# LOADING DOCK CLUTTER



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

HEY guys


I am looking for Junk and crap to put on a loading dock.

Got any sources?

1:29 scale or what looks like 1:29th 

JJ


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Hi John, 

Old clocks, crap pocket watches, music boxes, tape decks, anything small and mechanical, have lots of gears and bits; maybe there's a thrift store or two near you? 

There are lots of 1:24 plastic vehicle kits, sometimes real cheap on Craigslist or Goodwill; maybe just use the unassembled parts? 

Sometimes old kitchen appliances have parts / gears that might look interesting (mixer, grinder, processor). Maybe flea markets & junk antique shops? Church rummage sales, garage sales? 

Just thinking out loud, 
Cliff


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

John,

Blocks of wood with stripwood bracing glued to them make dandy packing crates in various sizes. Cheap and easy and the prototypes come in an almost infinite variety of shapes and sizes. After all a loading dock serves to ship out goods not junk (usually) ;-) and those goods would be protected.

Also pallets are easy to make and you'll typically find several stacks of them on any self-respecting loading dock including a stack or so of damaged pallets.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Old PC, printer? Take them apart for junk to scatter around.


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## work4fil (Jan 4, 2008)

We have been buying up a lot of doll house furniture for my granddaughter's doll house. A lot of this stuff could pass for loading dock flotsam and jetsom. 

Fil


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Depends on what you're loading...


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Test... after submitting above post I was returned to the end of the thread, not the first page, this is a test to see if it happens twice... 

John 
edit ... nope back to top... roll the dice.


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## Nevadablue (Nov 18, 2013)

Hmmm...


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## Great Western (Jan 2, 2008)

I have two unloading depots. The first is a freight shed with unloading platform. I only have barrels (weighted) and resin packing cases plus a guy who need to be placed by a packing case in a fairly unmovable position. There is nothing which will rot or is lightweight. Wind will move lightweight objects and figures - usually onto the track! 


My second dock is an industrial dock and is more sheltered from the weather: it is also situated on its own spur so any moving by wind , animals, birds or weather does not cause issues to operation running. Near the industrial lead is a track leading into a short dead end tunnel. This gives a very small area for yard junk: plastic wheels, painted to similate rust, old ties and bits of metal junk which look like they have a railway connection.


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

TW John, your pic makes me wonder if it's possible to mass produce barrels by chucking a dowel in an electrical drill (as a "poor man's lathe") and using some sort of template to carve multiple profiles...


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Cliffy make one and cast halves....


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## TOM_1/20.3 (Mar 28, 2013)

Hobby lobby (also seen them cheap on eBay) has them in wood. Only need to paint them.

TOM


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Good call Tom, 9 barrels for $1.99: 
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products...ls-165175/

Bigger version, 3 for same $:
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products...ls-211391/

Ozark has 12 small ones for five bucks:
http://appliedimaginationinc.com/Sc...roduct=290


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Naw, cast the staves and make yer own.


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

That Heinz plant sure is receiving a lot of whisky!


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Whisky for pickles? Sounds like a good deal to me


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Posted By rlvette on 13 Jan 2014 05:23 PM 
Whisky for pickles? Sounds like a good deal to me Just add some Tabasco, and you got yourself a party!


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Lowes has wooden barrells in the bolt section in the metal drawers 
Dennis


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Probably not that readily available anymore, but when I used English Leather aftershave, I would "roll my own" barrels. It's good recycling.










Used thin model airplane plywood to cap the open end. The spike keg is an old Delton casting.

Have fun,
David Meashey


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Nice work David! 

These are small, but cool, and packaged for shipment: 
http://www.3000toys.com/catalog/detail.aspx?itemfind=CHOOCH7280 
http://www.3000toys.com/catalog/detail.aspx?itemfind=CHOOCH7281 
http://www.3000toys.com/catalog/det...CHOOCH7282
http://www.choochenterprises.com/html/new_products.html


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

I'll be danged Dennis, I was at Lowes today. When I passed the oddball hardware drawers, sure enough, g-scalish wooden barrels.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_423449-3767...amp;rpp=32









I cleaned 'em out, 3 packs of 4 for $7.44. 

They had drums also
http://www.lowes.com/pd_423475-3767...facetInfo=

Maybe not great for leaving out, but I figure once finished / sealed decently, good for flat car loads.


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## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

The wooden barrels CliffyJ found are also stocked by Michaels. 

http://tjstrains.com/956/better-looking-barrels/ 

Above is a how to article on sprucing them up. 










Best, 
TJ


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Excellent, thanks TJ! I figure'd someone had "helped" these barrels out, but you made them look much better than I had imagined.


