I was into O gauge for sometime and had a few engines and cars but then I started building my own layout. Not having a job besides trapping and farm work I dont have much money so I switched to HO. But in O you have automated cars that unload themselves. I question is how do I unload and load HO coal hoppers and other cars that just have a coal load insert or other insert without removing it by hand? Thanks
You’ve got 2 choices. The more clever works only if you have a center divider w/ a main line on each side. Run a spur on one side to a coal mine (for example) through the divider to the other side that has a power plant. The local pulls a loaded car from the mine and spots in an empty, runs around to the other side where it pulls the empty and spots in the load. No physical loading or unloading required. If you lack the track configuration this requires go to planB. Sand the load inserts where they’re a slip fit. Glue some 16d finish nails inside the load insert. Remove w/ a magnet w/o any need to touch the car
I got ya I think plan B is what I am going with but one question how would I postion another magnet to pull them out and what happens after they are lifted out do they just hang there?
I think you’d use a magnetic wand.
car “unloads” (you get the load out of the car with the wand); car “loads” (you drop in a load of coal/iron ore/whatever)