Suggestions for area around refinery

[nik_n_dad]

We're going to be using all or some parts of the Tomytec refinery set for the layout. 

What would typically be the scenery around the refinery?  Are they built on gravel/dirt?  Partially paved?  The whole thing paved?

Any thoughts are helpful.

[bikkuri bahn]

Here is an aerial view of Nisseki's Negishi Refinery in Yokohama.  This may help to give you an idea of the proportion of concrete/asphalt to open ground.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=yokohama+japan&hl=en&ll=35.412846,139.636424&spn=0.006689,0.01369&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=52.68309,78.837891&vpsrc=6&hnear=Yokohama,+Kanagawa+Prefecture,+Japan&t=h&z=17

As an aside, I lived for many years in El Segundo CA, site of a big Chevron refinery, and on a couple of tours of the facility, I remember seeing lots of berms protecting the fuel tanks covered in asphalt or some dried-out but originally more viscous oil by-product(tar?), to stablize the very sandy soil- obviously a facility like that would have a lot of that material in excess to use.

[cteno4]

I too remember dirt or asphalt berms around tanks from a tour of one ic Richmond ca when I was a kid. In the refinery areas I thin it was all asphalt.

Big thing I remember is pipes, lots and lotsa pipes going everywhere. I've always wanted to build one of them. Over the years I've collected a ton of plastic sprues from models to do all this piping everywhere. Sprues have nice right angle bends (both sharp and smooth) and tees got all the piping.

Also lots of ladders,walkways, and ladders built up around all the ration and cracking towers and chambers.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Cheers,

Jeff

[nik_n_dad]

Thanks guys.  The aerial photo is pretty cool;  never imagined that it could be like a city grid with the paved roads and such.  Hopefully within a few weeks we can start posting some worthy photos.

[bikkuri bahn]

An extra: the Negishi refinery is well known as the origin of tanker trains that haul heating oil to Nagano Prefecture, via the Chuo Line/Shinonoi Line/Shinano Rlwy route.

Here is the end point of the haul- Sakaki Sta. on the Shinano Rlwy. and the Shin Nihon Sekiyu sidings there (arrival of train):
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/R8cV6suciwQ" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/R8cV6suciwQ</a>

shunting:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/8KyBo9K4jsU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/8KyBo9K4jsU</a>

I had better include a departure, so here's train 5474 departing Negishi, not bound for Sakaki, but rather Minami Matsumoto, but nonetheless similar:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ArTzgtwwleo" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/ArTzgtwwleo</a>

[bikkuri bahn]

Sample pictures of the Negishi Refinery:
http://img.47news.jp/PN/201010/PN2010100601000999.-.-.CI0003.jpg

at night:
http://www.yakei-kabegami.com/cgi-bin/photo2/38/1156/1024-768.jpg
http://www.yakei-kabegami.com/cgi-bin/photo2/759/18803/1024-768.jpg

pipework:
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/18547215.jpg

view of grounds, this is a refinery in Sendai:
http://www.noe.jx-group.co.jp/newsrelease/noc/2007/images/20080205_01_01_0860197.jpg

[nik_n_dad]

pipework:
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/18547215.jpg

This picture is funny- it almost looks like a scale model, not real.  Thanks for sharing

[cteno4]

it does feel like a tilt shift image!

this is what i was talking about pipework, walkways and ladders! i just remember it going on for ever and ever.

jeff

[cteno4]

ok youll have to add this to some of your tanks!

http://www.sodahead.com/fun/only-in-japan-decorated-gas-tanks----should-everything-be-a-canvas/question-1570475/?slide=0

cheers

jeff