Folks any ideas what I can use as model coal for a tender in 1/35 scale.
Thanks, Terry
I used some Arizona Rock & Minerals real coal in my HO tenders. There were several grades available as I recall deciding between the small and medium. Maybe they have a large grade.
Go to a masonary contractor’s supply place and buy some sand blasting material. It is HO scale coal. LION salvaged his from the vacuum cleaner of a contractor that was working here at the Abbey, but the stuff is dead cheap from the supplier. You might not want a 50# bag, but he likely has some spilled stuff that he can give to you. It is absolutely perfect, especially if you want it to flow from a coaling tower into your coal hoppers.
ROAR
Paul, Roar thanks, I’ll check them both out. I’m finding it tough to find rail stuff in my plastic scales of 1/35 and 1/72. 72 is a little easier, I try and use HO but its not so easy in our normal scale of 35.
Thanks again, Terry
HI Terry, I just happened to have a real piece of coal on hand. I wrapped it up in plastic and kept hitting it with a hammer till I had the size desired. Good luck Derek
HI Terry, I just happened to have a real piece of coal on hand. I wrapped it up in plastic and kept hitting it with a hammer till I had the size desired. Good luck Derek
Hello All,
Check out Conway Coal Company.
I originally found them through eBay but they do direct sales.
On my first order the bag had a hole in it. When I placed my second order I told them so they could improve the packaging.
They not only thanked me for the heads-up but included two more ounces in the second order to makeup for the lost product.
They also include a blank vintage bill of sale or they will fill it out with your information, your chioce. Not a huge deal but still pretty cool.
They offer several sizes to represent different scales and mine runs.
Hope this helps.
I saw a large scale locomotive on display where the ballast was acquarium rocks and they looked good. As it happens more than one outfit sells black acquarium rocks and in the photo at least it looks like tender type coal. So the answer may be at the local pet shop.
http://www.petco.com/product/115869/Petco-Frosted-Black-Aquarium-Gravel.aspx
Dave Nelson
if you use water filters in your Kuerig coffee maker, try drying them out and cutting them open. It sure looks good for HO, don’t know about 1/35 scale
If you have any type of water filtration system that uses replaceable cartridges, many of them contain granular charcoal that can be used as a hopper load.
All great answers and thanks, I knew this was the right place.
Working in 1:80 scale, I’ve loaded hopper cars with charcoal from expended pool filter cartridges, and put crushed Cumbres and Toltec locomotive coal in my tenders. In both cases, I screened out bigger lumps that would probably be the right size for 1:35 scale.
As for the C&T coal, I found it on the ground at Antonito, asked for permission to take it and volunteered a donation to the railroad. Years earlier I found a lump on the (now removed) switchback of the Grande’s Monarch Branch. That was used making loads for a unit train that’s still at a club I once belonged to.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Thanks for all the replies. I purchased a (4) four ounce bag samplers from an Ebay site for $9, each a different size that works well with 1/35 and also 1/72. These are standard plastic model scales and the (coal) appears to be made from shredded rubber and quite convincing. Thats plenty for what I do and gave me some options but I just lucked out just snooping around.
Thanks again, Terry
The charcoal used in aquarium filters should look about right. It’s been awhile since I used any and not sure about the 1/35, but think it would be close.
Good luck,
Richard
Just takes osm charcoal and break it up until you get the size you want.
Could a charcoal briquettes from the Kingsford bag be crushed?