# Schultz's Cider Mill tank cars



## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi guys,

I decided to paint two LGB tank cars for my late grandfather's business: Schultz's Cider Mill. This project started several years ago and I was never really happy with the way SCMX 01951 turned out. I used the labels we used to put on the gallon jugs, but they just didn't look right and over time, they have not held up very well. However, I had already painted the second tank car red, so it has sat in a dismantled state for about 4 years. On Sunday, I decided to use my vinyl stickers and mask the car for paint. Yesterday, I got some green paint out and sprayed it. Here is how it looks this morning, reassembled and ready for this weekend's open house:


Here are the two Schultz's Cider Mill tank cars coupled together. They were both painted the red of the car to the left. 









I used two kinds of green paint, but kept it mostly on the lighter side to keep the car from looking "Christmas-ay". I also painted to top of the car with a mixture of dark brown and cream acrylic paints to simulate the stem of an apple. I left the ends of the car in the bright red, just for contrast, and I really like the result. 










I took these this morning in the bright bright sun. The green color looks yellow or something, but in this shot with some shadow, you can see some variation in the green. I was going for a "Granny Smith" apple green. 











The two tank cars; numbers 01951 and 02002 represent the first and last years of the operation of Schultz's. The business was never big enough for this kind of a shipment. I think we had a 4000 gallon stainless tank used to store the cider for up to about a day and a half, but it is fun to paint cars for the old business. Last winter, I sent a train to my cousin in England. I repainted a gondola car for him and lettered it for the cider mill and gave it number 01952. I think that means the next car will be 01953. Here's a pic of the gon:


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## dawgnabbit (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking good, Mark. Very nice.

Dawg


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## todd55whit (Jan 2, 2008)

Mark 
Looks great. You've inspired me to get working on my railroads soda industry.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks guys!

While not as pretty or clean as real decals, the paint technique works pretty well, and is easy. 

Todd- looking forward to your soda business!


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## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

I think they look GREAT! When I saw the subject, I was conjuering up ideas of wooden tank cars like used for vinegar or pickles. The whole idea reminds me that I was going to build a brewery. On second thought I have too many unfinished projects. Not to mention the honey-do list....


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

I am drinking a Woodchuck "Fall Cider" as I am reading this thread.....fitting!


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Glad I am helping you guys get your creative juices flowing....

Spule: We did the sweet cider thing, too much regulation for Grandpa with the harder stuff. Although he and his brother were making apple jack back during prohibition and that's how he got started making cider in the first place.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Interesting footnote to the story! 

We had a cider mill near where I lived as a child, nothing better than the start of fall, crisp air, pumpkins (to make pies later) and cider time.....


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## Webber (Sep 4, 2008)

I went up to Clyde's Cider Mill in Mystic Connecticut last week. It's doesn't have rail cars that I know of but I took pictures and digital video of the 1881 steam driven press and cider operations. They purchase apples from NY Sate. The apple crates would make a good load for a railroad. Clyde's has a small rail car on a strap and wooden rail to roll out the mashed apples after squeezing out the cider. The mash is hauled off and fed to pigs. 

Here's Clyde's web site for a preview - http://www.bfclydescidermill.com/galleries.htm- Web

PS If your interested I can post some pics and video here. (If somebody can explain how to post pics that'd help.)


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Webber on 10 Oct 2009 04:07 PM 
{snip...}[/i] PS If your interested I can post some pics and video here. (If somebody can explain how to post pics that'd help.)
Webber

Try the following link on the MLS FAQ page, the same tags also work on the regular editor used to create topics. 

Q6. How do I use the _Quick Reply Editor_ to post a reply?[/b]


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## Webber (Sep 4, 2008)

Thanks. Here's a pic of the 1881 steam engine at B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill in Mystic Connecticut.








- Web


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Webber

Max posted image width is limited to 800 pixels.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Great photo, caught it in the light in action. Interesting to have a stationary engine and a modern waterheater in the same pic. Thanks for posting!


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## Webber (Sep 4, 2008)

OK 
Here's B. F. Clyde's Cider Mill Building in Mystic Connecticut, photo taken in 2009. 








(Chimney is straight. Bending is due to camera and lens.)Cider wine and spirits are stared and sold from cellar on left side. Steam engine that drives the cider press is straight ahead near open wood door. Apples are delivered and stored in a building to the right. Mashed apples and trestle are on opposite side of building outside of this picture. 

Here's the small rail car for rolling mashed apples out of cider mill. They feed pigs with the mashed apples. It also keeps the bees further away from the cider operations. The cloth wrapped apple mash is stacked on the rail car and moved to the end of the trestle to be dumped into a open truck. The gray plastic box is used to store and keep cloths clean once the apple mash is shaken out of the cloths. Notice they use strap rail. The railcar is pushed by hand along the trestle. The stainless steel drum in the center of the photo is part of the pasteurizing equipment that the Mill was required to install a few years ago to comply with modern health regulations. 









Here's the trestle. Notice the barrels in the background. Clyde's used to ship apple cider in barrels. Also notice the wide planking at the end of the trestle. That's where the workers stand when they remove the cloth and apple mash from the small rail car. The rail car is pushed back to the Cider Mill once the mashed apples have been removed. 








