small diameter screws

Perhaps a visit to your local hardware store is in order.  Look at the smaller diameter screws (metal or wood screws) as source material for the auger.  

Marc Simpson

WOW!

I used your link and downloaded the PDF of the report. My goal is to model central Kansas in the late 70's so this is full of great info for me. Thanks for finding this!

Thanks

My grandfather used to load by hand or maybe this way,  sacks of rice, into boxcars from the dryer at Easterwood, LA. back when I was 8-9 years old. Never got any pictures in the 1950's, darn good memories though. 

RJ

@Ken Glover

Thanks.  Hoped it would be enlightening for some.

I remember the days before the coming of the north/south interstate corridor in Kansas (I-I35) and traveling from Salina to Wichita on occasional Sundays to visit relatives, traveling on old US81.  Passing McPherson during the southbound trip in the morning, you would see the then numerous oil fields along the highway.  At McPherson, the large oil refinery (COOP).  Returning home at night, it was always exciting to see the flame from the tower at the refinery.

If you're doing mid-Kansas during that time period (1960s-1980s) you might find a spot for a walking horse oil pump or so.

Sadly, the rail line from Salina to McPherson, which had several operators over the years, is now gone.  Bridgeport and Lindsborg no longer have rail service, their grain elevators still there and used but trackless.

@Marc Simpson

Thanks.  I hadn't really thought of using screws.  Now the issue is, the size that would be needed.  Since the auger is 9": in diameter, the screw would have to be a #3 or perhaps even a #2.  To look right, it would have to be mostly thread, with little shaft.  Unfortunately, those three parameters are difficult to mutually fulfill.  Not to mention the 2 1/2" + length needed.  But I'll go do some looking at Ace Hardware.  Didn't see much on the web, though.

But it does give me a starting point.  Thanks again.

@Rusty

I lived in McPherson from 1975 to 1979. I'm using pictures I took of all four railroads in McPherson to form the basis of my modeling. I got my BS from Kansas State in 1970 and a Masters in '73. Lived in Kansas City between undergrad and grad school. I worked as a Lab Technician in a corn mill in North KC. My ex-wife is from Manhattan so we made LOTS of trips on I-135 (was I-35W and/or I-35 (until the Kansas Turnpike became part of the Interstate System))

The refinery in McPherson was (maybe still is) the National Cooperative Refinery Association. I have thought about putting a pump jack or two on the layout.

I knew the UP line to Salina had been converted to a trail. The old Santa Fe line is gone east and west of McPherson. A bridge washed out on the west side and on Google it looks like the tracks are gone to the east.

It is nice to find someone who knows the area.

Look for a brass rod of a

Look for a brass rod of a close diameter and then thread it.

Another solution is to look at all-thread rod - usually at a model air plane supplier.

Howard Garner

Drywall screw

 How about a #6 coarse thread drywall screw?  While it would be too big a diameter, it wouldn't be huge and would have widely spaced "blades".

I Was Also Going To Suggest

A coarse thread drywall screw. Who but you and a few hundred people who see this thread are going to know what the diameter is supposed to be anyway. The effect will be great.

Espee over Donner

Hi Ken: If I may update your

Hi Ken:

If I may update your McPherson information a bit as of a couple of years ago?

I was the transportation and later safety officer for Watco for that area which operated out of McPherson east to Newton to reach the BNSF and west to Conway to serve the gas wells. There is considerable traffic of LPG (hundreds of tank cars) coming out of the gas wells and many new racks and tracks have been built to serve these underground storage facilities. There is also a small flour mill (a couple of cars a day), in McPherson proper, an animal feed facility and a shingle facility on the old ATSF east of town. 

The old, COOP refinery is still going strong and has been modernized and many new tanks and facilities added which is served by the UP (RI). Watco's, Kansas and Oklahoma, RR. also serves Salina including several large elevators and BNSF haulage trains up to Abeliene on the UP along with the old line up to Lincoln. They do a good job serving customers both large and small. 

Barry

Further into the weeds...

Barry, The old ATSF line to the east (due east) out of McPherson now ends at the Johns-Mansville plant on 17th Ave. It paralleled the Rock Island (now UP) main through Galva at least. The old Missouri Pacific line South past the refinery and then SE through Moundrige and on to Newton is now, I would guess, operated by the K&O along with the old ATSF trackage, and what is left of the old UP, in McPherson. 

