Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

New River Minning Co

53385 views
178 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Colorado Springs, CO
  • 2,742 posts
Posted by Dave Vollmer on Friday, August 4, 2006 10:06 AM
 jbinkley60 wrote:

My next challenge is to figure out what to put in front of the coal loaders on the layout. 

the area in front of the hill between the tunnel tracks and the coal loader tracks is around 8" x 32" in size.  All the way to the left will be the beginning of a small town. I am up for suggestion on what to put in this area.  It can't be too tall because that area faces the front of the layout and would block everything behind.  I am thinking of a parking lot for the workers at the coal mine and then a road leading towards the town for the workers and trucks coming from the mine.  A parking lot is low but just doesn't seem like the best usage of space. 

Suggestions anyone ?

That's a perfect spot for a row of small company houses and a company store!  They can all be one story do they don't block the view.  Since you're doing modern operations, you can leave the houses abandoned or paint them different colors to look like they're now privately-owned.

Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 4, 2006 1:01 PM

Who makes a reasonably priced comany house?

I could kit bash a Plasticville house or scatch build one also but a kit would work best for me."Mine " is finished and ready to pack away until ready to be placed.

I will add lites to it then.

 

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Colorado Springs, CO
  • 2,742 posts
Posted by Dave Vollmer on Friday, August 4, 2006 2:11 PM

In HO, City Classics makes 2-story company houses.  I've seen Tony Koester's article on taking Grandt Line and Rix houses and converting them to company houses as well (don't ask me which issue, but I think it was part of his Coal Fork Extension series in the late 90s/early 2000s).  Those would be 1 floor.  In N scale there are the Grandt Line houses, but that's about it.  AMB makes a laser kit for a company house if you're into wood.  They offer it in N and HO.

Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: New Jersey
  • 88 posts
Posted by MIKE0659 on Monday, August 7, 2006 10:12 PM

Ryan,

Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I can't find any labels from our ballast, we're looking for the invoice/packing slip now. We know it's there someplace.

The coal we use for our loads is called Unit Train Coal. I looked at the Scenic Express catalog on line real quick, but didn't see it. We bought all our stuff direct from Smith & Sons.

I'll let you know if we find the info on the ballast.

Mike

 

Roanoke & Western Railway Company
  • Member since
    August 2002
  • From: Wake Forest, NC
  • 2,869 posts
Posted by SilverSpike on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 7:40 AM
 MIKE0659 wrote:

Ryan,

Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I can't find any labels from our ballast, we're looking for the invoice/packing slip now. We know it's there someplace.

The coal we use for our loads is called Unit Train Coal. I looked at the Scenic Express catalog on line real quick, but didn't see it. We bought all our stuff direct from Smith & Sons.

I'll let you know if we find the info on the ballast.

Mike

Mike,

I am leaning toward the smaller size fine grain Gray Limestone #50 ballast by Smith & Sons.

Thanks for checking the ballast and the coal items for me!

Ryan

Ryan Boudreaux
The Piedmont Division
Modeling The Southern Railway, Norfolk & Western & Norfolk Southern in HO during the merger era
Cajun Chef Ryan

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: Maine
  • 392 posts
Posted by roadrat on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 8:33 AM

Who makes a reasonably priced comany house?

I could kit bash a Plasticville house or scatch build one also but a kit would work best for me."Mine " is finished and ready to pack away until ready to be placed.

I will add lites to it then.

 

go to Walther.com and check out this #152-798 for a nice company house, this a laser cut wood kit and it is on sale right now for $8.98.

 

bill

No good deed goes unpunished.
  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Gahanna, Ohio
  • 1,987 posts
Posted by jbinkley60 on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 1:26 PM

Do you think those company houses would be appropriate for the current time period ? 

 

Engineer Jeff NS Nut
Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Boston
  • 2,226 posts
Posted by Budliner on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 3:05 PM

this is great I had no idea we have so meny people with these kits

keep them rolling in

I have to find time to add mine

 

Ken 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 3:51 PM
 Budliner wrote:

this is great I had no idea we have so meny people with these kits

keep them rolling in

I have to find time to add mine

 

Ken 

I built a Drayton and found the windows to be an issue but that is directly due to my inexperience and will probably buy several more of these to go with the mine.

One of the best things about it was the stick on parts, cuts down on the odors greatly when spouse is very sensitive to chemical smells at the bench.

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Saturday, August 19, 2006 11:46 AM

Jeff: Nice job on the mine. I  just got a New River kit and am going to get the Glacer Gravel to help it along. Im' going to do an iron mine.

Instead of company houses how about support buildings? A machine shop, wharehouse. office building, or a power house. There are usually a host of buildings around a mine.

