Does anyone have any prototypical photo's or links to websites that show how MTL's new Coal Kits look in real life. Specifically photos or links for the Coal Docking kit#799 90 956 would be appreciated. Here in Western MD nearly all the kits being released (or similar structures) were used at one time one on or more RR's in the area. I plan on getting most or all of MTL's kits but don't recall ever seeing a Coal Dock in this area (or if I did see it I didn't know what it was Also, for anyone near this area who may be interested, here's a link for a relatively new railroad that purchased roughly 8 miles of an old WM/Chessie/CSX spur, George's Creek Railway, and track is only about 500 feet from my house! The last train to run past here was CSX nearly 10 years ago. http://www.gckrail.com/ Very small RR, but nearly all the motive power is being repainted the original WM colors and numbers. They finally are in the process of laying new ties and ballast and may start moving coal in the next year or so. Since it's only about an 8 mile spur, a true Z scale module of this would be possible (expensive and a very long module, but possible)
Joe, Try doing a google image search for a "coal dump trestle" or "coal trestle". These were typically used for local coal delivery to coal companies or else "small" steam loco service facilities. The one from MT would typically have had either a ramp leading up to it or else be built below grade. A hopper would be pushed up onto it, and it would dump coal down below. Then it could be shovelled onto a coal conveyor to load trucks, etc. http://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=16226.15 There is a posting from David K smith at the above web site that shows one. Hope this helps. Dan S.
I like the fact that MTL is making coal related items, this, perhaps will cause more folks to buy more hoppers, and more hoppers more coal items ect. The things they are building and calling coalmines just make me scratch my head and wonder though. These things might be found out west, or if you are making some 1890s scene. There are some very nice coalmines in N and HO scale, and I am dreading the idea of making one of these things from scratch. I am sure a kit of anything close to realistic in Z scale would cost close to 200 or more bucks. Most of those things MTL are making are very nice, but used on the other end. Where the coal gets delivered. That "Large Coal Mine " thingy they just made makes no sense to me. A coal hopper on top dumps coal into a wooden chute where it goes into what, another coal hopper? A good place to get oriented with mining is here http://www.appalachianrailroadmodeling.com/articles.html I understand that they are selling stuff to the masses, and the masses want something small to fit in their little ovals, that it needs to be cheap or nobody will buy it, and that all their kits are made by laser, so 1890 wooden structures are the easiest to make, and nobody, nowhere, will be willing to invest in a plastic coalmine kit in Z scale like the ones in N and HO you find in the Walter´s catalog. Myself, I am trying to talk one of the Germans z scales into cutting me one out of Evergreen or Plastistruct corrugated material.
Hmmm...the Lackawanna Coal Company by The N Scale Architect http://thenarch.com/products/lackawanna-coal-company-n would be great in Z... John
I asked them a while back if they would make that kit in Z, since thy have Z kits. I believe they told me they would think about it. It is an anthracite breaker, but closer to a coal mine than anything else out there. IF the movers and shakers of Z that are more influential than I am were to ask, perhaps that might push them over the edge into building it.
I know for a fact that they are diligently working on getting it resized to Z scale. More to follow. John
I took this picture this weekend. It is from south bend Indiana. Looks just like the MT loader. Up until about 8 years ago, this loaded trucks with coal from hopper to be taken to Notre Dame's boiler house. It is off olive street in case anyone want to do a google search. It is the old Norfolk and western track, pretty much not used since they got the Conrail track in town.
