Large Scale Central

Ringbalin Sugar Cane Line

General Discussion
#1

I was facing a problem on my new layout the “Ringbalin Light Railway”, I had sugar cane trains but no mill for them to run to and little room to add one.

My solution was fairly simple I just started building another layout with a sugar mill as the centrepiece, this new layout is a standalone one with a planned interchange to the light railway.

I am using code 250 track (the light railway uses code 332) so it looks similar to what happen in real life around the area I live in.

A line will run out from the mill to a “farms” area and go through a reverse loop so there can be out and back traffic.

The loop is on a “Y” point that has no spring to keep it setting to one position, instead the blades “float” so that when a train approaches it pushes through the point thus setting it, and it departs back to the line, when the next train arrives it again pushes through the point and sets it to the opposite direction. This allows alternate trains to run around the loop in opposite directions (hope I have not confused to many folk).

With this new layout I will be able to run set and forget trains on the light rail (mainline) and do shunting operations on the cane line, I can add interest by having a train running on the interchange just to mix things up.

I have posted my progress so far on my blog for people to see the progress as this advances, this will save me time by not having to write things out twice and post a whole heap of pictures.

So here we go; Link to blog below hope you enjoy.

https://ringbalin-light-railway.blogspot.com/2021/04/1-03-march-2021cane-line-construction.html

1 Like
#2

Looks like you have put in considerable thought and started with a good solid base, should be a good link to follow.

Dennis

#3

#4

I have started construction of my sugar mill the blog post describes what I have done so far (actually I have progressed quite a bit with the corrugated iron cladding) and when It is finished I will post more pictures and a description.

https://ringbalin-light-railway.blogspot.com/2021/04/2-05-april-2021-sugar-mill-construction.html

If you are interested please have a look at my blog to see what I have been up to for the last year or so.

https://ringbalin-light-railway.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

#5

That pool surround material did work well.

#6

Pool surround material?!?! Cheater! You missed the opportunity to drain, cut, bake, and crimp 100 cans! It looks great!

#7

Eric Mueller said:

Pool surround material?!?! Cheater! You missed the opportunity to drain, cut, bake, and crimp 100 cans! It looks great!

Eric I can get 10c per can at the recycle centre so that is $10 I would have had to forgo, the pool surround cost me $1 from memory and then there are all those labour costs to consider.

Its just simple economics by dear fellow. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

If I roll my own I use aluminium foil baking trays much easier to work than cans.

Mind you I probably did consume 100 cans while planning this, hey it was hot and I had to keep the fluid levels up. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)

#8

The sugar mill is progressing.
I was going to put in a rum distillery, as in what is just down the road a bit, that would use the molasses but have decided to an ethanol plant might make an interesting addition.
I am looking at putting the big tank, which will be the ethanol fermenter, on a separate board that can cover an access hatch.
I still have to make ‘the tipper’ building which will sit astride where the rail is and the ‘carrier’ conveyor that takes the cane into the mill.
I made the mill with no openings to keep the weather out as much as possible, I might paint some windows on it later but looking at the mill down the road there are not many openings at all.

(https://www.largescalecentral.com/FileSharing/user_3049/GAPs Pictures/Sugar Mill.jpg)

#9

Looks great, GAP! I am glad to hear you were able to remain hydrated during this process and to use the hydration transport containers to fund the siding of the mill!

I’'ll be watching for ideas to “borrow” when we return our attention to our own mill area! There were no distilleries of which I am aware during the time of high iron and high cane, but there ought to have been! Interestingly, the boutique farms that are again growing sugar do supply small. local distilleries.

Eric

#10

Eric,

The return on the hydration transport containers was use to buy some more inspiration and hydration fluid.

This is the ultimate exercise in recycling.

My tip is to buy heaps of “roof and gutter sealant” silicone (mastic in your speak??) it is the best glue I have found to survive a tropical environment or any other one for that matter.

For inspiration look beyond rum and look at a green fuel plant (do you have an ethanol blended petrol/gasoline in the US??).