Have fun.

Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Gahanna, Ohio
  • 1,987 posts
Posted by jbinkley60 on Saturday, August 19, 2006 2:06 PM
 Paul W. Beverung wrote:

Jeff: Nice job on the mine. I  just got a New River kit and am going to get the Glacer Gravel to help it along. Im' going to do an iron mine.

Instead of company houses how about support buildings? A machine shop, wharehouse. office building, or a power house. There are usually a host of buildings around a mine.

Have fun.

Have any part numbers or manufacturers who make them ?  It might end up being a good idea.

 

Engineer Jeff NS Nut
Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Saturday, August 19, 2006 2:19 PM
I know that you've probably heard this before but check the Walthers catalogue. That's what I do. You could also use DPM modules and Walthers and cook something up yourself. Another shop that you could add is a maintance shop for cars and trucks. Lots of clutter there. I'm at work so I don't have my catalogue to look at but I'll take a look when I get home.
Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Colorado Springs, CO
  • 2,742 posts
Posted by Dave Vollmer on Saturday, August 19, 2006 5:44 PM

Here's a kitbash in N I did following Jim Kelly's HO Turtle Creek Central series in MR.

Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.

  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Gahanna, Ohio
  • 1,987 posts
Posted by jbinkley60 on Saturday, August 19, 2006 7:54 PM

 Paul W. Beverung wrote:
I know that you've probably heard this before but check the Walthers catalogue. That's what I do. You could also use DPM modules and Walthers and cook something up yourself. Another shop that you could add is a maintance shop for cars and trucks. Lots of clutter there. I'm at work so I don't have my catalogue to look at but I'll take a look when I get home.

Duhhh.  I thought you might have something specific in mind..  My error.

 

 

Engineer Jeff NS Nut
Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Saturday, August 19, 2006 8:08 PM
Don't dispair, I did have a couple of things in mind. I just don't have the spacifics at hand. I'll take the catalogue to work and have a look.
Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Sunday, August 20, 2006 10:51 AM

OK Jeff: Here's some suggestions for you. I'm not intending to use all of them just what floats your boat.

Walthers #933-2830, Yard Office. This would work well for the offic that was built when the mine opened. It's an older styly brick building.

Scale Models Alpine Div. #700-1 Furniture Factory. It's a corragated metal building for use as a maintenance facility.

DPM. #243-201 Schultz's Garage. Older style maintenance building.

Great West Models. #24-502  All American Tractor & Trailer. Modern Maintenance building

Pike Stuff #541-5002  Modern two story office building.

These are all in the Walthers 2006 catalogue.

There are some suggestions. I'm not doing too well in the thinking area right now as I have a toothach. I hope that this helps.

Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Gahanna, Ohio
  • 1,987 posts
Posted by jbinkley60 on Sunday, August 20, 2006 11:52 AM

Paul,

Thank you very much for the suggestions.  I will look at them and whatever I choose, I'll post some pictures.  Have you used any of them yourself ?

 

Engineer Jeff NS Nut
Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Sunday, August 20, 2006 2:00 PM

Hi Jeff: I haven't used any of those buildings myself. I just paged through the catalogue and picked out what looked interesting. When I get to building the mines I'll use some of the brick ones for sure but the Pike Stuff is too modern for my era. I'm doing the middle 50s. By the way. I like the way you added the second loading point. I guess your mine is doing alot of business with the power companys.

Have a good day 

Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: AIKEN S.C. & Orange Park Fl.
  • 2,047 posts
Posted by claycts on Sunday, August 20, 2006 2:24 PM
 jbinkley60 wrote:

Ok, at long last I finished the kit.  Here are some pictures with both coal loaders.


No weathering yet.  I am still contemplating it.

 

Not only a nice building but a very nice scene to place it in.Approve [^]

Take Care George Pavlisko Driving Race cars and working on HO trains More fun than I can stand!!!
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Saturday, August 26, 2006 12:03 PM
Hay Jeff: How are things going? The thread has gone way back. I'll bump it up to a decent location. I've got the parts all copied and have picked up some card stock to make the mock-ups. I've also been getting together pictures of prototypes. See you later.
Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Gahanna, Ohio
  • 1,987 posts
Posted by jbinkley60 on Saturday, August 26, 2006 12:16 PM

Paul,

You're way ahead of me.  I stopped on this part of the layout right now because I got enough landscaping done to move the first half of the layout into place and start on the second half.  I expect that will take 6-8 weeks to complete enough that I can move it into place and have a whole layout.  Once that is done, I'll be back after this porrtion of the layout.  One thing I am interested in is roofing material for shingle roofing.  I checked on Walthers and there are a few manufacturers: Plastruct, Northeastern Scale Models, GC Laser and B.T.S .  I have not ventured into scratchbuilding yet so I am not familiar with the various manufacturers and their product lines.  Any opinions ?  I am thinking that any modern day company house would have shingles and probably not a tin roof, although some still exist.

