[MacDaddy55]

The Pioneer Meat Packing Co. of Bedford, Wi. is now being built. Free lanced(we were going to do early 30's but ditched that idea. We have worked on buildings, vehicles, rolling stock and accessories. Now is the time to strike. 4x8 with enough room to expand into two different themes...rural/farm/cattle land....and small Midwest township. Went to Local Building Supply and got 1' white foam board for $6.00 and mapped out our sectional track and building placement and we will put down cork roadbed(the combination of foam and cork really makes for quiet running just the clickety clack. My son gets the wiring job as we want all the buildings lit for night operation pre drilled holes and the underside of the table diagramed for the wiring. The plant takes up a huge amount amount of acreage so we went scaveging for plywood and came up with two additional pieces. The cost of buying benchwork from Sievers of Washington Island(4x8) with risers $180....too steep. Found some aerial views of Meat Packing plants in Minn. Wis. and Iowa so we have condensed the operation. Cleanout section and expanded stock yard will come after we get the first table done. I figure by November we will have it completed(just in time to shut down total operation unless we get the Giant Woodstove fixed,thats a whole different story. Sounds like a long time but between work and My son coming home for a few weekends from College...it will work.:thumbsup:

 

[Reckers]

I'm impressed. You sound like you're gonna be finished waaay before I even get started!

 

[flyboy2610]

If you plan on doing any below grade scenery work, be advised that that white Styrofoam bead board is very messy when you try to cut it. It is not very strong either. If not too late, you may consider replacing it with pink or blue foam insulation board.

 

[tjcruiser]

Hey MacD,

Great stuff ... how very nice that you and your son are tackling this project together! :thumbsup:

Once the meat packing plant is up and running, I assume you'll be sending out some thick, juicy Angus steaks to all forum members?!?

(Good tip from FlyBoy ... you don't want to be carving into that white "pellet" foam ... stick with the pink stuff if you have any carving in mind.)

Have fun!

TJ

 

[MacDaddy55]

Not to WORRY!

Yeah Guys,
The white foam has been addressed already seeing that this is a pretty flat setup to begin with. The next table will have Pink insulation and more detailed hills, woods, and farmland.....a river going through our town of Bedford....it will happen? We pretty much planned this out about four years ago and now its gone from planning to implementing. Those thick Juicy Angus steaks are no longer the expensive beasts anymore.....Steaks on the grill for Easter yum yum:laugh:

 

[bradimous1]

thats pretty funny Mac... I am not sure if you are aware, but their was another thread on this forum that mentioned they were discontinuing to make the pink stuff... my home depot still has plenty of it and I have no idea what the time frame of them discontinuing it is.

the packing plant looks amazing, great work!!!

 

[Big Ed]

Yeah Guys,
The white foam has been addressed already seeing that this is a pretty flat setup to begin with. The next table will have Pink insulation and more detailed hills, woods, and farmland.....a river going through our town of Bedford....it will happen? We pretty much planned this out about four years ago and now its gone from planning to implementing. Those thick Juicy Angus steaks are no longer the expensive beasts anymore.....Steaks on the grill for Easter yum yum:laugh:

I was going to say that it looks like you won't be digging into that foam much.
Pretty much flat.

The other table? Are you putting up another along side this one?

Steaks sound great!

I got a big leg of lamb going in the oven. MMMmmmmmm good.
Makes my mouth water thinking about it.:laugh: drool drool
The only time of year I get to eat it.:thumbsup:

 

[MacDaddy55]

Nah Ed we aren't really diggin in the foam on the Meat table because it is flat as a pancake and takes up alot of realestate. We are doing an open Horseshoe with one side the Rural farmland side and the other the town of Bedford. We have done our homework on this project and look forward to the completion of table one. I like my Leg O Lamb medium rare please.....skip the mint jelly please!

 

[tjcruiser]

Alright, MacD ... I gotta ask ...

You say you've "done your homework" on this layout, right? So ...

Why a meat packing plant? NOT that there's anything wrong with that (as they say) ... just curious as to why that? Some family connection/history/etc.?

TJ

 

[MacDaddy55]

I'm a Food Dude!

Well TJ,
I'm a Chef by profession and have always been interested in the Meat Packing Business from the early 1900's to the present. My moms uncle Tommy worked for the NYC and would tell us stories about his adventures on the railroad(he was a brakeman and lost his right arm in an accident) especially hauling livestock. Anyway when I was in Chef school we toured the Patrick Cudahy plant in Milwaukee and got to see what was left of the Stockyard and cattle shute up to the Kill building(we couldn't see that). The whole operation from Grasslands to your table is incredible. The money these plants rake in would just blow you away. It kinda tweaked my interest as to how all this came together and I din't see anyone really modeling Meatpacking SSOOOOOO here we are.