We also have small batch distilleries here in town, but lets face it Bundaberg Rum rules this town and a large part of Australia, its an Australian icon.

https://www.bundabergrum.com.au/

I’m a bit of a philistine here as I do not drink rum only beer.

#11

GAP there is nothing like a bit of the crushed sugar cane (to drink) from up your way

#12

GAP said:

For inspiration look beyond rum and look at a green fuel plant (do you have an ethanol blended petrol/gasoline in the US??).

In the early days, the molasses went out as fertilizer. I am freelancing, though, so all is possible, and a distillery would be more fun! Oh, and yes, ethanol blends are common in the U.S. That whole corner of the railroad is going to undergo industrialization, though probably not this year.

Eric

#13

GAP said:

The sugar mill is progressing.
I was going to put in a rum distillery, as in what is just down the road a bit, that would use the molasses but have decided to an ethanol plant might make an interesting addition.
I am looking at putting the big tank, which will be the ethanol fermenter, on a separate board that can cover an access hatch.
I still have to make ‘the tipper’ building which will sit astride where the rail is and the ‘carrier’ conveyor that takes the cane into the mill.
I made the mill with no openings to keep the weather out as much as possible, I might paint some windows on it later but looking at the mill down the road there are not many openings at all.

(https://www.largescalecentral.com/FileSharing/user_3049/GAPs Pictures/Sugar Mill.jpg)

I would like to “Bump” because a picture says 1,000 words as the old motto goes?

Nice work Gap !!

#14

I love it !

#15

I have been looking for something to simulate cut sugar cane for my train of cane bins.

Turns out I had the perfect material right under my nose, well underfoot any way.

Its Sugar Cane Mulch I use it to control weeds in my garden beds I but it by the bale at the garden shops.

I did not even use glue to hold it in place, it just packs down when the train is run and if I lose any I can always top the bin up.

This will come in handy when I am doing shunting operations (loads in, empties out) for the mill as I can just empty the bin contents into a bucket to get an empty to send back out to the farms.
Another upside is that it adds weight to the wagon.

(https://www.largescalecentral.com/FileSharing/user_3049/GAPs Pictures/Merged_document(3).jpg)

#16

Rooster said:

I love it !

Thanks Rooster;

This is going to turn into a big project if I do not control my imagination (Bigger than Ben Hur) there is so much potential.

The back story goes something along the lines of the mill supplies molasses for the manufacture of ethanol which is shipped to a fuel blending plant, in addition sugar is shipped to a lolly/candy factory both located in the next valley over the mountain.

#17

Don’t forget Ringbalin Rum Distillery in your epic!

#18

Eric Mueller said:

Don’t forget Ringbalin Rum Distillery in your epic!

Eric,

Far be it for me to promote the gratuitous use of rum on the forum, next thing you know I’ll have a reputation of being a rum runner. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#19

Progress has been made on the sugar mill which will be the centre piece of the “Cane Line”.
The original track plan looks like it is heading out the window with regards to the interchange, I am now thinking of a couple of short sidings off the main line where an Ethanol tanker and some molasses tankers can be set out for collection for onforwarding.
Basically 2 sets of points facing in opposite directions so that there is a siding on either side of the main line into which the tankers can be shunted for collection by a shunting loco then taken into the mill precinct.
Upside is only one bridge is requires instead of 2 and I now have a task for a loco that was looking for a job.
Because of coupling method differences between the mainline and the cane line I am planning on using a “dolly” which is basically a bogie with a link and pin (cane line) on one end and a hook and loop on the other (mainline). I have pinched the idea from road trains where they are used to connect semi trailers together.

Bloody scary when they come at you at 110+Km/Hr in the outback and forget about passing them you cannot go that fast.

(https://www.largescalecentral.com/FileSharing/user_3049/GAPs%20Pictures/Merged_document%20(2).jpg)

(https://www.largescalecentral.com/FileSharing/user_3049/GAPs%20Pictures/road%20train%20dolly.jpg)

#20

GAP,

The mill is looking spot on!

Eric