Jeff

Engineer Jeff NS Nut
Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Saturday, August 26, 2006 1:52 PM
Jeff: I've used masking tape for foofing, both roll roofing and shingle roofing. One way is to cut the edge with a pinking shears to get the triangle shingles. Steel corrigated would be good. It lasts for along time and would be inexpensive for the company. How large is your layout? If you are moving it around one half at a time I'm curious. I've got a 12X26 foot modular layout that I need to raise up about 6 inches. The question is. All in one piece or take it apart into modules? Question [?]
Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Gahanna, Ohio
  • 1,987 posts
Posted by jbinkley60 on Saturday, August 26, 2006 9:19 PM

Paul,  mine is 11' x 13' .  Mine is a C shape and I am building it in two halves.  It is on wheels and can be moved.  I'd raise it all in one piece but I am not sure you can do all 6" at a time.  Depneds upon how sturdy it is.  One option would be to start at one end and start blocking the legs at 3" then when it is all at 3", start again and go another 3".  You might be able to do all 6" at once.  Once you get it up 6" then you can either lengthen the legs or replace them one at a time with longer ones.  I used a similar approach when I added the wheels to the first half of my layout after the benchwork was completed.  I don't know what your legs look like so I don't know how you plan to lengthen them.  You can click on my URL below to see some of my construction. 

 

 

Engineer Jeff NS Nut
Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Boston
  • 2,226 posts
Posted by Budliner on Saturday, September 30, 2006 11:49 PM

binkly thats some layout

wow you guys out did me in every way

 

keep up the good work!!!

  • Member since
    November 2002
  • From: US
  • 4,648 posts
Posted by jacon12 on Sunday, October 1, 2006 8:00 AM

I'm glad you found it and brought back to the front.  I have the kit now and was wanting to see all the great work others have done with it.

JaRRell

 HO Scale DCC Modeler of 1950, give or take 30 years.
  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Philadelphia
  • 250 posts
Posted by P & LE RR on Monday, October 2, 2006 7:19 AM

all of these are great photos!

 

i have a question as far as size of the new river mining co... walthers says its 9 x 9-3/8" in size... but i was wondering if this was accurate? if not what is the actual foot print of the building?? i'm trying to figure out if i have room in a certain area of my layout for this beautiful addition.. many thanks!

Modeling the CSX Bethlehem Branch from Lansdale to Telford
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 21, 2006 11:22 PM
This thread is great!  Came across it researching for ideas as I'm considering re-entering the hobby after 25 years or so.  My grandfather and great-grandfather worked in coal mines and dispatch yards near Fairmont and Grant Town, WVa.  I now know what kit I'll be buying for my first project if I get back into this again.

If anyone else is interested, I have found a website with some great photos of coal mines, coal mining and coal towns of that area:

http://community-2.webtv.net/DizHarris/SHINBRIERALMOST/page4.html

For example, here's a great photo for some weathering ideas:

http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase_new/norfolksouthern/full/nw1462.jpg
  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Texas
  • 2,934 posts
Posted by C&O Fan on Sunday, October 22, 2006 8:21 AM

When I first saw this kit I just Assumed ( you know how that works}that the Prototype would be found in the New River Valley of WVA

Lots of coal mines there and photos can be found @ West Virgina Post Cards

I see if i can find a link

Terry

TerryinTexas

See my Web Site Here

http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/

 

 

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Baltimore, MD
  • 1,726 posts
Posted by CSX_road_slug on Sunday, October 22, 2006 8:37 AM

 CnO Fan wrote:

...Lots of coal mines there and photos can be found at West Virginia Post Cards

I see if i can find a link

VOILA! Google to the rescue - http://www.wvepostcards.com/

-Ken in Maryland  (B&O modeler, former CSX modeler)

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Texas
  • 2,934 posts
Posted by C&O Fan on Sunday, October 22, 2006 8:59 AM
 CSX_road_slug wrote:

 CnO Fan wrote:

...Lots of coal mines there and photos can be found at West Virginia Post Cards

I see if i can find a link

VOILA! Google to the rescue - http://www.wvepostcards.com/

Yep Ken that would be the one!

I used this site for background info when building my version of Thurmond for my layout

TerryinTexas

See my Web Site Here

http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/

 

 

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!