Loads In/ Empties Out

[Anonymous]

I do. I have two different ones. Loaded unit trains of coal go into a power plant, come out at one of two mines. And empty unit trains go into mines and come out at power plant. The other one is ore mine and foundry. Does anyone else do this kind of operation.

[cwclark]

I have loads and empties but don't actually load or unload them at an industrial siding...chuck

[ClinchValleySD40]

Power plant on one side of a wall, coal mine on the other. So far I only have 12 loaded hoppers that cycle, maybe someday I'll add 12 loads.

[Texas Zepher]

Coal Mine to Power Plant.

It seems so cool in concept, but the visual and operating implementation isn't as impressive as expected. I don't know that I will do it again, unless I am certain the visual effect for guests will be worth it. This means that maybe 1 in ten will even notice.

[Anonymous]

Chuck, no offense, but I think you have the wrong idea. I don't physically unload the cars. It's all an illusion. The unit train of empty coal hoppers goes into the mine which is set directly in front of a tunnel. You don't actually see the tunnel, you just see the train going under the mine and vanishing. It then goes into hidden layover tracks, and then it goes out of the large power plant. It looks like the empties were going into the mine to get loaded and it looks like the empties coming out of the power plant just dumped off a load of coal to burn. You then can do it the opposite way with loaded trains into the power plant and loaded trains coming out of the mine. It looks like the trains were taking coal into the power plant then it seems as if it got filled up by the mine.

[Anonymous]

My passing siding in my layover tracks can hold 12 foot trains.

[jrbernier]

I have a problem with the concept. To really do it 'right', one would need two duplicate sets of equipment(one loaded/one unloaded). I have a zinc operation that loads 3 cars/day with zinc. I move the cars off-stage(to a zinc processing mill) where I unload the 'loads' and drop them in a box of future loads. When the cars return empty, they are 'loaded' before the next operating session.
That said, modeling a large unit train and swapping 'loads' could be a real pain. I have yet to see a good club or individual layout where the 'empties in/loads out' visually looks good. I have seen some small 'loose' car mine operations where the mine tracks go to an off-stage area, and the 'flow' of loads/empties is not real apparent. I think what hurts the illusion is that the mine & power plant on on the same 'on stage' area and it just does not seem like the loaded coal train is moving enough miles to justify the use of rail transport. The concept is old, I think John Armstrong invented it(or at least popularized it). I think it could work if one used modern coal trains and silo type loaders. I would not model the power plant, I would just send the train off stage to get the illusion that this western low sulfer coal train is traversing many miles before it gets to it's destination. The ones I have seen used the older Wathers or AHM coal mines and it seems sort of strange seeing big GE's and unit coal trains running out from under and older type of mine. I saw a Walthers 'silo' type loader on a modular club last year, and basically they ran the entire loaded train in and out of the silo on a sort of passsing track - just not too realistic.

Jim Bernier

[Anonymous]

Oops!. I voted yes before I fully understood the question when I should have voted no...

I'm a firm believer that most open hoppers and gondolas should have loads of some kind whether it be coal, ore, rock or scrap metal. Otherwise my railroad is losing money hauling around empty cars, which the stock holders wouldn't like at all... ( I'm really into it ain't I )

trainluver1

[hminky]

I have a web article demonstrating an operating session on a 4x8 layout:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/4x8/operation/lilo/

Thank you if you visit
Harold