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

What other items can we get and use for more clutter on Our layouts? 

More than barrels.... 

Clutter on boys!!!!! 

Dirk


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

The editing features are available again, so I will make one more attempt to edit my post above. If this works, will one of the moderators kindly delete the above two messages? Thank you.

"What other items can we get and use for more clutter on Our layouts?" 

Here are some of the places I have checked out, and some things I have used: Craft stores have large selections of miniatures that are used for shadow boxes and dioramas. Many of these items are too large or too small, but many are also "just right." 

If you are in a hobby store that also sells 1:24 vehicle kits and military or aviation models, check out what kind of details are offered for those things. Sometimes you may find great detail items that were made for sprucing up garage or military scenes. 

The same folks who make the turned barrels also make some nice wooden oil drums. Glossy enamel paint helps seal the wood. Many colors can be used, and you can probably find labels by searching "vintage oil drum labels." You can print the labels with a color printer, glue them to your drums, seal with another glossy clear finish, then have at them with weathering and a dull clear finish - or not - depending on how used you want them to be. I have also seen turned wooden milk cans. Some are too big, but others may work for our scales. Milk trains would stop and load hundreds of these milk cans on their way to city dairies - then reverse the process with the empties on their way back into the country. 

Stick your nose into toy stores. Some of the stuff made as playthings just may work as "loads" for the freight dock. If the store carries PlayMobil, check for extras sold in poly bags. PlayMobil crates and other small details can work well with just a little change of color or weathering. I used one of their longhorn skeletons as a detail on my last garden railroad.

Companies sometimes make cheap plastic replicas of their larger products to give away for advertising and as "desk ornaments." These tend to show up at flea markets and yard sales - usually for less than a dollar. Also check the kitchen section of department stores and cooking specialty stores for kitchen magnets. I have some very nice stoves and other appliances that were sold as kitchen magnets.

Another source are the miniatures sold for 1:24 dollhouses, but many of these can be quite pricy. Still, have a look around for items that may be on sale due to the line being discontinued - you never know. 

That's my $0.02,
David Meashey


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks David, I got your drift!!! 

Dirk


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

This is some great stuff....I hope more people contribute 

JJ


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Jj 
I just cant throw anything away without taking it apart and seeing if there is good junk there 
For example, I had an old patio umbrella, and took it apart and got two items that look like machinery turbines, a one gallon jug of Tide had a valve that sprayed looks like something technical, I found a store with 3 dollar pencil sharpeners that had shapes like stoves, small locos, hand cars, etc. As Randy said, old printers, lots of good items, etc 

Jerry from snowy Maryland


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I use whatever I can find that looks appropriate, or can be made to look appropriate.

Everyone has scrap PVC around (or its cheap). Cut it into sections and add a couple pieces of strip wood at the sides and you have a pyramid of pipes. This is especially good if you have a flat car(s) with a load of pipes on it and it can stop at the platform.

Got "almost nothing" to work with? Take a small box and a piece of tarp/cloth cut to fold over it like a package and cover it and you have a covered load that could be anything under there. I do this at my brewery to represent a big stack of beer boxes ready for transport.

My favorite is a big lump of glass that I found in the dirt when surveying an old glass manufacturer's site. When people ask about it, I tell them that is it to be placed in town and carved into the shape of a lizard.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Being older, we take a lot of drugs. Prescription drugs that is. Along with these drugs, I've acquired a collection of items that can be used on the layout. I have packets of moisture absorbent and some in round plastic containers that will make perfect water pails. B12 glass bottles will make perfect milk cans. As a society, we throw away tons of stuff everyday. A simple pop can painted and turned over makes a nice tank. How about an old key to your old house? It would make a great sign on front of your hardware store. straightened paper clips set outside to rust will make a nice pile of rebar.


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Oh and those cheap solar lights? They die after a year, and the metal pipe that comes with them for a stalk makes a great pipe load, I have 2 flatcars of them.


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## catherine yronwode (Oct 9, 2013)

What a splendid photo. 

I have a related question regarding loading docks:

I recently bought a very nice loading dock from Ten Wheeler Hobbies in Colorado Springs, and it came complete with crates, barrels, pallets, and ... sacks of potatoes and salt. 

I love the little sacks -- real cloth stuffed with polyester quilt batting -- but i have no idea how to use them outdoors. I am sure they would mould, rot, and decay very quickly if kept outside for more than a day or two. 

Can they be plasti-coated in any way? 

Or do you have to bring them in every night, then get up in the morning, haul them to the depot, and set them out? 

