Suggestions for very small ore train wanted.

[Anonymous]

Well, I have put together a very small 12 car ore set from walthers complete with loads. I have a schema where the mine is in a high area and the track will take these ore cars down a "switchback" to the river dock below for loading into a barge to send down river.

I have two options I can use a Heisler or a Spectrum Decapod. Is a set of 4 ore cars too much weight on a HO 3% grade? I would assume that they are loaded going down with the engine first and empty back up.

I am asking for suggestions regarding which of these two engines would be suited to this work? I happen to be in one of those "Writers...*Ahem.. Planner's Block and cannot decide which to use. I have a very big 2-8-8-2 coming sometime next year that may do the job very well but may make the train look too small.

For other traffic there is really none besides Coal and Logging products comeing from that same area.

[Anonymous]

What geographical area are you interested in and what size ore cars did you get? For practical HO purposes, I don't think you need to worry about your 3% grade being too steep for a 4 car train but you might lay out a few sections of flex track on a long board and put your loco to the test.

In my area of New York State, there were a few busy iron mines using relatively light locomotives since the loads were generally traveling downhill.The Crown Point Iron Company used 2-6-0s primarily in the early days. I believe the Lake Champlain & Moriah used little 2-6-2 Mikados to bring ore down to the furnaces & ore dock. Breaking capabilities of the cars were more of a factor it seems than the size of the loco. They pulled 10 to 50 ton cars, often mixed in the same train as the smaller cars had better braking capability relative to capacity than the bigger 50 ton cars. The little locos pulled perhaps 7 or more loaded 50 tonners with 10 or so 10 ton "Jimmies" down the mountain sides. I know this to be true as I've seen photos of a runaway wreck of just this consist.

Can't say I've seen any sign geared locos were used for hauling ore in these parts though they were the favorites of the loggers.

I'd go with the Decapod, though even that might be overkill for your short train if you're using small-capacity ore cars. Send your Heisler up into the woods for logs and use that giant you have on order for your heavy freights over the mountains.

Wayne

[Fergmiester]

This is an 8% incline and I usually have 2-6-0 or 2-8-0 make the run. Six cars can be hauled up the hill but with some slippage.

This picture shows an Athearn 2-8-2 hauling 5 log carriers and a caboose. The "Mike" doesn't care for the tight elevated curve.



a 3% incline is not as severe as you may think as my main line has a 5% incline.

Regards
Fergie

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your posts, I spent quite sometime last night on the net looking over Iron ore and related information. I am struck by how many smaller engines than the decapod are working the eastern Ores.

I probably will have the Decapod bring it down in sets of 4. Air Capacity and Braking power apparently is very important. I am also not too worried about the HO 3% as my BLI heavy Mike can run 15 cars up that grade.

I think the Heisler will go to the Logging area, it would be a while before I generate the actual construction as I am still planning the trackwork.

That Athearn 2-8-2 shown in Fergiemiester's picture sure does not like that curve! I recall a 18" curve that had about 3 inches worth of 15" in a kink if you could get a Bachmann 2-8-0 past that while the tender trucks threatened to ride up. =)

Once again, thanks for your ideas, it helped to focus more on what I can do with the planning.

[Anonymous]

Highiron, You don't specify how small. To broaden your options, you might look at the power truck offered by NWSL. I can't remember what the product is call but there catalog is online. I think it runs about $80 and it could be made into a little industrial diesel for moving your ore cars to the main line.

[Anonymous]

I have a Grant Line Boxcab which I am seriously considering building and placing into service. I envision using the big (Little) decapod for more profitable revenue work while shifting the mine somewhat closer to the main and simply setting out the ore cars onto the "empties/loads" track for that particular industry. I could probably suggest a sort of a conveyor system that comes out of the mine to the location where these orecars are loaded.

This may eliminate the need for a seperate switchback track work and just save the one planned for the logging. The only thing I would need to worry about is to run the branch from the area down to the river barge that will take the ore downriver. (At least on paper) I think the decapod may be able to handle 12 orecars to the river downgrade with a imaginary "airsystem" upgrade. (Many ways to pretend in the hobby =)

The entire operation is projected to take place on a 6 foot section that is about 2 feet wide. I may only have room for just the Ore loading plant, small section of trucenated conveyor and a track to serve the plant from the branch with appropriate scenery.

[raysaron]

I model a shortline in the upper peninsula of Michigan with a copper mine as a major customer. My understanding is that many of these mines generated three or four car loads a day (70 ton capacity, 26 foot "jennies"--the same as used for iron ore). As a long range plan, I'm thinking of back dating the layout to wooden ore cars and steam.

[Anonymous]

I have here a picture showing the first baby steps of the fledging ore facility. I am using a model power Sand and Gravel plant as a basis. I think with change of "owner" and weathering along with addition of storage siloes as well as either a conveyor to a Grading Tower or silos somewhere on the industry may do a pretty good job.


The orecars are a set of 12 walthers fitted with loads from Arizona. There was a sellor of loads for walthers cars who did a very good job with them. I will have to locate the information.

The site takes up about 2 feet by one foot already and may grow a little bit more. I am sorry for the lack of detail on the shot as this is very basic planning work. I hope you like it.

Lee

[randybc2003]

Santa Fe Main line over Raton Pass was 3.5%