# Covered hoppers



## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

Ok I have my cement plant (still in box) and since my parents bought that I figure ok ill run mostly covered hoppers, so what I want to know is what type of covered hoppers are out there that are in use for cement plants, I have a few already however im unsure about them being used for a cement plant, while Im not a rivit counter by any means (hey im running both american and euro trains on an American based layout....) below are the two that I have (well I have three, but two are the same type, just different road names)


what I would like to know is what types are out there and what type would be used for a cement plant, and Im not limited to just the covered hoppers, I would be ok with open hoppers/gondolas too, what I really want to see is pictures preferably so I can collect a list of what I can use that will look "ok" (and proper).

Open hopper BN green









I have at least two of these one in BN the other is Wabash (black)

BN hopper









Wabash black









Canadian National silver/grey


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

That BN 75269 is definitely a type used for cement service. Just about any kind of aggregate hopper or gondola (gravel, rocks, sand) would be correct as well.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

ok cool, what other types are used for cement service?


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Cement is heavy and dense, so small 2-bay covered hoppers are used for cement.

Larger 3-bay covered hoppers would not be used for cement.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

oh, ok I have a few 3 bay covered hoppers too  well its my road and they use what ever they get 


EDIT: here are a few new covered hoppers I picked up! Also what other industries would be involved for shipping cement, so far I just have the cement silos! so I want to have at least one other thing for an end point.












This is the cement plant I have, just want to find some industry that would be the end point for a load from this plant! Thanks!


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Ship it to a plant that makes cement piping? You could then have pipes of various sizes as loads for gondolas or flatcars outgoing.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

ok, do they make plants like that in HO?


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## beachbum (May 1, 2010)

sstlaure said:


> Ship it to a plant that makes cement piping? You could then have pipes of various sizes as loads for gondolas or flatcars outgoing.


A precast cement guy told me that they don't usually ship finished product by rail - can't handle the shock(s) of switching, etc. No idea if that's a universal thing - maybe that's only what his plant does and I'm too lazy to research it. 

Anyway, you could use flats or gons to ship rebar in, flatbed trucks to ship castings out.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I've seen precast concrete pieces go by on flatcars, so at least some makers ship them that way.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Cement itself is a very fine powder that will blow around like the finest dust. It will coat everything in sight around a cement plant and hardens when it rains. Really messy stuff.
I used to live near the Port of Palm Beach and have watched lots of cement ships come and go there. The cement is off loaded into the silo or a building by means of hoses and a machine like a vacuum cleaner only it's huge. It sucks the dust off the boat and then blows it into the silo,all in a confined area so the dust doesn't cover the whole town. Your covered hoppers will have to have hose connections under it to suck out the cement powder. The gravel and sand that is also used in the making of concrete can be brought in by regular hopper cars and unloaded through their bottom chutes into a pit where the aggregate is conveyed to a stock pile. Also 18 wheelers that bring the cement to the mixing plants from the bulk plants are equipped with hose connections too. The cement is 'pumped' into and out of the tank truck. Concrete is mixed and transported by truck mostly. I've never heard of concrete being sent by rail unless the dump site is very close by. Mixed concrete or ready mix has to be kept mixing in a truck drum until it is poured. Otherwise it will harden up fast and then you have a problem that only a chipping hammer can solve. Pete
Cement is the powder that goes into the mix to make concrete. Pete


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

NB your cement plant is a great looking model. The sand which can be brought in in a covered hopper to keep it dry is unloaded in the shed and lifted to the sand silo. The crushed rock is also brought into the shed and lifted into a silo. The cement is brought by truck and pumped up into a silo too. Then the three ingredients are mixed according to the strength of the concrete that is ordered and the whole mess is dumped into the cement mixer truck and mixed with a measured amount of water in the truck drum. Then it's deliverd in the truck to the construction site for pouring into forms. That's the usual routine for concrete. pete


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

ok so would my cement plant be the end point in a cycle or a start point, if end point what other industry(ies) could I put in to ship to/from?


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

First would be the bulk plant and next would be the batch plant where the cement was actually mixed. Last would be the place the concrete was poured into the forms on a constuction job.
Your plant would need a tower for a concrete truck to drive under where the cement and the aggrigate is poured into the revolving drum on the truck. Then water is added and the drum mixes it all together while it's on the way to the job site. 
Your plant could be a bulk plant too as the cement could be brought in on covered hoppers with hose connections and the cement pumped into the silos. Then the cement woud be pumped into 18 wheelers to take it to the batch plant.
Here is a picture of a cement hopper. Notice the hose connections at the bottom of the shutes where the cement is pumped out of the car and into the silos. 
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/railproducts/graphics/CACH-JOAM-CEMENT.jpg
If your plant were to have a dispensing tower to fill the concrete trucks then it could be a batch plant. Otherwise it's a bulk plant. Pete


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Here is a small batch plant. The cement powder is stored in the silos on the left and the aggrigate ,sand and stone,are stored on the right. Each ingredient is weighed as it goes into the truck through the shute in the open space in the middle where the mixer truck would receive it.You could even go with one silo or just make some sort of loading tower to sit next to the plant you have in the box. A very interesting model with lots of possiblities. Pete
http://www.germanycrusher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/concrete-batch-plant.jpg


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## PhillipL (May 5, 2012)

I would recommend Atlas Trainman PS-2s. I have seen photos of New Haven RR PS-2s delivering cement for the building of I-95. The Atlas PS-2s are nicely detailed but are not fragile. To top it off, they have been released in a number of road names and are very reasonably priced.


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## lears2005 (Feb 26, 2010)

Hey NB take a look at this video he will show you his cement plant this will give you a idea http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6JpFiQ1B74&feature=g-u-u


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

so really all I need next is the batch plant for trucks then, so what about something like whats pictured below? would that work?


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## lears2005 (Feb 26, 2010)

Yes I think it would work good


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