(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

OT- Grain Elevator Demolition

J

JMS/.MN

Well-known Member
Local elevator being demoed. Outside walls are 2x8 laid flat, nailed together; inside walls are 2x4, 2x6 nailed flat. White Case 2470 is the one I installed a Cummins 855 into in the 90s. Sold it to the demo guy about 5 years ago.
IMG_8564.jpg

ElevatorDemo2.jpg
 
Always sad to see 'em go; there were 3 elevators in our little town. Two of 'em split about 95% of the business. The tanks are still standing, but 2 of 'em are totally out of business and I'm not sure about the 3rd one. Farmers have all bought tractor-trailers and haul to the river (Mississippi), instead of the bob-trucks that almost everyone used 10 years ago. The basis between town and the river used to be about 20 cents and the elevators didn't make much more than the 'hauling'; seems their real money was in manipulating (blending) the tare and moisture content.
 
Rubber tire tractors for demolition? I bet a lot of the wood could have been salvaged as it's probably way higher quality than new lumber.
 
Oh yeah. The quality of old growth in those places can't be found in the woods anymore. When they tore down my grandfather's milk plant- really just the ice house and boiler room- it made the locals about 3 little houses, 5-6 garages and who knows how many chicken coops and porches. And that was the good stuff, years worth of kindling for everyone around too. The tin on that elevator must have paid for the whole deal. Once people have to haul grain to town with a team again, they will need a new elevator, then put the tracks back to the barge docks, etc etc. Invent the 1890's all over again.
 
I did not see how it came down, (3 times as high as what you see here) but I know that "fast freddie" is not known for getting permits....gas station owner across the street almost got crushed since the bldg shifted in demo, and could have crossed the street...I know FF had two front end (Cat)loaders (tipping?)on one side,...maybe cables to the 4wd tractors on the other side? When I talk to my buddy, I"ll get the whole story. BTW- history....family that built/operated the elevator for years....5 brothers built the elevators in 5 towns along 50-60 miles of railroad many years ago- controlled all grain sales down the line since the early part of the 1900s.
 
BTW- he was taking one tire off a Cat loader on sunday when I took the pix....I assume it was flat!
 
Sad to see those old "prairie giants" go! We travelled across Saskatchewan last fall. Saw lots of those old elevators, the Reynolds museum in Wetaskiwin, AB has a working reproduction. At one point I saw one on the horizon. 9-1/2 miles later I reached it. Think of farming in 1910, leaving your farm for the elevator you can see in the distance, knowing it will take you all day with a team of horses to deliver your grain and come home.
 
How'd he ever get the contract to take them down without, insurance, compensation or any permits. Seems like he doesn't know what he's doing.
 
I agree about there being a waste of good lumber, however one does need to keep in mind that the wood no doubt had decades and perhaps a century of pesticides used in, on, and around, which very likely soaked into the wood to a degree.
 
They "got 'er done" only a few miles from my farm yesterday with a LOT less effort... simply a match or two. Called it a fire training exercise.

My late Uncle was an electrician and strung literally thousands of feet of wire in that place. I crawled in places best left unimagined helping him do that in my younger days!

<img src = "http://i51.tinypic.com/2i1cfux.jpg">

<img src = "http://i54.tinypic.com/eqzapt.jpg">
Agate ND elevator goes away Photos by Pastor Rick
 
I watched a couple elevator fires. One along the main line from Fargo to Grand Forks toppled over across the railroad tracks. When the fire burned out, the rails were standing about 4 feet above the roadbed! Took the railroad a while to repair that.
 
Kinda sad. I remember two elevator fires in Rolette when I was a kid. They make a pretty impressive fire. I think (doesn't sound right but it's what I remember) the second one they had a crew from MAFB that responded. That's about 100 miles away.
 
Come to think of it, There was also a fire that burned down Moline's store and Benny's bar. Seems Rolette had a lot of fires when I was a kid. Kinda suspicious for a town of (at that time) around 700 people.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

G
OT- Air Conditioner unit relay
Replies
10
Views
2K
Sweating in Florida
S
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top