Walthers Cornerstone
Empire Gas Works - Cornerstone Series(R) - Kit

Coke Retort - Overall 17 x 22 x 14" 42.5 x 55 x 35cm
Walthers Part # 933-2910, p. 425 Walthers 2012 HO Scale Reference
HO scale, $98.98, not currently in stock at Walthers, Expected: Unknown

Some dealers have received this item from Walthers in the past. Click here for a listing.

 
For over a century, the gas works was a fixture of American cities and towns. Long before natural gas and electricity were common, these facilities generated "coal gas" to power street lamps, home appliances and industrial machinery.
 
The gas was actually a byproduct, made by baking coal to produce coke. Running night and day, a variety of fascinating machinery and structures were needed, along with plenty of rail service and now modeling these facilities is easy, with a brand-new collection of HO Scale Cornerstone Series kits from Walthers.
 
Typical of buildings found at gas works everywhere, each has been engineered for easy assembly and to fit almost any layout. Decal signs and complete instructions are included too.
 
To bake coal at the high temperatures required to produce gas, a special structure known as a retort was used. This consisted of several huge vertical ovens built side-by-side. While designs varied to meet the needs of each operation, newer plants sometimes had a large metal storage building above the ovens. This provided space for a machinery house to power supply conveyors, as well as huge storage bins where coal could be delivered to each oven by gravity as needed. Between these structures, a series of pipes collected gas and other byproducts.
 
With its detailed brick and steel parts, this unique structure says "heavy industry" in any scene. The kit includes ovens, overhead building, covered conveyor and additional details.