Modern oil refinery

[Motley]

Hey guys. I will be starting my extension room layout soon. The benchwork is complete. So time to start laying track.

There is an oil refinery just east of Denver. Called Suncor. That I want to model. My first plans were to model a steel mill. But I think it would be more appropriate for my theme, which is Colorado D&RGW 1989-Current.

I plan on keeping the same plan. Just replacing the steel mill with the oil refinery.

Would the rotary dumper be appropriate for the oil refinery? The yard is for all coal hoppers.

And the oil loading docks will have all tanker cars.

Any suggestions or insight on how to properly model the oil refinery would be appreciated.

Here's the plan...(note: the bottom is staging)



And here's a google view of the oil refinery.

[Larry]

Walthers makes or use to make a Refinery that will fit almost any railroad design. In my Refinery I have 2 of the kits tied together on a back wall. I also use 6in. & 8in. PVC caps for tanks & the Walthers tanks, Life Like Tanks, Faller tanks & some other misc. stuff. You can get a piping kit from Walthers w/some small pump houses. I looked up that Suncor refinery at ground level & it shows some of the same buildings I was talking about. Someone here on the Forum might have some kits to sell too in the refinery line.

[Motley]

Thanks for the great suggestions Larry. I'll looking into those kits.

Can you post some pics of your refinery?

[Larry]

Here's an old picture of my Refinery. I haven't taken any pictures of it since I added the other kit. I'll do that some times this week
You'll notice that the PVC caps are cut in half to fit between the rails & the wall.

[Motley]

Thanks Larry! That is a great looking refinery! You just gave me some ideas for mine.

Yes please post more photos when you get a chance.

[Motley]

I made some modifications to the oil refinery trackwork. And planned the out the structures.

And I also took a drive today, to the Suncor Oil Refinery Plant. To take some photos, that is, until security came and yelled at me, and told me to leave the property! OOOPS!!












This is the rotary dumper

[fiend540]

I smelled this place before I passed it on my way to I76 speedway saturday lol. A little OT but there is a yard that you can see from I76 in the town of Hudson that is jammed packed with black tank cars, I'm talking what looks like a couple hundred or so. Any ideas what they are used for, there is an industry I can see on google maps but there is no name associated with it.

I also saw that same Hopper train on my way home from work!

[Motley]

Geeez, that's too funny. There's actually a landfill/dump in Commerce City, that you smelled.

I think the yard near Hudson, must be just a holding yard. Not aware of an oil industry there.

The coal trains, usually head to one of the Denver yards, and then up to the mountains or down south where you live. There are some coal mines in the mountains. Like Plainview, Leadville, the Moffat Line.

You should go check out the oil refinery, it's very intriguing. Just don't take pictures though, ooops.

[fiend540]

Pretty sure it was the refinery and not the dump, the smell was very distinct and reminds me of a NOCO energy Storage tank field in Tonawanda NY. I will have to check it out though, as well as this neat Industrial park I noticed on my way to work near where the 225 meets I70. Need to try out my new camera.

BTW I was originally taking the 470 to work, that is until I saw the toll prices and nearly crapped my pants. No wonder it's always deserted, it would cost me 6 bucks each way to work, I can drive across 3/4 of NY for that price!

[Larry]

A few pictures of my backwall refinery.