08-22-2010, 06:27 AM
Here is the coal load I had intended to include in my Easy Removable Loads but didn't... 
Since I was unable to find the original pictures, I built another coal load for my "vintage" AM hopper.
Starting with a chunk of foam cut to fit:
[albumimg]2863[/albumimg]
Ensure fit, and mark top of car:
[albumimg]2864[/albumimg]
Carve to an appropriate shape:
[albumimg]2865[/albumimg]
Cover with a thick coat of black craft paint and sprinkle with coal (in this case - fine aquarium gravel from the dollar store)
[albumimg]2866[/albumimg]
Pile it up - the bottom layer will stick to the craft paint:
[albumimg]2867[/albumimg]
Secure the rest with some 50-50 water and matte medium:
[albumimg]2868[/albumimg]
Let dry, remove any stray bit of coal, and press into hopper. Can be removed by sliding a thin blade down one end and prying up.
[albumimg]2869[/albumimg]
Total time (excluding drying): About 5 minutes
Andrew
Since I was unable to find the original pictures, I built another coal load for my "vintage" AM hopper.
Starting with a chunk of foam cut to fit:
[albumimg]2863[/albumimg]
Ensure fit, and mark top of car:
[albumimg]2864[/albumimg]
Carve to an appropriate shape:
[albumimg]2865[/albumimg]
Cover with a thick coat of black craft paint and sprinkle with coal (in this case - fine aquarium gravel from the dollar store)
[albumimg]2866[/albumimg]
Pile it up - the bottom layer will stick to the craft paint:
[albumimg]2867[/albumimg]
Secure the rest with some 50-50 water and matte medium:
[albumimg]2868[/albumimg]
Let dry, remove any stray bit of coal, and press into hopper. Can be removed by sliding a thin blade down one end and prying up.
[albumimg]2869[/albumimg]
Total time (excluding drying): About 5 minutes
Andrew
. just a few comments on coal loads(worked in the coal mines for a time) the loads will depend on your era , for moderen loads its called steam coal size is dust to 2 to 3 inches depending on the mine (some might be a tad smaller), from about the 70's back loads mixed most were steam coal some lump, 50's&60's were less steam more lump 6 to 8 inch and nuget or some times called stoker inch and a half to two inches coated with oil to keep dust down , mine run was dust to biggest chunck that the mine produced earlier the use of mechanical miners wasn't in commen use so under -cutting and shooting it down was common (befdore that it was shooting on the solid) so mine run had larger chunks, also slack coal was shipped then as a separate load , some roads used it in locos(wootten fire box) as it was the cheepest form of coal then. also as to cars carrying coal the hopper were not the only cars used a lot of coal was shipped in drop bottom gons and regular gons.
