Coal operations

Tue Oct 30 17:19:33 EDT 2018

Folks,

Anything needed for the mines was hauled in and out rail. Supplies of all kinds were brought in like fuel oils, merchandise for  the company stores and equipment.

On my Pokey division we do haul a lot of coal during a session using two working loadouts. It is nifty to see the coal trains work around the hopper trains and merchandise trains. Yes I do incorporate many time freights to keep the interest up of the crews working the yards like Roanoke and large industries.

I also have incorporated a version of the Celanese plant ( yes it is a VGN business) a small version of paper plant and the steel business around Ironton. Those who know my version of  the Pokey I do have a huge brewery that keeps 3 folks busy. Yes it is out of place but we do enjoy this business.

Another facet of doing the "Pokey" is to have the large Y's, A's and other steam working the division. I do have some diesel power with electrics working the VGN side. Jawn Henry is still rolling on l=my Pokey.

Anyone around  the Chicago metro area or traveling through stop over and run a train or two.

Mike Ritschdorff

________________________________
From: NW-Modeling-List <nw-modeling-list-bounces at nwhs.org> on behalf of NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2018 4:51 PM
To: NW Modeling List
Subject: Re: Coal operations

David,

Attended a clinic (don't remember if it was a C&O or an N&W function)about what traffic you could see at a coal mine besides coal cars.  Mines would use machinery, oil for that machinery, timber, tools, etc.  Some box cars and a few tank cars would not be inappropriate.  And on some branch lines there was some minimal passenger service that served as "commuter service" for the miners.  Don't know for sure, but it sounds like you're in a later period than would support animals (horses or mules?)around the mines.  And if your "real" location was served by another road besides N&W, you have more possibilities.

Frank Bongiovanni

On Tue, Oct 30, 2018 at 8:35 AM NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org<mailto:nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>> wrote:
Hi,
I have a small branch line (proto freelance), about 12*12.  The stuff on the layout is n&w design and used in real locations.  However, the coal mines need to be very abbreviated.  I have one "real" tipple that is from the clinch some where.

It's an around the walls with a center pennensula after a lance Mindheim design.  My space is not 100 percent the same so it's modified.

In general the layout runs by having coal or coal/empties.  I run around swapping the loads for mty.  Then I sort the coal by size.  I was very careful about including the nearby town with a combo station.  I also made sure to have another large industry besides coal for interest.  A wood finishing Mill, gives an excuse for a box car.  Right now I have a pickle salting place, but I have not but the mill yet ... Looking for pics of one.

The mix keeps it fun.  I run to shifters, one passenger, one freight.  Or I combine the two into a mixed for fun.  One shifter goes out.  The am passenger goes, then the shifter goes back.  Then the passenger returns.  Then I do the pm shifter and mixed.  My layout has a nice passing siding at a branch junction.  I use signals, but that is because I love them and enjoy making CTC stuff.  I use flagging instructions like on the tug fork article.

So the whole point is my layout fills up a small outer yard for a large branch line.  We keep the coal moving.

I change the year by changing out the locos and passenger (get rid of if 1959).  So you can see M,E,Z or Y6 depending on the day.

David

On Tue, Oct 30, 2018, 6:59 AM NW Modeling List via NW-Modeling-List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org<mailto:nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>> wrote:
Does anyone have a coal operating layout that does more than haul coal drags?  I try to envision running mine runs with a group of people and I can come up with only one person pulling a train of empties up the branch. I don’t have room for more than one branch. So I’m the one person but I want to have people over to share the fun.
Some do a great job of hauling coal but I think there may be compromises on pure N&W described in books and these lists with the desire to have friends over. Modelling is full of compromises, of course.
How have others modeled coal mining operations? ie picking up loads and dropping empties...etc
Thank you,

Mike Shockley
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