I have additional interior and exterior photos if somebody wants to model this or use it as springboard for your own plans. 
-Web


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## Webber (Sep 4, 2008)

Boo.







My pics didn't show up.
Here's the links - 
B. F. Clyde's Cider Mill building taken in 2009
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4000549973/

Clyde's Cider Mill apple mash railcar - 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4000539251/

Clyde's Cider Mill trestle -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4001305416/ 

(try, try again)- Web


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## Webber (Sep 4, 2008)

Yeh. Also notice a stainless steel sink and fire extinguisher. You know the modern inspectors have had their impact on this old time business. We went up a few years ago and you should have heard the staff openly protesting and grumbling over pasteurizing the cider and using stainless steel tanks and stainless steel tubing for juice that just spills out of the press into open wooden vats before it goes to the new equipment. They had been in business for over 100 years without all this equipment and never made anyone sick. They wondered out loud why would they need pastuerization with a record like that? They do it, but they're not happy.









-Web


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## Webber (Sep 4, 2008)

Posted By Webber on 11 Oct 2009 09:01 AM 
OK 
Here's B. F. Clyde's Cider Mill Building in Mystic Connecticut, photo taken in 2009. 








(Chimney is straight. Bending is due to camera and lens.)Cider wine and spirits are stored and sold from cellar on left side. Steam engine that drives the cider press is straight ahead near open wood door. Apples are delivered and stored in a building to the right. Mashed apples and trestle are on opposite side of building outside of this picture. 

Here's the small rail car for rolling mashed apples out of cider mill. They feed pigs with the mashed apples. It also keeps the bees further away from the cider operations. The cloth wrapped apple mash is stacked on the rail car and moved to the end of the trestle to be dumped into a open truck. The gray plastic box is used to store and keep cloths clean once the apple mash is shaken out of the cloths. Notice they use strap rail. The railcar is pushed by hand along the trestle. The stainless steel drum in the center of the photo is part of the pasteurizing equipment that the Mill was required to install a few years ago to comply with modern health regulations. 









Here's the trestle. Notice the barrels in the background. Clyde's used to ship apple cider in barrels. Also notice the wide planking at the end of the trestle. That's where the workers stand when they remove the cloth and apple mash from the small rail car. The rail car is pushed back to the Cider Mill once the mashed apples have been removed. 








I have additional interior and exterior photos if somebody wants to model this or use it as springboard for your own plans. 
-Web


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Webber

The reason that your images didn't originally display, is because the URL that you used pointed to a page on flicker, which you should have placed as a hyperlink using the Forum Code URL tags.










I edited your post so the links pointed directly to the image on Flickr.

If you want to directly display the image in your reply, when on that Flickr page...
[*] Right-click the image
[*] Select & click the 'Properties' option.
[*] After the Properties Page displays, select and copy the text displayed in the field labeled Address (URL).
[*] Then paste the copied URL between the Forum Code image tags. 
[/list]










Also do remember that unless you have a PRO account with Flickr you do have a monthly bandwidth limit (i.e. 100MB/Month).


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## Webber (Sep 4, 2008)

Thsnks Steve. Still learnin' here. And stumbling.
- Web


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Webber on 11 Oct 2009 12:37 PM 







Thsnks Steve. Still learnin' here. And stumbling.
- Web
Not to worry guy, we all do that.


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## GrizzlyFlatsFan (Jan 5, 2008)

Mark and Web, you've got me all excited about having cider and donuts. And I have to drive quite a ways to get to cider mills here in Northern California. The best are at 'apple hill' near Sacramento.

However, next week I am flying back to Michigan to see the relatives and will be able to visit at least a couple of cider mills while I'm there. The two best are:

Franklin Cider Mill in Franklin Village has been around since 1837 and is my preferred source of cider.

http://www.franklincidermill.com/

My other favorite is Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills which has been around since 1863

http://www.yatescidermill.com/ 


I can hardly wait to have the fresh cider an hot cinnamon donuts.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Regarding the pasturization:

There was a story that got national attention in 1997 or 1998 in Connecticut. Someone got sick from e.coli and unpasturized cider was blamed. It turned out that it was NOT the cider but something else, completely unrelated to the cider that was the cause, but the damage was done. Our sales dropped off 30% that fall. Grandpa had a contract for only first pick apples for the cider, never drop apples (those on the ground). Schultz's complied with the New York State requirement by adding a 'flash' pasturization. This essentially did not change the cider but was effective in satisfying their requiurement. There is a big difference in taste between unpasturized and pasturized cider. Unfortunately, I have never felt compelled to seek out a new source for cider and just buy what Stauffer's of Kissel Hill sells. It is not bad, but it is not even close to Schultz's!! We used to dump the apple mash at the back of the property for the deer and other wildlife. They even spotted a rare white deer, and it used to make frequent visits. 

That cider mill in Mystic is cool!! Never know about that before!

One other side-side-side tangent to all this. At the open house last weekend, some relatives from the Schultz side of the family came over. We have never met them before and it was cool to connect. If we can convert them to train people, perhaps I will be painting more Schultz's equipment.


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