Yard office help

[jbaakko]

I'm working on getting the structures ready for my tank card loading yard. I need some help deciding. I feel there's a "need" for a yard office of some sort. The shack would be like a control house for the power gate that fences off the track.

I'm not sure which one to use:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/541-5
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3517 (smaller gate house, the large office is too big for the space).

Or should I do a converted container thing (either a kit, or make my own)?
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/405-8627
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/189-1031

Maybe I can have the small shack, and a "break room" in the converted container? :cool:

I'll be adding a Pikestuff handcar shed for the tool shed as well as Micron Art 10' high chain link fence.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/541-6
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/502-87985

[Jon NFL]

Morning, Josh- you're up early :]
What era are you modeling? If its modern, then a scratch built all steel building might work. Early 1900 - frame.

I've missed the forum- have been busy with building a full scale house with Habitat for Humanity. That, too, is fun stuff :o)
Happy Thanksgiving to all.

[4Starcstms]

Josh - I thinking making your own from a 20' container would look the best, adding a door and a couple windows and maybe a exhaust for a woodstove or some form of heater..

[UP2CSX]

Since you're doing a modern tank car facility (as I rememeber), I'd buy some cheap containers and scatchbuild the office. You get more space and you can arrange them the way you want. Converted containers for office structures are so common now that it would fit in better for a small tank car loading plant. Those Kibri containers are nice but kind of expensive compared to getting a couple of $5 containers and just adding the windows and doors yourself.

[Alcomotive]

I agree with Jim...then add a AC unit in the window....

[jbaakko]

Sounds good guys! I have the area measured out. I should be able to fit two 20' containers in there, plus the tool shed at the far end. Still debating on the gate style, if a "motorized" sliding gate might fit, but I still need about 1/4 to 1/3 of the length to hold the gate up after it slides across... Not sure if I'll have enough room! Its only about 6-7" of depth.
http://www.collinsonfencing.com/Security%20-%20Sliding%20Palisade%20Gate.jpg

It is a modern era, so wood stoves are out! As for A/C Jim, I was actually thinking of using a BLMA RV style rooftop one!

P.S. Jon, I wasn't up early, I was actually up late. I posted this about 30 minutes before I went to sleep! These 5PM to 6AM shifts have me off on my sleep...

[4Starcstms]

Josh, ya made any progress on your yard shanty??

[lmackattack]

Josh in my experince with picking up trailers at yard offices this would be simmilar to the most common office styles that I find
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3517

I find that most yards use a primative set up. Most are small shacks that have nothing more than a desk, pedestrian door for emplyoees and truck drivers. and maybee a small bath room for the guard on duty. alot of the "shacks" are of the smaller "double wides" (thats what I call them) on wheels that are half sunk in the mud. these have a side door with a stairway built to access the door. have an old AC unit and are wired to the neareast telephone pole. the gates are manual and left open all day. At the Ups where I worked the guard shack was a permanit building about 10 x 10 and half of that was for the building employee traffic with a metal detector. If its a modern yard (post 9-11) an automatic gate would be pretty common allong with a fully fenced in yard. Some of the more modern yard office will also be up to a higher code of standards,have a few desks, womens and mens restrooms, and a small break room.

Only container yards I have seen lately were that at a small junk yard and ma and pa recycle centers. both took the junk you brought and kept them locked in the trailer until their pick up driver had a full load of scrap. Most containers are converted for storage and not used in any office work(at least not in my aera of Chicago)

Trent

[CSX_road_slug]

I'm glad I stumbled onto this thread, I was unaware of this guard shack & gate (http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3517) that Walthers will be releasing - it'll fit perfectly into my planned steel mill gateway across from my Merchants Row scene! But I'll probably try to make my own chainlink fencing by using some 'tulley' mesh from my friendly neighborhood Michaels store.

BTW I cast my vote for Jim's idea above, kitbash a regular 20ft container.

[jbaakko]

I've ordered a lot of Under, Athearn Smooth side containers, I'm going to kit bash one into the office. The actual "gate house" will be a smaller Pikestuff shack. I like the economical standpoint of the tulle, however, I want barbed wire, after all it does deal with flammable materials.

[4Starcstms]

Nice - cant wait to see what ya do with em Josh... your work is always a pleasure to see!