New to list so apologies if info is out there.
Does anyone have plans for building a steam-era trackside coal conveyor? Am frustrated as I can't find product nor plans. If you do, would make a great GR article.
I think there are scale plans in an old issue of Model Railroader. I was doing a search for "coal" through my MR database, and I (somewhat) recall finding plans for a coal conveyor - unfortunately, I was looking for coal mine plans at the time, so I didn't pay much attention. You could probably find photos and build a model from those - those old conveyors weren't very complex, and the model could easily be built from styrene strip and sheet (or brass, if you want a finer, more detailed model.)
Modeling the Pennsy and loving it!
Thx for the reply. However, I'm not skilled enough to eyeball a construction. I definitely need some guidance.
Coal (commonly known a belt) conveyors are not complicated devices. They consist generically of channel steel stringers with angle diagonal cross bracing, built into parallel trusses. Some will have a walkway on the side and/or hoop style covers over the belt. Belt widths will vary from as small a 24" wide to as wide as 96". The most common widths in coal conveyance are in the 36" to 54" range. A search on the net for 'conveyor idlers' should produce a plethora of manufacturers, many will have online catalogs of idlers. A 35 degree angle idler is by far the most common. With out a bit more knowledge of what type of facility you are trying to model, it is hard to go any further. A search for 'belt conveyors' will get you another plethora of information on belt conveyors in general (including on link to a program for sizing them) which might better help in determining what it is you are trying to represent.
Bob C.
Attempting to model a simple trackside conveyor that would load coal onto the tender. What would power such a conveyor in the early 20th century? A gasoline engine?
Probaqbly something like this, through about early 1920's in major yards, to late 1930's in minor yards. This is a quick sample of "single lung" engines, from "suitcase size" like this one to near the current SUV size. All depend on the momentum created by the massive flywheel. Some yards would use a multi-tasking Fairbanks-Morris steam tractor for heavy lift and pulling jobs.
Tom Trigg
Assuming that you are going to model this as a fixed location conveyor, most likely it would have been electric motor driven with the motor on the head pulley (top of the conveyor). Keep in mind that the vertical rise can only be about 15 degrees, which will make your conveyor rather long for loading locomotive tender. The limitation on the rise is due to any steeper and the coal will tend to 'run' back down the conveyor before it reaches the tender.
I have found a Walthers HO scale model of the type of "old time" coal conveyor I've been planning. (My line is a logging RR, which means almost anything is believably prototype.) I plan to use this model as a basis, using parts as a template and scaling up to F gauge. What's missing is the drive power but I'll worry about that next. Thanks to all who responded with tips.
Get the Garden Railways newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month