Sugar beets stored for animal feed (above and below) as the closest sugar mill is too far away for convenient transport, Vemmetofte, Denmark, 2009.
Sugar beets began to be developed in the mid-18th century as a substitute for tropical plantation-grown sugar cane. This gave northern counties a sugar substitute when economic conditions or wartime blockades made cane sugar uneconomic or unavailable.
Countries such as Canada may be partially self-sufficient through growing sugar beets in areas such as Taber, Alberta, while others, such as the USA, depend very heavily on sugar from corn (maize).
Both sugar beets and corn may be transported by rail, typically in open wagons, but are more often transported by road. However a narrow gauge steam or early diesel locomotive powered line would be a reasonable addition to a freelance European or Canadian prairie railway.
- Betteravia, CA (USA): An example of sugar beets delivered to the mill by rail in open gondolas.
- Sugar Museum, Denmark: History of the Danish sugar industry (plantation cane and beet).
- Canadian Sugar Institute: Canadian sugar industry.
- Goto: Beet Harvest Rich with Sweet Ironies, Guardian Weekly, 15-21 January 2004
- Wilson, Jeff (2008). The Model Railroader's Guide to Industries Along the Tracks 3, Kalmbach, 87 pp, colour illustrations. History and operation of several industries including the North American sugar beet factories: Ethanol, Cement, Sugar Beets, Canning (Seasonal), Team Tracks & Transloading, Trailers & Containers. Good, albeit brief, history and general operation, limited modelling details.
last updated: 2/11/09.