I have access to material that resembles coal/coke. It looks the right size for HO scale. Is there a market for this material?. I haven’t seen many people selling this material. I have pictures if it would help.
thank you
There are actually quite a few vendors of both loose coal and coal loads for hoppers. A quick search at Walthers showed 8 different vendors. You should post a picture so those modelers who are really familiar with what’s available can see if what you have is significantly better than what’s already on the market.
Woodland Scenics sells plastic bottles with (probably) glass coal, maybe it’s plastic…it’s fairly heavy. BLI sells coal hoppers that come with the loads, and at least one of the other major player does the same…for less, Bachmann I think.
I don’t know this compares but I was thinking of $4.00-$4.50 a pound, I’m open to any suggestions. I will take some pics and post
ok here is the first attempt at posting pics, let me know if it works
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/IMG_1237.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/IMG_1233.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/IMG_1232.jpg
next attempt, using Email & IM
http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/?action=view¤t=IMG_1237.jpg
http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/?action=view¤t=IMG_1232.jpg
http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/?action=view¤t=IMG_1233.jpg
Let’s make those links clickable:
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/IMG_1237.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/IMG_1233.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/IMG_1232.jpg
I’m not much of a coal guy and it may be the camera rather than the material, but I expect coal to be kind a shiny, dark black and the sizes should be pretty similar. Your pictures show a material that looks more brown and uneven in size. I think there are some kinds of coal that are brownish -anthracite? - but I suspect most modelers want the black, shiny stuff. I’ll let someone who actually knows what they’re talking about chime in but I think you’d have a tough row to hoe going up against established names like Highball and Woodland Scenics.
shouldn’t the pics just show up in the post? I could leave the links in if they don’t. My coal is not shinny, probable because it’s been processed.
Here’s some other stuff I have, pretty uniform is size. Small granuals and sparkley, I would think it might be good ballast. What’s everyone think? thanks for the opinions
http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/?action=view¤t=IMG_1244.jpg
http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/?action=view¤t=IMG_1243.jpg
http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/michman49201/?action=view¤t=IMG_1242.jpg
Hi Steelman,
At first glance, especially in the photo of New River Mine, the individual pieces of the material look too big. The New River Mine structure would actually be the crusher/sorter that would grade the coal into different sizes, so the coal that is carried away in coal cars would tend to be a fairly consistent size in each load.
In the following shot you can see some of the woodland scenic coal. I actually think it is a little too course in HO.
Your material looks like it might make some convincing slag, or slack, the waste products that are sorted out of the coal. Slate and other rock and such. If it takes paint well, you could add some greys and have some gondolas full of the stuff being taken away.
Perhaps you can sift the material and make convincing coal loads with some of the finer materials as well?
I could sift it but it could be crushed by someone also. If I just sell it as is, someone could crush it or paint it as they need. What is the going rate/lb in the market if anyone knows? I really do appreciate the feedback from everyone. I can get alot of this stuff so I kinda need an idea what would be a good price per pound. I also thought I might sell a smaller quanity at a price just enough to cover my cost and the shipping cost as a sample so people could see what they would be getting
IMO, the Arizona Rock Co. makes some of the best ballast and coal materials. Scroll down the link here and you can see the coal products sold in different grades. http://www.rrscenery.com/azrock3HO.html
I think before anyone will commit, I’m sure they’ll want to know what it is made out of, if it’s safe, what it “might” react with, etc…
Model Hobbies coal from the 60’s often shows up on ebay. I got a container of it for 7 cents (plus $7.00 shipping).