How to Prevent Jams in #97 Coal Elevator

[EIS2]

Has anyone come up with a good way to prevent, or greatly reduce jams in the #97 coal elevator? 

I am using larger coal which helps quite a bit, but I thought someone might have come up with something better.

Earl Staley

[cwburfle]

I'll be the first.
It's been years since I had a postwar Lionel #97 coal elevator set up.
I found that the door that opens to drop the coal was subject to frequest jamming.
Making certain that all the lumps of coal are large is the only fix of which I am aware.
Sorry.

 

[EIS2]

Thanks for the reply.

One other issue is my #97 coal loader is the newer model using a smooth running motor so the tray does not vibrate like the post-war coal loader.  As a result of the smooth operation, the tray does not vibrate enough to move the coal into the buckets. 

Any ideas on how to move the coal into the buckets other than pushing it with our fingers, as we do now?

Earl Staley

[sarpilot]

I cycle the switch on and off a few times which snaps the ramp up and down. That seems to shake the coal to the back near the buckets.