Mining train

[kpolak]

Hi Wes,

I ran across this while looking at the windows recommended to Lisa-n-NC.

Here's the URL:

http://www.grandtline.com/model_railroad/rolling_stock_and_locos.htm

Hope this helps! 

Kurt

[BDT in Minnesota]

I grew up in the Anthracite area of PA.  I had to have the K-line Reading set when I saw it advertised.  I thinks it's a bargain at $100.00.  Believe it or not some old timers have told me that some underground mines did use small steam and diesel locos.  I've seen a small plymouth lokie at a small independent anthracite mine.  Like they say, there is a prototype for everything, and it is your railroad.  There is a great looking mine lokie and cars made unfortunately it's in "G" made by Hartman Locomotives.   I think you could make a realistic looking Electric Mule using a handcar as a power base.  Let us know what you do.  Dave

                       

 

Dave.....I have seen photos of small  "fireless steam locomotives" aslo...They lacked a firebox, and  were pressurized from a stationery boiler...I believe the ones I read about were used in an ammunition plant,,but distant memory also recalls them suitable for mine use also.....might be worth checking out

[FJ and G]

no worries; OGR will publish it this fall

(I'll try pitching a 3-rail office layout to CTT if I ever get around to it)

[Wes Whitmore]

Wow, you sure do make a lot of cars!  I have seen many over the past few months.  I, of course, don't have the means to make anything like that.  I do have some tinsnips, though!

Thanks for sharing those, and I think it's CTT's loss.  I'm sure there are people who love creating their own cars, but that doesn't pay the bills for CTT, I guess.

So I'm trying to find more MTH track locally (no one has got a shipment of fresh track since before Christmas).  Besides switches, I almost have enough to start the mine.  I have been looking at both mines and Subway layouts for ideas, and most of them are making the "ceiling clearance" enough to put a MTH single tunnel entrance inside the tunnel, which is over 7" tall.  You could almost get a crane car in there!  If I do a subway, then that might be a good height, but I think it would be too tall for a mine.  Of course if I make it lower, I can't run normal trains through it.

Any thoughts? 

Thanks,
Wes

[FJ and G]

I have some plans for building a mine. Here's a working tipper I built using Lionel wheels and Lionel 027 rail and pieces of copper, strap iron and roof flashing; also a beam car for hauling mine pilings which keep the ceiling up (it too has Lionel wheels):

 

 

 

 

I was gonna do some articles for CTT on kitbuilding and scratchbuilding, btw, but Neil B. said per surveys, folks here aren't interested in that and only like stuff R2R out of the box 

 

 

[Anonymous]

but there is no subway that actually comes out of the ground for any reason, right? 

Not necessarily, the DC Metro has portions of track that are above ground, so does Boston's "T".

Here is DC's Metro above ground

Here is Boston's "T".

If I were going to model a subway I would do the DC Metro, its probably the classiest looking subway I've ever seen.

[cruikshank]

I grew up in the Anthracite area of PA.  I had to have the K-line Reading set when I saw it advertised.  I thinks it's a bargain at $100.00.  Believe it or not some old timers have told me that some underground mines did use small steam and diesel locos.  I've seen a small plymouth lokie at a small independent anthracite mine.  Like they say, there is a prototype for everything, and it is your railroad.  There is a great looking mine lokie and cars made unfortunately it's in "G" made by Hartman Locomotives.   I think you could make a realistic looking Electric Mule using a handcar as a power base.  Let us know what you do.  Dave

[Wes Whitmore]

I got the NYC version of the work cars and speeder.  It's very nice, especially for $65!

I might end up customizing it some.  Turn the ballest into coal with black paint, modifiy the speeder as suggested.  Put some dirt on the clean faces of the workers.  Thanks for the help everyone.  I think I got something that works.

I did have to adjust my angle of incline.  I had to spread the trusses out some 4 feet to get it to go up without slipping.  But is simply doesn't have the weight.

Wes

[laz 57]

Not the eyes I have the polar bear set made by K-line and it is the same size and consept as the mining set, runs good we put it under that Christmas tree.

laz57

[Wes Whitmore]

That's fine with me, as long as it connects.  Your eyes must be better than mine.

Thanks Laz.

