I want to put a lead mine on my layout, but I can’t find much information about them. Do they look and operate similarily to a coal mine?
Thanks,
SantaFe_RockIsland
Yes, somewhat. If you have GoogleEarth plug in the location of Buick, MO slightly to the right of center is a lead mine. Zoom out a little and look to the north and you will see more mines as they follow the Ore vein. The mining is moving to the south, so to the north are older mines, some of which are closed.
Generally, yes, if you mean underground coal mines. Some pics of what’s left from the copper/lead/zinc mine near Ducktown, TN, are at http://www.flickr.mud.yahoo.com/photos/80297647@N00/sets/72157594196872705/
You probably won’t have sufficient layout space to include the huge waste piles, though.
This is great, Thanks!
Thank you for the site and the tip. I will have to paint the back drop to show waste piles.
Galena IL was originally founded as a lead mining center. Run a web search (or a library lookup) on the city’s history. Anywhere else in the region (NW Illinois / SW Wisconsin) could provide photogenic or model-friendly materials.
IMHO, the hill region west of Madison WI would make good backdrop shots for any mining country.
The Platteville WI - Galena IL area had lead but much of that had stopped producing and weren’t active. Having gone to college and spent A LOT of time (a geography degree will do that) climbing up and down those hills I never saw any evidence of lead or lead ore leaving by train.
Zinc on the other hand is another matter. The bottom photo is of the Empire mine. Note the tracks in the foreground.
http://mining.jamison.museum/EarlyMining.html
On the 1:24,000 USGS topo maps you can still see where the tracks were in Platteville (gone now). Right at the interchange yard with the CMStP&PRR tracks and the C&NW tracks is where this photo was probably taken. (It makes the most sense from knowing the area.)
Thank you for the website. That is very helpful, especially the postcard photograph at the bottom.
SantaFe_RockIsland