simulating coal loads

[doctorwayne]

I run my hoppers and steam loco tenders with "live" loads, using either locomotive traction grit (used instead of sand on the prototype):

or coke breeze, a by-product of the industrial coke-making process:

The traction grit is heavy (that loaded Athearn 2-bay hopper weighs 8 ounces) and is slightly magnetic, but it's very clean, with no dust.  The coke breeze is somewhat lighter, but extremely dirty, with lots of dust as it's poured into or out of cars.  Operationally, though, I've had no problems with either.  For loco tenders, I prefer the coke breeze, as it looks good when it spills out of the bunker and onto the tender deck:

While not for everyone, I enjoy the challenges of working with "live" loads, and have had no problems using them.

Wayne

[cowman]

I use foam scraps too, but I attach a washer to the top of the load (used latex caulk) while shaping the load.  It makes it so that the load can be lifted out with a magnetic pick up tool, available at your local auto parts store.  Also, I put saran wrap in the hopper, push the foam in, paint it with black latex paint (full strength) and sprinkle coal (brand and texture of your choice) on the wet paint.  The saran wrap keeps the paint and coal from going down on the sides of the foam and making it difficult to put into the car.  After th paint dries I throw the saran wrap away, and the loads fit very nicely.

Have fun,

[twhite]

For the most part, I use the Chooch Enterprises coal loads and file them when necessary to fit into the gondolas I use (I run Rio Grande during the time when most of their coal was loaded into drop-bottom gondolas).  They add sufficient weight, and if they need highlighting, I use either WS or Model Power real coal sprinkled on over a coating of white glue.  Works for me. 

For my brass loco tenders I use carved extruded foam painted with water-based black paint, then sprinkled with the same coal over white glue. 

Tom

[Kenfolk]

Several good ideas in this thread. In n-scale, I covered scrap styrofoam with the adhesive friction strip material available for stairs, etc., and available from hardware stores, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. It was leftover from a d-i-y project on my truck. 

 

[maxman]

I use that blue insulation board that I cut to rectangular size on my tablesaw, cut the slope sheet angles on my bandsaw, shape a little, paint black on top, and spread scale coal into fresh black paint.  Although out of focus, the following two pictures should give you an idea of the finished product.  Note that I model a more modern era, so the coal would be a little finer and dumped into the cars with a flood loader.

 

[Packer]

I use dense styrofoam, shaped with coarse files or sand paper, then painted.

I haven't put woodland scenics coal on it because I think it looks good as it is. I also put a piece of metal underneath them, and use crap material to raise it if nessiscary.

BTW, I weatherred that car, and it's on epay since it doesn't fit my era.

[nbrodar]

I use scraps of pink foam, leftover from my layout.  Some black or dark gray craft paint and WS medium cinder ballast.

Nick

[wedudler]

I've placed under the load a piece of steel.

The coal is from Walthers.

Wolfgang

[wm3798]

I use soft foam rubber, the kind that comes in computer packages, or as weather stripping for a window a/c unit.  I cut it to size, trim it to shape with scissors, and spray it to represent soft coal (flat black) hard coal (gloss black) or ore (a reddish brown)  I also have a lot of the mfr. supplied plastic loads... sooner or later I'll do Dave's trick, but not today...

I've also used yellow foam rubber with sawdust glued on for my wood chip loads.

The big advantage of foam rubber as a base is it's flexible enough to pull out without having to handle the car.

Lee

[kcoyle]

Hi,

     Thank you all for the replies.

 Kevin

[Dave Vollmer]

I used to buy really nice expensive cast plaster coal loads...

...but now I just glue Woodland Scenics coal to the cheesey plastic coal load that comes with car, using dilluted white glue.  Quite effective.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

These days I leave them as they are. Years back I'd put a block of foam rubber in the hopper and top it with WS mine run lump coal.

[loathar]

I use those blocks of green floral foam. Cut and sand them to the desired shape. Spray paint an appropriate coal or ore color and then glue coal or ore to them.

 

[kcoyle]

Hi,

  I am curious how some folks simulate a load of coal in their open hoppers?  I have seen the plastic tops that go into the open hopper that already have the mounds casted in .  If anyone uses then do you do anything to them to make them look a bit more realistic?

 

  Thanks,

   Kevin Coyle