Coaling Station

[jacon12]

On the layout, would it be correct to place this coaling station on top of my foambase, or would it be more correct to try and get its plastic base flush or even with the foam? Also, would it be correct or common to use roadbed under the track or do away with it? I know that some people cut away the built in track area completely.

Jarrell

[orsonroy]

I'd eliminate the base entirely, and build a new foundation and beam footings out of styrene or balsa. Of course, just gluing the base onto the foam and hiding the seam with ground cover would work too.

If the coal dock's on the mainline, use roadbed. If it's in a servicing facility, don't bother.

[SpaceMouse]

I would leave it on until my track plans were finalized. And take it off at the last minute when it is ready to be glued in place--and doing the landscaping a details at the same time.

[rrinker]

I assume you'll have a track on the other side as well - because that's the side where the loco tenders get loaded. The front side on the picture is the side where coal gets dumped to be loaded into the tower.

--Randy

[NZRMac]

Love that hopper!! What brand? I have 22 Bachmann silver series, got them cheap and they run really nice.

Ken.

[jacon12]

Ok thanks for the information. Yes, there will be another track on the opposite side, Randy. Those small extra pieces in the kit evidently are for a chute on that side. A question though is, how did they get the out of the hopper into the tower. I'm assuming by hand, loading it into the buckets which lifted it up. God, what a job.
I think the hopper is a Walthers, but I'm not sure right now.
Jarrell

[Anonymous]

The grey bit of plastic under the (current) tracks in your picture may have a pit modelled. If so, the hopper simply dumps the coal in the pit, and the bucket hoists the coal into the tower.

If not, it is not unreasonable to think that it was done by hand. A lot of work we think should be done by machine was in fact done by hand in the pass.

Just think - most of the original construction on North America's railroads was done by guys with shovels and horses with little dump carts. And a handfired coal loco might go through 10 tons of coal in a shift - all shovelled by hand...!

Andrew