Hi. I ordered a Cornerstone wood coaling tower (Walthers #933-2922) for incorporation into my HO layout under construction. I have 95+% of the track down. I had not looked at details / planned enough for specific buildings, and I noted upon receipt that the coaling tower requires 3 tracks: one under the loading tower, one loading spot adjacent to the tower, plus a 3rd track for the coal unloading hoppers. Whatever I do, I will need to modify my trackage somewhat and am considering all options and flesh out my plans for all loco facilities.
I'm wondering if coal unloading was ever done with a tower like this from road trucks versus rail hoppers (it would take alot of trucks). If so, would a tower ever have a truck only (not dual use) unloading facility. That would allow as an option placing the tower where I have 2 (which would be loading spots) tracks and modifying the unloading portion for road trucks only (eliminating the need for a 3rd parallel track).
Just want to know what options are reasonable. I could build it "wrong" (and fool the grandkids) but I won't do that. Any input will be appreciated.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Well, at least you're being honest!! It's possible but not likely as the commodity (coal) required for the tower would already be that which was being hauled by the railroad in hopper cars. Of course as the diesel era overtook steam, towers came down necessitating the use of other means of loading what few coal burning steam engines were left. Personally.....I think you are stuck with that pesky 3rd track.
A more reasonable option would be rail delivery of coal and one track for loading.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
dehusman A more reasonable option would be rail delivery of coal and one track for loading.
I agree, and it should be quite easy to eliminate the chute(s) for the tender-loading track which doesn't run under the tower. I have limited space for my coal tower at Lowbanks, and opted to forego the exterior service track. While mine is the small concrete tower from Walthers, the track arrangement would be similar.
Here's an overall view of the area:
...and a closer view from the opposite direction:
The original kit and plans included parts for an additional track and chute on the side of the tower opposite the coal delivery track, but I had no room so simply eliminated that feature by not using those parts. If the wooden tower already has some chute-related detail cast into the exterior of the bins on that side, simply remove it or plate-over any openings with sheet styrene. If the coaling tower is in daily use and servicing a number of locos, it would be unlikely to have it supplied by trucks and even more unlikely if you're not in the midst of a coal-mining area.
Wayne
If your operation is big, ( mallets) or part of a huge yard, 2 tracks would suffice.
If, however you are modeling a small road with a few small engines, There were many creative solutions, some not good at all for the crews. Worst case in the case of the narrow gauge was a gondola of coal parked on an elevated dirt mound on a siding. These were usually at some waypoint far out on a little used division point. The engine would pull along side and the crew would shovel the coal over into the tender! No one ever filled an empty tender doing this of course, it was more for engines that needed a cushion of extra coal for a return trip just to the nearest "easy" coaler station.
Such "stationed" coal gondolas also often acted to supply way point section housing and even entire remotely located stations heat for the winter as many were often cutoff in blizzards.
A good cheap and easy load solution was often a wooden ramped trestle constructed to elevate a loaded, drop bottom hopper or gondola over the loading track whereby, the engine could station its tender just under the car.
You may have to do some creative track removal and replanning to use that large tower and make it look credible.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed