real coal for a road bed

[chad tm5000/trainstation]

did anyone out there do a coal road bed for a g scale layout for the garden. im planning the track this week and if you got the pointers im prepared thanks. oh by the way its af fine grit from a real train im not hammering the coal i have a couple fellows that truely work for the railroad. so what do you think if i put plastic border to keep it in place then put pressure the waight of me before the track. i want to go all natual with this. let me know what you think thanks chad

[Great Western]

 

I have never used coal as a bed.  I have used real coal in a coaling stage (basically a large bunker type that would be used on a shortline or Heritage railroad),

As a load for a gondola or hopper I have used charcoal: it is much lighter in weight.

[two tone]

Hi    I would not use coal, I use 5mm grit and find that is suitable plus the botton layer i glue down this helps when birds scatch it about they do not disturb the basic track layout. So once a year I just top it up.

[ttrigg]

I looked into coal and found it had one major shortfall. When I beat it up with a hammer it had a somewhat uniform shape (many different sizes of course). Because of its crystalline structure it had a "boxy" shape. Crusher fines have a "wedge" type of shape. The pointed (sharp) edges of crusher fines allow it to "interlock" and form a stable roadbed. Coal, with its "boxy" shape did not stabilize very well and soon (3~5 months) it rolled away from the roadbed. I definitely liked the color of the coal roadbed, but did not care for the extra maintenance. That was before I found "Stabilizer ä " see "Gravel Glue" thread for lengthy discussion.

[kstrong]

 I wouldn't use it for ballast, but If you've got a good source for good coal, you can bag it and sell it, making enough to pay for proper crusher fines.

Later,

K