 

[Big Ed]

Well TJ,
I'm a Chef by profession and have always been interested in the Meat Packing Business from the early 1900's to the present. My moms uncle Tommy worked for the NYC and would tell us stories about his adventures on the railroad(he was a brakeman and lost his right arm in an accident) especially hauling livestock. Anyway when I was in Chef school we toured the Patrick Cudahy plant in Milwaukee and got to see what was left of the Stockyard and cattle shute up to the Kill building(we couldn't see that). The whole operation from Grasslands to your table is incredible. The money these plants rake in would just blow you away. It kinda tweaked my interest as to how all this came together and I din't see anyone really modeling Meatpacking SSOOOOOO here we are.

Theres a small meat packing place I go by on the way to work. they got huge slabs on hooks going from the outside to the inside. They butcher a lot of different animals there.

Right across the street used to be a small shop rite kind of store and the people from India made it a temple of worship.:laugh:

I think they put on blinders when they go to it, they don't really approve of all the beef and others swinging on hooks outside.:laugh:

They tried to get it shut down. It's been there since the early 1900's.:laugh:

 

[tjcruiser]

MacD,

Thanks for the info / explanation. Sounds perfect for your talents / interests.

So...

If and when the Model Train Forum ever has its first Annual Convention, can we pen your name in to be our official chef extraordinaire? Keep our tummies full with smiles on our faces?

What's your specialty dish?

Thanks!
TJ

 

[MacDaddy55]

How Bout that Convention!

Thanks TJ,
If we ever have a convention then I'll be the Official Caterer to the Forum & Stars.....I can see it now.....Individual cans of Dinty Moore( thats with the thumb print...can't believe they don't have that anymore) Hobo Stew, baked beans, corn pone patties.....and oil can coffee with a boot to season it an don't forgit the white lightnin! My specialty ranges from Chicken Chasseur to Shrimp Carbonara...the old saying is "I've killed & cooked every critter that walked, crawled, flew, or swam on Gods green earth!...so to speak!:laugh:

 

[tjcruiser]

MacD,

Very well said!!!

TJ

 

[ontario mainline]

Well TJ,
I'm a Chef by profession and have always been interested in the Meat Packing Business from the early 1900's to the present. My moms uncle Tommy worked for the NYC and would tell us stories about his adventures on the railroad(he was a brakeman and lost his right arm in an accident) especially hauling livestock. Anyway when I was in Chef school we toured the Patrick Cudahy plant in Milwaukee and got to see what was left of the Stockyard and cattle shute up to the Kill building(we couldn't see that). The whole operation from Grasslands to your table is incredible. The money these plants rake in would just blow you away. It kinda tweaked my interest as to how all this came together and I din't see anyone really modeling Meatpacking SSOOOOOO here we are.

very nice MacDaddy. I always wanted to,do a meat packing layout,but never did. for me, I am a meatcutter by trade 36 ywars now. I also work in a small town packing house. the kill floor is not a place to be, I still find it hard to be there on kill days.

Ron

 

[MacDaddy55]

Tough Job!

Hey Ron Ontario,
You are from Sodus..........born in Fulton...lived in Minetto....went to school in Oswego. Meat cutting for 36yrs is a long time....Ditto for me in the Field. I'm basically looking at retiring in 12yrs if my body holds out The Meat Packing business is something thats taken for granted. You guys are under a lot of pressure to fill quotas and then theres the "the Kill Floor"......Anyone say "Combat Pay". Well for 36yrs you must be pretty darn good at your job.....keep up the good work.....We Feed The Nation! If every thing works out we should have the table done by November.....gotta beat the cold cuz its Wisconsin....or Siberia..depends on which way the wind Blows. Ill keep posting pics as we get further along....exciting business aye!:thumbsup:

 

[Pton46]

Very Cool, I like it. The meat packing plant is cool idea.

 

[MacDaddy55]

Progress at last!

I just finished laying cork roadbed and track to the styro sheet and boy what a difference. A little clickty clack......and boy is it quiet. I have my road system mapped out with all my buildings....now I have to drill holes for wire leads and my son comes home for a 3 day weekend and he's jacked about this project. Ballast & covering ground has to be done before he gets home. My Tech II died so I'm using an old Rail Master system but it sure is nice to run an engine with cars.....its been too long. We are having a Garage sale soon so I can unload all the Bachman LifeLike stuff we got when we started. If anybody needs some trees(Especially O & S scales.....I've got em with a vengence. We raided the local nature center this spring and I have 2 pickle buckets full of Sedum. So now I have to find our Digital Camera....which might be in the Twin Cities.....or I misplaced it! Anyway I'll post as soon as SOMETHING pops up!

 

[MacDaddy55]

Progress,Progress,Progress!!

The table is taking shape and we have started scenery.....which is going fast due to the overall FLATNESS of the Meat Packing Plant. So here are some photos.

 

[Big Ed]

Where did you pick up the ballast?
Is that all one kind or did you mix some together?