Hi all. I'm looking for some pictures of a modern coalmine. I have searched using google and other search engines, but without any results. What I need is just some idea as how to build my own building. I do have Walthers coal mine, but I would really like to get away from that standard Walthers look, so I was thinking of either scratch building or kit bashing the building, so it doesn’t scream “WALTHERS” when you look at it. Any ideas, pictures, prototypes, models are appreciated. Thanks Jesper
Jesper, I don´t know what is a "modern coal mine" because most such mines are rather old these days. Anyhow, I show as example my mine consisting of an old kit that I modified a little. It should be easy to scratch build a similar building. Don´t forget a conveying line that goes down under the ground. Some other pics you can see here Iron, copper or coal mines - could be similar open day quarry.
Helge, I went for a look, and seen that flat car you loaded with looks like an Athearn based motor with 2 flywheels. What exactly is that ??? Thats a neat little load for on a flat car! I like it! I'm not sure of what all you may have used for the materials, but it sure looks to be a talkitive addition to any flat car!
Jkristia, Take a look at this page: http://www.mining-technology.com/projects/cordero/ It covers operations at Wyoming's Cordero Rojo coal mine, in the Powder River Basin. The pics are good examples of modern western coal mining and loading (dig that loading silo!). I've never been there, but some of my friends that have railfanned in the Powder River Basin have said the operations there are fairly typical of coal mining in the PRB.
John, It´s not Athearn based motors with 2 flywheels. It is much simplier that that. It is two power rectifiers that I found in the scrapbox. I believe that I saved them 1970 They are marked 1N1084 and are listed at USBid.com, but according to Defense Supply Center Columbus they are not used anymore, except as BIG generators on my flatcar They are resting on a substructure consisting of I- and L-plastic profiles once used for model work 1964 As I allways say: don´t throw away anything that can possible be used for modeling puposes
Most "modern" coal mines are of the giant open pit variety. I have some pictures of an oil sands mine but it would be almost impossible to build a model that still had the same big feeling as that place.
HelgeK, I had used the term "Athearn Motor and flywheels" to give you an idea of the flat car I was speaking of so you knew what I was talking about as an outline. To give you a general idea of what I was talking about! For the thought of it tho, It sure looks good! I have a bunch of Capacitors that are quite big in size! But, the old saying "Never throw ANYTHING away" is a rather deep subject in model railroading! I save any and everything. you never know what you might be able to use! I had seen that load on your flat car, and liked how it looked I had to ask... I'm currently working on some scrap gondola loads thats made from a scotch-brite pad, used to scuff paint on automobiles for painting to dull the paint, that if picked at and stranded out, and then painted silver and rusted up and dirtied up alittle will look like scap metal shavings... And having fun doing it too! Anyway, nice work on that flat car load!
Green Frog Productions has an excellent tape called modeling the Appalachian Coal Industry, or something to that effect. I highly recommend it. It will be the best $30 you spent if you want to do a good job on the coal industry. It explains the different types of mines, buildings, conveyors with models and pictures of the prototypes. Also, if a friend of yours has or you can rent the Pentrex Video CSX Mountain Sub. They briefly show some shots of a brand new mine that opened in the 1980's. If you get the dvd version and you have a good video card on your computer, you might be able to capture a picture of it and print it. I haven't done it myself but it may be worth a shot. I still recommend that Green Frog Video though.
I appreciate all you help. I found a few pictures online, and also checked the pictures in the new Great Model Railroads 2003 on page 16/17, so I think I have enough to get some ideas. Thanks Jesper
Go for the Walther's New River Mining set if you can get it. What I have typed here is basically an Appalachian-type modern coal mine: You generally will have only 2 or 3 big buildings on the scene. You will also have little ones like the offices (old mobile home) and a weight station for the trucks. One of the big buildings will have the main chute, which has a very large belt about 4-6 feet wide inside what could be considered as a large pipe-line, that may run for over mile from the actual mine site to the first building. The first building essentially filters the coal and saparates the large chunks of coal from the small chunks, the smaller chunks may go to the prep building were it is usually sprayed down with water to minimize with dust, while the larger ones may travel to a building which crushes the coal to finer pieces and then to the prep building. After the prep building the coal will either go to Point A or Point B. Point A would basically go up a tall tower and run out on to the gorund in several large piles where front-end loaders put them into dump trucks. Point B would go down to the railyard (assuming you have enough room and are assembling at least one train per day) and a switcher enigne would place the hoppers 5 at a time under 5 big chutes. Generally the railroad doesn't pay attention to the load, and the hoppers are filled to the brim, however some mines may have a guard that flattens off the tops of loads so it won't blow off on the trip to the steel mill or Power company, or even the harbor. Coal hoppers are generally the least well-maintained freight cars around, if there's a hole in the side the local yard master may stuff straw in the hole, or someone may just do a "quickie" weld job. The Coal mines colors vary from company. The local mines are owned by CONSOL and are painted a skyblue but are rusting pretty badly. If you like weathering, you just can't over do it with coal mining. Other tips: Your engines shoudl be weathered with at least a little bit of black "dust". and sprinkle little bits of black ballast along the line to simulate a hopper with leaky hatch, or blown coal dust.
i have a video of the NS Line taken in the 90's hauling alot of coal. i can't remember the places off hand but all the coal mines were just sidings off the mainline, all surrounded by trees. The buildings looked like they were made of sheet metal and there were only a couple of buildings to each siding. U might be able to find something on the Norfork and Southern.