Wes

[laz 57]

No coupler, it has a plastic bar that hooks into it.

laz57

[Wes Whitmore]

I don't see a front coupler on those Kline cars.  Maybe the speeder doesn't pull them? 

Wes

[Wes Whitmore]

Wayne,

That's a great idea.  I don't know if it's something I am capable of doing, but it's a great idea.  That's about the right type of thing I'm looking for.  Thanks for taking the type to get the photo, chop it up for me, repost it, and reply to the link.  You guys definately go out of your way to help people out.

Wes

[webenda]

...I would rather have something more mining like...

Thanks,

Wes

Wes,

That Lionel/K-line work train looks like it has possibilities. I do not know how far down the speeder can be cut, but here is my vision...

[Wes Whitmore]

You guys find the coolest cars.

 I'm digging the handcar idea as if I use one that has a bump reverse, but it's not critical.  I would that that a handcar would be used in a mine, but I don't know if it would have any cars connected to it.  Regardless, you guys have gave me a ton of cool solutions.  I appriciate it.

Wes

[Anonymous]

.

 Well, apparently Lionel made a "mine" vehicle, though I'm not certain whether the prototype (if any) worked "in" the mine or "outside" to haul the cars.

 

Check out this page.  ..  (This is a clickable link)

The 2-man handcar might work with a couple of ore cars behind it.  But, you'll need to add couplers.

Or, the MOW (Maintenance of Way) or Tie-jector car could be modified (with couplers) to accomplish what you want to do.

I'm not sure if this original mine car can be modeled.

Personally, I think the Lionel ((6-28426) Tie-jector is as close as you're going to come... with a bit of modification.

.

[Brutus]

Also, I've got a version of this set that was for the Kennecott Copper Mine, but I got it for about 1/2 what this guy wants - I'm sure you could find a better price than this!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Central-Pacific-Handcar-Gold-Rush-Set-O-Scale-K-Line_W0QQitemZ6031966524QQcategoryZ28139QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

[Brutus]

Bachmann makes On30 mine cars - see if this link works...

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/catalog/?sel_category=141&sortOrder=name

[pbjwilson]

These are HO narrow gauge. They will actually run on N gauge track. Scroll down a bit to the industrial engines and ore tippers.

http://www.reynaulds.com/roco/r_hoe.asp?item=lngNumericSort

 

[Wes Whitmore]

I take it that there is a lot more available in HO?  I'm not against it. 

[Buckeye Riveter]

Wes, now this might be the dumbest idea, but what if you used HO and when you peered into the mine it looked like you were looking really far into the mine. 

In fact, the 45 degree mirror trick might work, too.

[Wes Whitmore]

I found this for the cars. Not perfect, but not bad.

 

http://www.lionel.com/Products/Catalogs/Catalog.cfm?CatalogUID=A1D98741-B8B4-F5A5-9867DF780CEE5190&PageID=883

Wes

[cheech]

        

this is on ebay now....left is a kit taking some modeling experience..right are cast metal

[cheech]

 

wes

here is the link to the site with the mining cars www.nomonee.com

 

ralph

[Wes Whitmore]

That's perfect.  Thanks for the info.
Wes

[FJ and G]

Underworld,

 

Nice site! http://www.undergroundminers.com/minemotor4.html

 

thanks 

[underworld]

Did they use handcars underground?

Thanks for those pictures.  I have seen those kind of cars before. 

It sounds like I should probably change the design to a subway instead of a mine, but there is no subway that actually comes out of the ground for any reason, right?  I had planned to run a loop under my main layout, but have a spur that came out of a tunnel to park the train.   I don't know if a subway would ever do that in real life. 

Still, I guess this is my world to create, so I can still do the mine, and run a train underground if I really wanted to.  I like those Kline coal cars!

Wes

The "EL" in Chicago is part subway, part elevated train

http://www.chicago-l.org/

http://www.subwaynut.com/chicago/blue.htm

above ground stop

underground stop entrance

underground station

this site will give you a lot of info on mine motors

http://www.undergroundminers.com/minemotor4.html

you could probably do a search for mine motor models for some other ideas.

 

underworld

[Wes Whitmore]

Thanks Laz.  That price is just too good to pass up.  It might not be prototypical, but it's a nice looking set.

Thanks for the link.

Wes

[laz 57]

Here's the set from JUST TRAINS.....

http://www.justrains.com/klinehmpg.htm

laz57