Coal LOads

Rob wrote:-

Large piece of coal; plastic bag; coal hammer.

(kim)

Woodland Scenics or crushed coal. Cut a chunk of styrofoam to fill most of the wagon. Apply a coat of PVA/craft glue, pour in coal, drip on PVA diluted with water and a little dish soap. When dry, paint on a coat of Humbrol 85, Coal Black, to keep loose bits in place and fill any gaps.

"MartinS"

Why not paint the styrofoam black first?

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

You could, but the paint helps seal the coal, and anyway I put a layer of white glue on the styrofoam, and try to get it to fill any gaps down the sides.

"MartinS"

I don't like to paint the coal as it takes away some of the sparkle, the still leaves some sparkle to the coal.

Actually, I use the foam that electronic gear comes packed in. It's already black(ish) and doesn't "melt" after several years and attack the hard plastic your kits are made of.

I sprinkle a really heavy layer of coal over the heavy coat of Elmer's Glue and then mist it with "wet water", water with a drop or two of liquid dish-washing soap added, until I see the glue climb up into the coal. I leave this until the next evening and then tip the excess coal back into its container. Rarely do I find gaps, and if I do, I just place some more coal over and into the gap, mist the load with wet water again, and dribble on some 4:1 wet water/glue mixture to hold the patch into place.

Don't have any problems with the coal coming loose.

During time-table operation, MTY coal hoppers are switched out at Granville Junction and Berger Yard's coaling facilities at least once per "day". However, the coal loads are rarely removed as, between operation's sessions, I swap the loaded hoppers, and their car cards and waybills, for MTYs. Therefore, the operators just see MTYs at the respective coaling facilities.

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

It's not quite coal, but I use coal slag, in the form of the abrasive grit used for sand blasting (which generally doesn't use sand!). I have a local source, but it can be acquired from sand blasters... Fill the entire wagon with it, in layers, gluing each layer with diluted PVA + drop washing up liquid, and letting it dry before going to the next layer.

This way, extra weight is added to the wagon with having to use metal weights.

Ian J.