I’m looking for ideas from you folks on how you make coal loads for hopper cars. I realize there are ready made commercial ones but how do those of you who make your own accomplish this? Thanks in advance for your responses. Jim
Jim: Do you want “loose” fill or do you want a “solid” faux load?
Hi, well here’s what i’m thinking. I have a 5 gallon bucket of black fish tank gravel that makes great looking coal but it’s too heavy to use loose and fill the entire hopper car. what I was thinking was to take up some of the space in the bottom of the car with say spray foam and gluing the gravel as a top layer to make the car appear full of coal. What do you think of this? Thanks, Jim
Hi Jim,
Here is how I made hopper coal loads. Cut 1/8" hardboard to just fit the inside of the hopper. Glue 1/2" styrofoam to the top of the hardboard. Carve the styrofoam to the shape you desire. Glue black aquarium gravel to the styrofoam, I used spray adhesive. When dry, shake off the loose gravel and spray the whole thing with black spraypaint or use brush on black paint. The black paint also helps hide the white styrofoam and to keep all the gravel pieces from flaking off. You may have to add small blocks of wood to each end to keep the load at the right height. The load is removable.
That might make them a little top heavy, but as long as you don’t have tight radius curves and don’t run at very high speeds you should be OK.
I too like the better look of loose looking coal in hoppers.
EXCELLENT! Like David,I have done this…I have even used fish tank filter charcoal.
I am fortunate to live in hard coal country. I have lots of the real stuff right here. Like DAVID, I use the spongy foam and cut it into widths and lengths the size of the hopper I want to fill. I then use elmers glue put down a layer of glue crush and sprinkle coal on top add more glue sprinkle again, let dry. After glue has dried take black spray paint and give it all a generous coat to get everything the same cosistancy. Easy and fun to do. With the spongy foam loads won’t break, and fit inside hoppers nice and tight.
Hope this helps?
laz57.
I made coal loads from the foam packing. I cut the piece to fit snugly, the using the side of a knife rough up and taper the leading trailing ends and sides. Then using acrylic paint I paint the foam. It is easy cheap lightweight and it is not messy.
Jim
I think I missed how you and laz get the coal / rocks to stay on the foam/packing material. I have tried the loose rock method, Jim, with colored gravel. It was very heavy as you guessed - engine slipped just like the prototype.
Doug - after you cut the foam to fit and sculpt the foam you cover the surface with Elmer’s white glue. The sprinkle the loose gravel on top of that. Let dry and then either shake the loose gravel off or simply paint black.
Yep … the styrofoam and gravel … but don’t forget a sand load or 2 … i’m in the process of finishing a couple of them … you rarely see any . I put 3 blocks of foam under them … staggered … for their height and if you want to change them you can just take out the coal and replace with sand loads or all the other loads they hauled … diversifies your cars !
Many thanks to all of you who have responded to my post and for all your excellent ideas.
Jim
Woodland Scenics also makes coal similar to ballast that should be lightweight and would look great in open hoppers as well.