I am building my new railroad in limited space. I have a curved track as the main at the bottom of a mountain and a curved siding only 5-6" away with mountain behind. I have a mostly built 10 stamp mill I would like to use here but not sure how if real would work, not enough room to run it to top of mill so ore would have to come from mine there. Open to other ideas too, era late 1930's.
On a recent layout tour, one which I visited had a large, scratchbuilt stamp mill on the side of a mountain, with the adit for the mine on the mountainside above the mill. The only rail service there was at the lower part of the mill, where the refined ore was loaded into boxcars.
That seems to me to be similar to the set-up which you're planning to create.
There's a view of the stamp mill, with its roof in place, but with the surrounding scenery not yet completed, at the 2:43 point of this VIDEO
There are also some pictures of the interior of the mill to be seen HERE - simply scroll down a few images to see them.
The layout owner and modeller has had his layout featured in MR several times, so you may be able to find more photos in the MR archives.
Wayne
nice layout, almost went to that scale but not a large space to work with and have everything I need in HO.
Hello All,
The Paris Mill, up Buckskin Gulch from our town, was supplied by aerial cable cars from the surrounding mines high up on the valley walls.
Ore buckets from the mines on opposite sides of the valley came into the mill and were unloaded via a circular dump system.
These mines were owned by the same company so it was not necessary to separate the ore.
After being processed the ore was transported to the nearby smelter here in Alma.
From there the ingots were shipped by train to Denver and points east.
If you have modeled the mountain a series of aerial tramways could be modeled on the slopes above to supply the mill.
Many of these aerial tramways utilized support towers that consisted of an "A" frame with the cable support arms in a "T" configuration from the top of the "A". Much like modern high-tension power line towers- -only smaller.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
jjdamnitThe Paris Mill, up Buckskin Gulch from our town, was supplied by aerial cable cars from the surrounding mines high up on the valley walls. Ore buckets from the mines on opposite sides of the valley came into the mill and were unloaded via a circular dump system.
I was told that the technology for ski chair lifts and trams came from the mining industry. This video, with a lot of wind noise supports that theory. It may also give you some modeling ideas, althought the tram is long gone.
Probably a copyrighted photo:
https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/shenandoah-dives-mill
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
BigDaddyI was told that the technology for ski chair lifts and trams came from the mining industry.
.
It all looks easier to construct than long conveyor belts. Interesting video.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 It all looks easier to construct than long conveyor belts.
It all looks easier to construct than long conveyor belts.
Probably be easier than a big wooden trestle. The supports could be done with a jig, and the height of each is not as critcial as bridge bents. If you google you can find pics of miners riding the buckets up the mountain.
I see some S scale tram bucket on Shapeways but nothing as good in HO. I say nothing, but I find searches on Shapeways return far too many hits.
Visually I think it would be very interesting, but I don't think they used those for the Appalachian coal country I model.
As a current ski & snowboard instructor that doesn't surprise me at all.
Some of the old tramways still standing above the London Mill and Leavick Mill resemble early ski lift towers.
The difference being the old mine towers were made of wood while the early ski lift towers were made of metal.
There are trails that access the mines and bunkhouses above the Paris Mill. These trails were probably established early on in the mine's history. They follow the ridgelines of the valley walls and are several miles long.
Once the aerial tramways were established the miners rode in the ore buckets to get to the sites high above saving many hours of hiking above 10,000-feet.
jjdamnitAs a current ski & snowboard instructor
Man, that sounds like a fun job to have.
SeeYou190Man, that sounds like a fun job to have.
That's what everybody tells me!
But the reality is quite different.
That's why I have a hobby!!!