Jump to content

Using real coal for car loads


shadowtiger25

Recommended Posts

shadowtiger25

A guide no one asked for!

 

To start, you will need

A lump of coal

Ether plastic inserts, or foam inserts that you make yourself to the measurements of your car

A moral and pastel or a hammer and a metal bowl you dont care to beat the crap out of

White glue

50% isopropyl alcohol

Some cotton swabs

Some containers for small amount of liquid

A bottle cap

An herb grinder, or something else to grind the larger bits in to smaller

Some vaper-wave to chill to as you work personally I recommend

 

 

or

 

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
shadowtiger25

First off, a of the base plastic and the coal added loads

809302186_IMG_20181016_1640031.thumb.jpg.92b5d78036c487a1a70ff696a38038d8.jpg

Step 1:

Mix your white glue with 1 part glue to 1 part water

Using a cotton swab, wet the the plastic with glue. I go one side then the other so I can hold the load

1550597060_IMG_20181016_1552171.thumb.jpg.641faa0105ad891b005268ab85e6ed3e.jpg

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
shadowtiger25

Step 2

Take a bottle cap and scoop the grade of coal you want to have in your load, making sure to have coal dust in the mix.

Sprinkle over the glue.

Repeat step 1 on the small side that was not glued

627826895_IMG_20181016_1558571.thumb.jpg.ed6998f6d1167d9694083d2d3add7889.jpg

Notice how I have multiple grades of coal in my bin? The larger is for my locos, and the smaller is for loads. I will talk about the coal grades at the end.

1916615396_IMG_20181016_1556111.thumb.jpg.1049806c8b76abca920276116ba3e26b.jpg

 

And sorry about shaky camera in last photo...

Edited by shadowtiger25
  • Like 2
Link to comment
shadowtiger25

Step 3

Wet the coal with the 50% isopropyl alcohol (this allows the glue to soak into the coal, and makes it stick better.

Then add more 50/50 glue mix on top of the coal.

Sprinkle with mostly coal dust. This second layer helps hide the plastic and improves the look. you do not need to do any more layers.

169685847_IMG_20181016_1556161.thumb.jpg.a824648c89c0b190fd8633a63ecbb7f2.jpg

2057555109_IMG_20181016_1557201.thumb.jpg.f74414ab89f33e18e947117e9d26fad4.jpg

 

 

 

Edited by shadowtiger25
wouldn't let me add pics
  • Like 1
Link to comment
shadowtiger25

Step 5

Once dry, you will most likely will need to shave some glue off the edge of the plastic to make it fit. I like to make it so the loads slide out easy so I can run empty's and pack up with out damaging loads

You can do this by taking a flat xtaco blade and scraping it off

215598754_IMG_20181017_1520111.thumb.jpg.ea5c2590fb49392332b14a16ff0e8dc6.jpg

946621246_IMG_20181017_1525141.thumb.jpg.695312daa65dd3fee831d4d31f69d6e7.jpg

And the finished look in the car

731157578_IMG_20181017_1613381.thumb.jpg.d4438db1f86a6ccec6477fc6b9b703b2.jpg

Edited by shadowtiger25
  • Like 2
Link to comment
shadowtiger25

Ok, now for grades of coal.

there are 6 grades, or sizes of coal.

Stove, Chestnut, Pea, Buckweat, Rice, and Barley.

http://photobucket.com/gallery/user/battyice/media/cGF0aDpDb2FsIFJlbGF0ZWQvQ29hbF9TaXplcy5qcGc=/?ref=

 

Examples in cars

https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/assets/0000/8061/N_W_Railway_up_large.jpg?1276869651

http://www.mccomaswv.com/images/lamartipple.jpg

 

A good resource talking about it

http://2railoscale.blogspot.com/2015/02/thoughts-on-modeling-coal-operations.html

I dont know what grade JNR transported, but it looks like the smaller in videos

 

Edited by cteno4
Image uploads
  • Like 1
Link to comment
shadowtiger25

I want to point out something. This guide is for HO, however, it can be used for N-scale to. just scrape coal off from the lump. A comparison of the scale size I made. HO on left, N on right.

829249012_IMG_20181017_1617471.thumb.jpg.6e2b83e81717ad60f4a8fc86590814c3.jpg

Last note, my SL load, next to the coal cars

1046108121_IMG_20181017_1727241.thumb.jpg.8a18428f9d6228d1f75ed6cda799fd70.jpg

  • Like 3
Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...