# Stock pen details



## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

One of the items I plan to add to my layout is a stock pen for loading cattle. I have seen quite a number of images where people have made their own, and I've gotten a vague idea of how the various gates create chutes for directing the cattle... but I'm not a rancher so I have no idea how these things are 'supposed' to work.

http://www.troughtonmodelworks.com/buildingthestockpens.html

I ran across this article today by Tom Troughton of MMR which details a large number of images from building a 
Banta Model Works laser-cut wood kit and making custom modifications. This particular kit is done in S scale, but I think all of the moving parts could be recreated in pretty much any scale.

Yes, I did say 'moving parts', and this is what really got me excited about the web page. It details several different types of gates used within the pen, hanging them on miniature eye-bolts to allow them to swing. The most interesting piece (I thought) was the expanding gates... These are the swinging gates at the top of the loading platform, and they are comprised of interleaved boards that can slide apart to let the gate butt right up against the side of the stock car. And for those using two-level stock cars, part of the platform rotates to allow loading on each level. Crazy stuff!

He finishes up showing the details that bring the model to life. The one thing that bothers me though is how *clean* the pen area is! I've seen cattle pens, they are usually a muddy, filthy mess, and even though this model is in a sandy area the pen floor should be stained with waste. All in all, an excellent model though, and very inspirational. My own model will probably only be about half this size, but it is nice to see the details that I was missing before.


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## J.C. (Dec 24, 2016)

some where I have lying around a old RMC (I think) that has scale drawings for a small pen , if I remember right it will hold two 40ft. stock cars , let me look and get back to you .


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Cool, never hurts to see more examples. It will unfortunately be some time before I start building structures (gotta build a layout first!), but I still try to keep a list of things to get back to.


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## Chet (Aug 15, 2014)

Here is a stock pen I built 20 some years ago. I had the parts from a kit of some kind but it wouldn't fit into the space I had so I just used the parts and winged it and came up with this.


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## J.C. (Dec 24, 2016)

haven't found the one I was looking for but did find a nice single car one in the may 1982 mainline modeler with ho scale drawings and a construction article you might be able to buy one off eBay if not pm me your email address and I will send you a scan of it. its for a single one level chute one car, the other one has a adjustable chute for two level stock cars for two cars with a office, will keep looking for it .


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Actually that sounds pretty interesting. I'm still not quite sure if I'll be doing a single- or two-car setup, but never hurts to collect the options!


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