Everything You Need to Know About Coal Loads by Harry
Jul 21, 2020 11:10:10 GMT
Country Joe, dennym57, and 4 more like this
Post by ptc on Jul 21, 2020 11:10:10 GMT
In the last 90 days I've upgraded over 200 engines - all 3 rail scale and have evolved various "improvements". ie weathering, wind deflectors, cab curtains, coal loads and painted or stained tender decks.
Why did I change coal loads? What did I do to them and for what reason? What did I use and how did I do it?
The engines in questions were mostly Lionel, some MTH and a few K-line.
Some of the factory loads were painted die cast (bad), some particulate with shape (much better) but still no cigar.
OK Mr. Smarty Pants, I asked myself, so what makes your coal loads so great? To answer this you have to understand the process. Most of the engines I've done were large, Pacific being the smallest. All had tenders from 12 to 22 ton capacity, hence requiring a stoker.
A stoker is a steam driven motor requiring 2, sometimes, 1 piston, sometime below the left (fireman) side of the cab, sometimes in the tender. The stoker engine controlled an auger (large wood screw) in the tender floor, which transported coal to the engine below the cab (under feed and over feed) coal gets shot into the firebox at the bottom or top of the back head. The fireman controlled the distribution of coal with a bunch of valve controlled air jets, on the left lower side of back head (rear face of a boilers) By the way it was not a good idea to get your foot caught in the stoker channel. The engineer could not hear your screams and you would be part of the stack exhaust. To this end, sliding plates on top of the channel, open only the first 4-5 feet which meant all of the coal came out here in front of the tender. This effects the shape of the coal load! The front of the coal load goes down first. The hump is higher in the rear 2/3 of the tender.
The tender coal compartment had slope sheets both side and rear. These were set at an angle to feed coal to the front of the tender. The rear sheet was more gradual so it sometimes required a steam driven "coal pusher" to keep the coal moving. The more coal and water, the less stops, less stops more stuff hauled faster = more profit.
How did coal get into tender? Either coaling towers or conveyor belts or armstrong loading (shovels). Coaling towers are many sizes and types. For example: round, rectangular, wood, steel, concrete. Size depends on demand. From say 100 tons to 2-3,000 tons. Some in house, Fairbanks, Morse, Roberts & Schaffer and more. They are over the track, next to track even over busy mainline.
The engineer spotted the tender below a large counter weighted steel chute. The fireboy or hostler jumped up on top, used a long hook and pulled down the chute over the coal compartment, then opened the gate using chain and pulley then "thunder" the gate had to be closed in advance or the fireboy got demerits by the tower foreman, because coal went on the tracks and was wasted. Then the engineer inched forward and the fireboy did it again and again, voila, several shaped coal load peaks. The fireboy always left several inches of tender side showing as he knew the coal would pack down from vibration as the tender moved. Most factory loads reflect packed down variety which is boring to me. So a Hieke coal load is lower or hollowed out in front and peaked towards the rear.
Ok so why does PRR and N&W have those tall rounded front/rear walls? High sides? To hold more coal. Why slanted curved at the top? Tunnel clearance.
Now what do I use. How do I use it? Woodland Scenics B1390 coarse ballast (3-5"chunks) or Woodland Scenics talus C-1271 (4-8" chunks). To apply cut about 1/2" hole in the bag and lay no more than 1/4" bead of coal along the existing coal load. Now dribble drops of zap-a-gap front to back several times. Then pour another 1/4" bead on top and repaint until entire factory load covered. Use zip-kicker in quick spurts to harden-Do Not allow to run down tender sides. Go slow at first. When you think you have it blow on it. If bare spots occur fill em in using the same process.
Painting: What color is coal? Did you ever hear of Black Diamonds? Shiny black. Yes even if engine is weathered in Grimy Black, coal is still shiny. Must be lightly airbrushed as too much paint ruins particulate look. Use masking tape or cardboard baffles to keep paint from tender sides. I have more but this is enough for installment one.
Your brother in worlds greatest hobby,
Harry
Why did I change coal loads? What did I do to them and for what reason? What did I use and how did I do it?
The engines in questions were mostly Lionel, some MTH and a few K-line.
Some of the factory loads were painted die cast (bad), some particulate with shape (much better) but still no cigar.
OK Mr. Smarty Pants, I asked myself, so what makes your coal loads so great? To answer this you have to understand the process. Most of the engines I've done were large, Pacific being the smallest. All had tenders from 12 to 22 ton capacity, hence requiring a stoker.
A stoker is a steam driven motor requiring 2, sometimes, 1 piston, sometime below the left (fireman) side of the cab, sometimes in the tender. The stoker engine controlled an auger (large wood screw) in the tender floor, which transported coal to the engine below the cab (under feed and over feed) coal gets shot into the firebox at the bottom or top of the back head. The fireman controlled the distribution of coal with a bunch of valve controlled air jets, on the left lower side of back head (rear face of a boilers) By the way it was not a good idea to get your foot caught in the stoker channel. The engineer could not hear your screams and you would be part of the stack exhaust. To this end, sliding plates on top of the channel, open only the first 4-5 feet which meant all of the coal came out here in front of the tender. This effects the shape of the coal load! The front of the coal load goes down first. The hump is higher in the rear 2/3 of the tender.
The tender coal compartment had slope sheets both side and rear. These were set at an angle to feed coal to the front of the tender. The rear sheet was more gradual so it sometimes required a steam driven "coal pusher" to keep the coal moving. The more coal and water, the less stops, less stops more stuff hauled faster = more profit.
How did coal get into tender? Either coaling towers or conveyor belts or armstrong loading (shovels). Coaling towers are many sizes and types. For example: round, rectangular, wood, steel, concrete. Size depends on demand. From say 100 tons to 2-3,000 tons. Some in house, Fairbanks, Morse, Roberts & Schaffer and more. They are over the track, next to track even over busy mainline.
The engineer spotted the tender below a large counter weighted steel chute. The fireboy or hostler jumped up on top, used a long hook and pulled down the chute over the coal compartment, then opened the gate using chain and pulley then "thunder" the gate had to be closed in advance or the fireboy got demerits by the tower foreman, because coal went on the tracks and was wasted. Then the engineer inched forward and the fireboy did it again and again, voila, several shaped coal load peaks. The fireboy always left several inches of tender side showing as he knew the coal would pack down from vibration as the tender moved. Most factory loads reflect packed down variety which is boring to me. So a Hieke coal load is lower or hollowed out in front and peaked towards the rear.
Ok so why does PRR and N&W have those tall rounded front/rear walls? High sides? To hold more coal. Why slanted curved at the top? Tunnel clearance.
Now what do I use. How do I use it? Woodland Scenics B1390 coarse ballast (3-5"chunks) or Woodland Scenics talus C-1271 (4-8" chunks). To apply cut about 1/2" hole in the bag and lay no more than 1/4" bead of coal along the existing coal load. Now dribble drops of zap-a-gap front to back several times. Then pour another 1/4" bead on top and repaint until entire factory load covered. Use zip-kicker in quick spurts to harden-Do Not allow to run down tender sides. Go slow at first. When you think you have it blow on it. If bare spots occur fill em in using the same process.
Painting: What color is coal? Did you ever hear of Black Diamonds? Shiny black. Yes even if engine is weathered in Grimy Black, coal is still shiny. Must be lightly airbrushed as too much paint ruins particulate look. Use masking tape or cardboard baffles to keep paint from tender sides. I have more but this is enough for installment one.
Your brother in worlds greatest hobby,
Harry
