Model Railroading > Vermont Rail System Industries

Hi there,

I'm building a HO scale model railroad which is based on the Vermont Rail System. I'm looking for help in finding out about some of the (smaller) industries VRS serves. The model is pretty small and is going to feature two industries. One is decided already and that's going to be a feed/fertiliser mill/dealer. The other industry I cannot settle on so hence the need for some help/information. The second industry will receive and ship about 2-4 cars per day, so is pretty small scale. Because of it's size, it doesn't really suit high volume traffic such as Omya. 

I have a number of corn syrup tanks from another project and considered using these for the second industry but I don't think this type of car is common in Vermont?

I'm willing to look at other Vermont industries that are served by other railroads eg PanAm and NECR.

Looking for something which is fits the above criteria and is signature VRS.

Thanks in advance for any ideas/inspiration.

Dave

Probably not much help, bfwiw:  the old GMR used to haul a few loads of talc regularly from a shipper north(?) of Chester, Vt.   (Baby powder??)....
 
Also, try finding books on the GMR, there might be many more,  steady, small customers.

Find old maps, and discover which towns on the right of way had which customers --- lumber yards, coal yards for domestic & commercial users, feed & grain vendors, etc.

Also, there might be Vermont high-quality marble shippers ---architectural/statue/grave marker uses, etc.  Don't forget about supplying cars for grain customers for milling grains, and carloads of cattle feed, fertilizers, etc.


Wes C.

Google "Omya".  They are one of VRS' major shippers.  VRS also runs short sets of Tank-Train cars to McIntyre Fuels in Burlington.  Burlington also gets cement in PD3000 cars.  Large amounts of Canadian lumber are unloaded at various points on the system.

KG

VTR published a book a couple of years ago about their history. Check their website or contact them or railroad book sellers.

There's one talc plant left on the GMRC (Imery's @ Ludlow), I'd say its very modelable.  Other small industries I can think of - Westminster Crackers in Rutland (maker of oyster crackers - one car spot for flour unloading which is piped underneath their parking lot) and Carris Reels in Rutland (box cars of plywood), or if you want to do tank cars there's the Irving oil & LPG terminals in Rutland as well.  

You may wish to consider attending this year's National Railway Historical Society Convention in Rutland, VT which features a program of excursions on the Vermont Rail System.  The first excursion is a photo freight which will serve an on-line industry.  Another trip will go to Omya, cited in a previous post.

Information about the convention can be found here:

http://nrhs.com/2015_Convention

Thank you all very much for your replies and help.

Dave