Coal Dumper Plans

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

I am looking for plans or somewhere to start regarding the building of a coal dumper/unloade. I am not interested in the rotary style, more so for mining and also shipping. any thoughts would be appreciated.

2

Railroads have been dumping coal for a long time, so if you could include information as to the era and location of your railroad, and the receiving customer (retail, power plant, rail-to-ship, etc.), we can better target your needs.

Jim

3

I know there are others that have been cited here over the years, but don’t have links so someone else will have to help there. I just saw a link to this loader build by Craig Linn (HOn3) that is nicely documented. It’s narrowgauge and loads limestone, but you may find some ideas here that will work for you.

http://www.riogranderr.com/ModelRailroading/Construction/Structures/CFI-Limestone-Loader/

He plans to eventually build a model of the Rio Grande’s barrel transfer at Salida that transferred the loads this facilty at Monarch generated into standard gauge gons for the trip to the CF&I at Pueblo after the third rail through Royal Gorge was taken up. So if you do get the itch to unload that way, check back later as he seems to be rolling on this interesting project. Keep in mind the mechanism is the hard part, building the correct structure around it is going to be easier in most cases.

4

I found this one when I was looking to build one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0NnXyVwQOA

5

Mike:

http://www.riogranderr.com/ModelRailroading/Construction/Structures/CFI-Limestone-Loader/

Clickable link.

Dave

6

Some clarity would be ever so convenient.

“the rotary style”–that would seem to refer to an UNloader.

And then we have “coal dumper/unloade[r]”–it says UNloader.

So.

D’ya wanna UNload cars? Coal? NOT rotary?

That sounds so much like regular hopper cars dumping, to me. About all there is there is the Tyco/Mantua ones, the Revell ones, and the Ulrich triples.

Ed

7

the 1965 book" bridges and buildings for model railroads" by kalmbach has the plans for a small tilt dumper.

8

Thanks Jim, I am modeling a time period from 1945 - 1965, Canadian if that helps. Many thanks.

9

Thanks Mike, I will look into this

10

Interesting, thanks

11

Thanks Dave

12

Coal will be the main focus, Looking at ship loading, gravity fed from the ore car. Rotary dumpers are not of an interest to me at this point in time

13

I am assuming that the book is out of print now, would that be correct.

14

There is one listed on Amazon right now. Price is good. This is the Canadian listing so I’m assuming it is available in the US too:

https://www.amazon.ca/Bridges-Buildings-Railroads-Railroader-Anderson/dp/B005RZ976G/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483423823&sr=1-1&keywords=Bridges+and+buildings+for+model+railroads

Dave

15

There are some prototype photos of Great Lakes coal shipping HERE. The entry entitled “Fontana” taking coal at Sodus shows a fairly large loader similar to those used for iron ore or pellets.

Wayne

16

There’s also this, which you may or may not regard as “rotary”:

Ed

17

thats simular to one in book.they call it a tilt type dumper.

18

Yup, looks pretty-much rotary to me. [:P]

Wayne

19

Thanks Ed, This is more the style I am looking for, yes, it may be considered rotary, but what I am trying to keep away from is the more modern style of rotary I have seen displayed on the internet, where numerous cars pull in and are all dumped at the same time, as they have special couplers attached.

20

Great site, gives me some good ideas. I am planning of putting in a shipyard.