Here is the coke plant named after my friend Dick Anderson, a NARA member. It is based and an excellent article writen by Dean Freytag that is spread through the April,June,and August 1991 issues of model railroader. Deans model is in HO. Mine is N gauge. What the coke plant does is crushes coal then burns it in ovens until coke is formed. The coke is then drenched to cool it down. After the process is complete it is delivered to the blast furnaces of the CISCO steel plant. Dick created this business opportunity in the industrial city of Abercom which is served by the MAT railroad. Dick has had years of experience in the coal industry and it is through his knowledge and leadership that the Anderson Coke Plant has become a thriving industry The first structure is the coal crushing tower followed by the coal bunker. Coal is delivered by an electrical hopper system that picks up coal from the bunker and delivers it to the top-loading ovens. Each oven has three feeding hatches. All gasses from the oven are piped to a high chimney seen in the background. Once the coke is ready, the front door of the oven opens and a pusher unit moves the coke out the back door into a hopper and it then moves to the quenching tower where the red hot coke is cooled by a flow of water. From there, it is ready to transport to the blast furnaces.
A closer view. Coal is delivered in the foreground. The dirty yellow unit moves along in front of the ovens and when the coke is ready, it drives a pusher to move the coke into a hopper at the back. Above the ovens you can see the catenary track for the electric hopper unit which delivers coal to the ovens.
The quench tower is used to cool the red hot coke to the point where it is still warm enough to air dry. A pump house is used to deliver water to a tank that is is connected to the tower. There is a wood grid in the tower that prevents soot and other dirt from getting into the atmosphere. Here is a view. The next picture shows the electric hopper unit that delivers coal from the bunker to the ovens.
These pictures show the unit that moves on a track in front of the ovens and its sole purpose is to push the coke out of the back door of the ovens. The metal beam jutting out of the unit is on rollers with a pusher plate on the front end. The crew open the doors of an oven thats ready then this unit moves in place and the pusher beam is activated to push the coke through to the waiting hopper. The foot print is 29 inches by 7 inches. It is made out of 95% cardboard with some dowels, toothpicks and other assorted stuff I had lying around. I didn't spend a penny on this structure.
Robin, Nice work! All from Card board! Thats unbelieveable work with card board. Being its mostly made of it anyway.... Keep up the great work!!!!
What can I say? You are the greatest thing since sliced card board !! Keep up the great work, and keep posting your great buildings...a true inspiration for us all! John
Coke is It! I concur with the others. The way that you have it painted, it could easily pass for styrene. It also looks very strong. Do you reinforce the interior with anything? <img src=http://www.trainboard.com/sigbreak.gif> Russ
Russ, the basic structure is made of corrugated cardboard from a carton. The cereal box carboard is glued to the face and while the whole thing is light, it is reasonably strong. No other reinforcing needed. I am very happy the way it all works out and now I have structures I really want instead of waiting for a kit to come out. Thanks for the encouraging words everyone.
Wow Robin, Have you ever thought of moving out to Vancouver, BC where the weather is civilized and your coffee strong. Excellent work.
My son lives in Mission Rick and has wished we would move to BC too but with two daughters and four grandchildren here in Ontario, I don't think it would be possible. Our weather isn't too bad and not as wet as yours. I do love the fall here and the changing leaf colours. I know the intense dislike westerners have for the east. Before moving back to Ontario in 1992 we lived in Saskatoon and would have been happy to stay there. Back here, the east doesn't seem to be too bad after all!!! I have another friend who lives in Virginia eastern shores and he has suggested I should move there too. I think he would like me to make a few structures for him.
A lot of Robin's works is saved here: http://www.the-gauge.com/forumdisplay.php?f=57&order=desc There was a thread for the Anderson Coke Plant in the N/Z section, but alas, also no pics, and it was not moved to the separate section. From a quick look the coke plant is part of his steel complex, which is saved. Jeff
