According to the list of Industries Served by the CB&Q on the BRHS website (http://burlingtonroute.com/docs/route/industries.html) Heileman Brewing in La Crosse received diatomaceous earth, carbon dioxide, and corn syrup by rail.
Diatomaceous earth is listed as an inbound commodity for the other breweries on the list as well, and also the sugar plants. Does anyone know how this came into the breweries? My first thought was possibly in HC-1 covered hoppers since they carried a lot of clay and betonite. The CB&Q LO-7's were also used to carry clay. Nut I don't see anything in any of my wheel reports on covered hoppers carrying diatomaceous earth. Interestingly, there is a GN 40' boxcar carrying "EARTH" that is going to OLIMATCHE (Oling Mathieson Chemicals) in Joliet. Since diatomaceous earth is often used as a filter material, it makes sense that it would be used in the chemical industry
and breweries. I also got to thinking that because of it nature it may have been shipped bagged in box cars. Can anyone confirm?
The carbon dioxide is a standard commodity for all the breweries on the CB&Q industries list. Would that have come in by cryogenic tank car? BLI recently released a cryogenic tank car and I have one coming in. Was hoping that the brewery might be the spot for cryogenic CO2 deliveries!
COrn syrup I would imagine came in in tank cars, but does anyone know what type(s) of tank cars might have been used in the mid- to late-60's for corn syrup delivery to breweries?
Finally, as an FYI, the breweries also all received grits. I can confirm from wheel reports that grits bound for Hamm's brewery we carried on the Q in CB&Q HC-3 3219 cu ft PS-2 3-bay covered hoppers. So that one I have covered!
Tom Mack
Cincinnati, OH