What would a dissertation on prototype railroading in Western Canada be without at least the passing mention of grain elevators? Much has already been written about these ‘prairie sentinels’ both on line and in the traditional printed media so I won’t get too deeply involved here. Just enough perhaps to point out a few modelling notes that might come in handy.

If you follow highway 17 south of grid road 610 just east of Chauvin Alberta you’ll see one of the last traditional wooden elevators still left standing next to a spur off a main line railroad. The place has no name. It is simply marked on a topographical map with the letter E and a bench mark - BM2014. It’s a Walthers special – annex ordered separately – with a single spout pointing out over a pair of rusty rails. Waist high grass completely covers the scene and almost hides the two seldom-used ruts that lead up to the scales. You can put one of these just about anywhere on the layout. See http://www.grainelevators.ca