And if you do have to set them out, how to you keep them tacked down to prevent their scattering whenever a gust of wind blows up?


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Catherine;

I no longer have a permanent track outdoors. When I did, I usually only set items like that out for open houses or operating days.

I even learned the hard way that enamel paint does not necessarily protect those nice little turned wood oil drums. Also, certain plastic detail items may not necessarily be UV light resistant. Preiser, Pola, and Piko items seem to hold up the best.

Even had a Kalamazoo freight platform that was advertized as "suitable for indoor or outdoor layouts" warp badly and come unfastened. I had to rebuild it using wood screws and treat it with a water seal.

Hope this helps,
David Meashey


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## Mike Paterson (Dec 27, 2007)

Catherine, I have used a number of cloth products for multiple years by spay painting them with a clear uv acrylic. I re-spray coat them every 2 or 3 years. The items are left outside for three to five months at a time during the summer. I bring them in for our winters which are rain wet. None of my items are placed where they a struck by sprinklers or mist irrigation. Hope this is of some help.
Mike


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Times have changed, the older photos I like don't have clutter. You don't see trash and little is left out.
I know you want to set the scene, but my shots are action shots. We work ... well 'they do' on my rr!


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## Homo Habilis (Jul 29, 2011)

Well, who knew that Phoebe Snow the singer named herself after the Lackawwana character? It certainly never occurred to me. Thanks for that.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

They burned a cleaner coal and ol' Phoebe was their advertising pitch, she was always dressed in white.... fictional gal of course.


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## Mike Flea (Apr 8, 2014)

I saved old spools from thread, they make great cable spools, you'd find them on loading docks and around power plants or warehouses. 35mm film cans, and the plastic ones make decent 55 gal barrels, cut them in half lengthwise, they can be used for hog or cattle troughs.


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## catherine yronwode (Oct 9, 2013)

Mike Paterson -- or anyone --

How do you feel about *Krylon #1311 Matte Finish*?

Can you name any brand of clear UV spray that you like better?

Thanks.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Totalwrecker said:


> They burned a cleaner coal and ol' Phoebe was their advertising pitch, she was always dressed in white.... fictional gal of course.



She was a sales pitch....


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I am slowly collecting stuff. I got some barrels which will have to be painted. I have some gears. and a couple of small wooden blocks that can me crates. If you look in my other thread in Tracks Trestles and road bed you can see my progress on the base for the building that I am collecting loading dock clutter for.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Since you asked the question I've been searching for dock clutter. Nope, nadda nunski Actually docks were kept clean, even litter was picked up.
Most of the picks I saw with clutter were models!

Note the first pic, both cars are jacked up and tilted towards the dock, I think loose fruit is vacuumed out. Also are water monitors to wash out cars... There's a brace for the far wheels so the cars tilt and don't slide off.
John


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Those are interesting pictures John. Thanks for posting. 

JJ


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Totalwrecker said:


> Since you asked the question I've been searching for dock clutter. Nope, nadda nunski Actually docks were kept clean, even litter was picked up.
> Most of the picks I saw with clutter were models!
> 
> Note the first pic, both cars are jacked up and tilted towards the dock, I think loose fruit is vacuumed out. Also are water monitors to wash out cars... There's a brace for the far wheels so the cars tilt and don't slide off.
> John


Have to disagree with you, John. All but the 1st photo shows Loading Dock "Clutter"... and I don't think those are photo of models (but I have been fooled before!  )
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planks on the dock (probably used to bridge between the dock and a car being loaded/unloaded), 
--
product and packaging from shipments that were removed from a car and not moved to the warehouse or to another car (yet).
--
packing material from between product in a car.
--

Granted, there does not seem to be "trash" (gum wrappers, empty bottles, paper, etc., i.e.: non-product), but there is lots of "clutter".


I remember some loading docks I saw as a kid and there would be lots of "stuff" all over them, sometimes needing to be relocated to make room to service the next train... I definitely remember seeing some huge gears (probably for a farm Steam Traction Engine) with nothing around them for crating or packaging, but only a big red tag wired to the rim with the delivery address written on it.

And if you look closely at image 3, that building in the background has a back-dock that is LOADED with "stuff" that apparently didn't fit in the building.

I don't remember ever seeing a box car (or any RR car) tipped like that! That is a new one on me! I wonder what that car carried?


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

JJ requested clutter so I gave most that I found, the other 99% never got shown..... I guess I should have pointed that out so as not to Fool anyone. lol

The caption with the tilted cars mentioned unloading lemons.

I found your gear!

John


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm in a posting mood... these stick mostly to the theme....
John


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