LPG storage in the salt beds was a big deal even forty years ago.

I bought my first house and started my first "serious" model railroad in McPherson.

@Barry

Speaking of WATCO, I sure would like to find a nice unpainted GP40-2W to paint in this Kansas paint scheme.

It's a few decades past Ken's era, but it's right on for mine.

Oh, yeah, and I'm an alumni of the Wichita State School of Engineering...

I've noticed that in Salina, the old ATSF freight house, which had been using for the K & O local offices, is no more.  Thankfully I got a number of good photos of it a decade ago.

Unloading grain from trucks - back in the day

Back in the day, before hopper bed trucks became prolific, and a number of farm trucks still weren't equipped with lift beds, larger grain elevators (relative size) employed lift ramps to dump the grain out of trucks.  Both facilities I worked at had these.  The lifts were located just outside the covered pit area, though on some elevators the covered area was made tall enough to actually have the pivot point inside the building.  Either way, the grain tumbled into the pit.  

The photo is from the Straight International website.  They also made boxcar lift tilt and shake mechanisms.

Grain elevators have era associated equipment.  Back in the day, cars were unloaded differently as were trucks.  If an elevator was large enough, the headhouse contained the weigh-out scale, now high speed loading facilities have external scales that can be dumping one load into the cars as it is already weighing the next load, without use of a secondary surge bin.  External surge bins were non-existent as far as I remember.  Grain dryers were much smaller than many of today's.  The first time I ever saw an external leg was in 1972, as one was being added to the Bunge elevator west of Salina (now a Cargill elevator)  Safety equipment in and around rail handling didn't exist the way it does now.

BTW, while many ask where you can find samples of old wooden or sheet metal covered elevators, the era of slip form concrete elevators is slowly coming to an end too, as a number the small and inefficient grain elevators in towns no longer served by rail are either abandoned (look for the lack of modern equipment) or demolished.  Not all, there are places where the former rail served elevator is thriving.  See  https://www.google.com/maps/place/Nemaha+County+Co-Op+Association/@39.6593232,-96.0323003,223m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xb368be2d93d35e63!8m2!3d39.6593248!4d-96.0319528 for an example.  The old rail line at the Corning, KS COOP ran on the north side of the building.

Unloading grain boxcars

Dear MRHers,

Every time I think "unloading grain boxcars", I keep bouncing back to...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

@Prof Klyzir

If you're interested, here is one of the patents including drawings for the Straight International boxcar unloader (the photo with the green boxcar)

https://www.google.com/patents/US3412879

I've seen relatively simplistic attempts to model the concept, but never a decently detailed accurate one.

Unloading Grain

Hey Rusty!  I remember those lifts!  Lewiston Idaho had one.  I also remember them getting really upset when I didn't wake my wife and she stayed in the sleeper while unloading!  Oh, the old days!

Bart Hollis

 Thanks, for the additional

Thanks, for the additional information, Ken. I didn't realize that the old salt caverns had been around that long. I do recall the first time I saw the area around Conway with all the loading tracks and tank car loading racks...but few if any storage tanks. It took me awhile before I figured out that the gas was stored in the under ground mty caverns.

Also you are right about the K&O operating the old MP line down to Newton.

Barry 

the augar

how about a spring ?'m thinking like the ones used on ball point pens

@Sue

That's a good idea.  Though a pen spring is about 30% too large in diameter and 60% too short.  The appropriate type spring would be a compression spring, and then a piece of TBD material (metal, plastic?, soldered, or CA connected) to put it around to simulate the auger shaft.  I've noticed that there are a number of DIY videos on YouTube on winding your own springs, which would probably end up being more effective in getting the right size made.

Of course, if it is merely coiling a spring appearance item around a central shaft, a person could forgo the unnecessary spring functionality and merely use a soft metal wire, such as non-insulated single strand electrical wire of the appropriate size. 

Modelling an Auger

Hi,

yesterday there was a lengthy post on modelling a working auger: https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/one-for-dr-geoff-working-tipple-and-rotary-unloader-12202444

Have fun!