Hello , I want to fill my Walthers-Hopper with Coal load. Which type from which manufacturer did you take?
greetings, Steffen
I can recommend DC Rail and Hobby Depot, he comes to Virginia and Maryland area train shows and has very nice coal loads as well as others and would be able to supply them for Walthers cars. If he doesn't have them in stock, he'll make them. The coal loads are among the best I've ever seen.
http://www.dcrailandhobby.com/shop/product-category/hobby-loads/ho-scale/
http://www.dcrailandhobby.com/wp-content/gallery/loads/coal-1.jpg
I bought some scrap metal loads from him for my gondolas and they are very realistic - I wouldn't be able to make them myself that looked that good. His prices are fairly modest as well. Cheers
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Steffen:
I have never done coal loads, however I made my own iron ore loads.
Take a piece of rigid styrofoam and cout and trim until it slides in and out of the hopper.
Take it out, paint the top black, glue on a thin layer of coal-l8ike material for texture, or a layer of ballast, and then paint.
Much cheaper and lighter.
Dave
If you are gonna buy a coal load, the important thing is that it fit the car. Or can be filed to fit. I'd take your cars to the hobby shop to be sure they fit.
I made my own coal loads for some 30 odd hoppers. Cut some pine or other soft wood to fit the car. Plane, file and sand the upper side to a nice rounded coal heap shape. Paint black. Spread with white glue and sprinkle with HO scale coal.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
I have gotten all my loads .... coal, stone, sand and scrap, from Motrak Models.
http://motrakmodelsusa.com/
He sells via Ebay, at various Train Shows and through his website. I have several dozen loads, for cars from nearly all manufacturers and have never been disappointed. Several members of our club have commented on the loads and how real they appear.
Len S
dstarr If you are gonna buy a coal load, the important thing is that it fit the car. Or can be filed to fit. I'd take your cars to the hobby shop to be sure they fit.
DC Rail and Hobby Depot make all their loads to fit per manufacturer make and model - very nice loads too.
I made my own coal loads
If one has the time, there are ways to make them, but I barely have enough time to work on my layout so appreciate times savers such as finding RTR loads. Maybe when I'm retired in ten or fifteen years I'll have time for loads and all those extras.
I make my own coal loads.
Cut a strip of extruded foam insullation the width of your car. Make sure it is thick enough to shape the top of the load. Cut strip to length of car interrior.
Shape load top with a Surform or other tool.
Use latex caulk to add some washers to get the total car and load up to weight.
Lay Saran wrap over the car and press the foam into place.
Paint with gloss black paint and sprinkle the coal onto the wet paint. When dry, remove from car and discard the wrap.
Load will fit all cars of the same manufacturer and type. I mark on the bottom of the loads, so that I know what cars they go back into from storage.
Very low cost: Scrap foam, washers for weight, dab of latex caulk, sm can black paint, cheap brush, pkg of coal or black stone from craft shop. Will do many loads.
Except for cutting the strips on my table saw, it can be done while watching your favorite team (or whatever) on TV.
Have fun,
Richard