strikes me about Coca-Cola bottling plants of my memory is the absence of signage. Even the one, or former one, on Spring Street in Atlanta fits this description. Lettering on the building facade, metal usually, saying simply Coca-Cola or Coca-Cola Bottling Company and a well placed billboard with Coke advertising. Although Coke advertised profusely it was usually at point of sale or in locations, like billboards, near places that Coke could be bought at retail. Many retail stores depended on Coca-Cola for their complete signage including banner type signs with space for the business name interspersed with round or square Coke logos. Ben
What era are you modelling? I'd like a add a local Coke bottler to my layout - circa 1970. As you know back then there was none of that corn syrup (or worse - high fructose corn syrup) in the formula back then - it was sugar baby! So what if anything would a local Coke bottler receive via rail back then?
Thanks again all. I'm working in the mid 50's time frame. That way I can work some steam into things. I'm a big Geep fan. I'm going to try and get some photos of some Coke plants this weekend. There are several close by that are in this style. Ben your right none of these have any large signs or frontage. I recall 50 pound bags of sugar, empty bottles, rolls of cardboard(for the six pack carriers), wood crates(to hold the cases) and drink machines. Also some of you may remember the Coca Cola coolers in the general store. The ones that had water running through them to keep the soda cold. I'm sure these large items would be shipped by rail too. I never saw Coke itself shipped by rail but I'm sure during WW2 it was. Got the concrete border on the bottom painted last night. Putting the windows in tomorrow. Had a few friends over last night. Got the foam mounted to the benchwork. Cut out the creek. Tonight I placed the bridge, cut out the foam and drilled holes and sunk all my feeder/turnout wires. Man I'm beat. Take Care
Bruce; Great looking model, can't wait to see the end results. Mopacjay; I like your view also, looks very busy and alive. As for as the Coke sign on the building, it's kind of funny because I was just looking at photos on the web of small towns in Texas. A lot of the towns had small Coca Cola botteling plant and all of them had large, billboard, signs on the wall. My only suggestion is to lose the price. Keep us posted on any up-dates.
Everyone is different. Me? I like the price there. It "sets the date". Then again, I remember when 3 empty bottles and a penny could get me a full bottle. That is one thing inflation has not kept up with. If it had deposits would be at least 25 cents.
Grey One; I'm just saying that on the photos of the botteling plants that I saw they did not have a price on they billboard, that would be on the signs at the stores because prices change (even back in the 50's). I remember 2 cent deposits on the empties and a full bottle (10oz.) cost 10 cents, but we lived by a Coca Cola truck garage where we could go in and buy one for a nickel, THOSE WERE THE DAYS. Anyway, the theme of this thread fits into a lot of era's and is a cool bash to boot.
Bruce, The facade of the Charlotte bottling plant is a near fit to your architectural style. The incised and relief signs in granite or marble would be interesting to model. See: http://www.cmhpf.org/surveys&rcocacola.htm Ben
Found this one. Resized and stretched it. Fit perfect. I think I may like this one better. Once put on decal paper and weathered it should look nice.
Bruce, have you been here? http://www.billboardsofthepast.com/Coca_Cola.htm Lots of interesting Coke billboards. I've downloaded several for my personal use.:cat:
Thanks for the link , I saw an ad on the cars billboard advertising a car , the price for the car was $ 2,225 at the time ( 1960 ) , the price for the billboard itself is now $ 2,800 !!!!
