Question for Schraddel

[jwb]

Schraddel, I think you may have mentioned that you were a roundhouse foreman (or roughly equivalent job title) for the German rail system. I'm curious about the piles of "stuff" I'm seeing in the photos I took of German roundhouses, etc (Bws) in 1971. What are they? Coal? Ashes? How did they get there? Thanks!

   

   

I'm taking more interest in work on the German section of my layout and am wondering if I can add something like this.