Coal Era

[jlcjrbal]

As always guys ask a question and get loads of answers and some damn good reading... I will keep you posted when I start adding scenery.. It has been almost 2 years doing track work as well as fixing some bad sections on my layout. I picked up a hot foam cutter at the last show in Baltimore so I am ready to start a mnt and some tunnels. You guys are the best.. J

[Virginian]

Uh Dave, I think you are a little off in your beliefs.  I believe NS set a record hauling coal to Lamberts Point in the late 1980s or early 1990s of over 3 million tons a month, therefore I do not think coal mining, usage, or sales was exactly dying in the 1950s.  They may have broken that but I am not where I hear the news anymore.  The majority of electricity generated in the U.S. today comes from coal.  Sit by the NS or CSX mainlines to the ports in Eastern VA and you might be real surprised.

[CSX_road_slug]

Wayne, what is that peice of equipment in the last photo on your post,please?

I'm not sure what the correct name for them is: I call them unloaders.  Walthers makes them, ... 

Here's a link, Walthers has them on sale now: http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3520

 

[selector]

I always enjoy seeing examples of your work, DocW.  Very nice.

-Crandell

[doctorwayne]

reklein

Wayne, what is that peice of equipment in the last photo on your post,please?

I'm not sure what the correct name for them is: I call them unloaders.  Walthers makes them, and also the loaders, or elevators, that were often used in conjunction with them.  Heres a better view:

 

And one of the elevators:

 

The prototypes of both were powered by small gasoline engines, and are actually portable conveyors.  In the photos, they're being used to transfer coal from the hopper to the truck, although many operations involved shovel jockeys at one or both ends of the operation.  They were used for almost any suitable commodity shipped in bulk.

Wayne

[Anonymous]

Some of us want it both ways or three... Coal Mine, Coal Dealer and ship excess downriver in a barge.

[Cederstrand]

Real nice work, Wayne. Thanks for sharing it. Will send those links to my syblings (also train nuts).  Rob

[reklein]

Wayne, what is that peice of equipment in the last photo on your post,please?

[doctorwayne]

Thanks for the kind words, Stein.  Here are a couple of links if you'd like to see more.  The first one is to a Layout (room) tour... which gives an overview of the layout.

The second one contains a bunch of links to different photo threads:

A fresh update...

Anybody on dial-up should be warned:  Photo Intensive!

Wayne

[steinjr]

I model the opposite end of the coal industry:  dealer distribution.

 Hi Wayne --

 I suddenly had a flashback to a scene from a movie called "Wayne's World" I saw a very, very long time ago - I am tempted to bow before you and start chanting : "We are not worthy, we are noth worthy!"

 Very nice modelling!

 Grin,
 Stein

 

[Dave-the-Train]

That's a model of a coal mine that once existed in British Columbia.  Jack Work did a construction article on it a half-century (give or take a few years) ago.

Please say it was only 40 years ago!    I'm not that old! 

I'm pretty sure that it was mid 60s... not that it really matters

[doctorwayne]

I model the opposite end of the coal industry:  dealer distribution.

 

Wayne

[Dumptheair]

Actually late steam early diesel is generally considered the 1950-1956 time frame which is actually towards the end of the coal era.  Coal production and sales was on a rapid decline during those years and was really in its deaththroes by the 1960's.

 

Yes and no, as Anthrcite dried up, so did the railroads who carried it (LNE, NYO&W, CNJ and LV later on) but coal down south boomed again in the 70's and is still a strong presence. 

[SpaceMouse]

The first one looks like th AHM model--which is fairly availible on eBay. Not too common a mine type in the real world. THe second looks to be scratch built, but I could be wrong.

[dehusman]

The tracks under a coal mine don't necessarily have to be straight, its just the Jack Work mine building is designed for straight tracks.  most of the other models are designed for a stretch of straight track under the tipple.

So you can do it, it just might take some kitbashing.

Dave H.

 

[jlcjrbal]

 

Here is another photo a bit smaller but I see about having to have straight track... I will work it out and mabey I can use two tracks  on straight to make room for this and the other curved to ge to another level  which is my main goal ( Don't tell the wife )  J

[jlcjrbal]

I guess I would need to see an above photo of this type of building to see exactly where the train goes.

[tomikawaTT]

That's a model of a coal mine that once existed in British Columbia.  Jack Work did a construction article on it a half-century (give or take a few years) ago.

The tracks alongside the sort building have to be straight, but there's nothing to say that they can't be on the outside of a curved main line.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with two coal mines NOT similar to the above)

[dehusman]

Actually late steam early diesel is generally considered the 1950-1956 time frame which is actually towards the end of the coal era.  Coal production and sales was on a rapid decline during those years and was really in its deaththroes by the 1960's.

Actually its very simple, virtually any brick or frame building is usable.  buildings like "tip-ups" would be out of place.  All the Walther's modulars, all of the built ups, all the gold ribbon bldgs, all the kits except the Medusa Cement and Black Gold Asphalt, magic Pan bakeries, lakeville Warehousing, Peterson Tool specialties, and auto plant.  All the Laserkit structures.  all the atlas structures, all the Laser Art buildings .  All the Bachmann buildings except the contemporary house and the Drive in hamburger stand.  All the BTS buildings.  all the Bar Mills building.  All the Blair line and Campbell Scale Models.  All the City clasics and DPM.  All the Model power.  Pikestuff is late '50's or later.  All Smalltown.  Doing the 1970's or the 1800's is much harder.  The manufactuers generally don't realize railroads existed before the 1920's.

Dave H.

[jlcjrbal]

 

I am looking for coal mine buildings like this one.... do you think I could do this on a curve

[mobilman44]

Hi,

That's a very broad question.  Could you narrow it down a bit.  In other words, are you interested in RR property that dealt with coal used for engine fuel, or with coal mines, or buildings that burnt coal as heating fuel, etc.  Also, what timeframe are you after, and what scale do you model.

With that info and whatever else you can provide, I suspect you will get more answers than you would believe!

ENJOY,

Mobilman44

[jlcjrbal]

Looking for on on line info on buildings that were used during the coal era . Modeling in HO with late steam early desiel   J