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This blog presents my thoughts, information and activities in my model railroading world.

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Extract tank

I spent a lot of time trying to decide how to do this tank and attachments.  The tank itself was easy - it is a hydrocal casting by Yorke that I bought many years ago.  The pump shed was also easy once I decided what to do.  It has a pump inside that I scratch built but it is hard to see.  The trackside "filler' (not sure what it is called) is a commercial casting.  It will be used to fill tank cars with the extract.  It can also fill trucks.


The components are not actually connected at this time but will be once installed on the layout.  The pipe above the tank will go to the extract building to accept the extract.  There is a control valve between the tank and the shed and a fire extinguisher on the shed.  The wood underneath the tank is a temporary means of keeping it level with the pipe on the shed.


Above is a pre 1920s photo of similar tanks connected by pipes.

Next I will install the components I built for this extract plant on the layout with some scenery.  I may add an additional building.


Saturday, May 16, 2020

Autoclave shop complete

The autoclave shop is complete.  I made the roof removable to allow the detailed machinery inside to be seen.  Since the model will be near the edge of the layout when installed it will be easy to remove the roof and look inside.  The detail at the top front edge is the electrical connection from the power house.



Below are some photos with the roof removed.





Well that was fun.  The next model will be the extract tank.



Friday, May 8, 2020

Autoclave shop machinery

It has taken me a while to create the autoclave machinery.  The research was time consuming and the construction was tricky.  I never found the information on how the vintage autoclave machinery functioned so I made my own decisions on that.  The basics are that there was an input pipe for the liquid and a drain pipe for resulting extract.  There was also the need to feed the ground bark into the autoclave.  Below is my representation.


I built two autoclaves with an access platform behind them and a drain pipe with a drain pump.  When I install it there will be a feed pipe that will extend over the platform from the back.  There will also be gears above the autoclaves to turn them.  The bark is fed from above.


Above is a rear view.  Below are some diagrams of vintage autoclaves.



When I researched online I could only find modern or semi modern autoclaves.  The ones I show above are from some of my old industry books.