Since the plan I linked does have “through” staging, it would be possible to assume that the breaker is “beyond the benchwork” and run empties and loads to-and-from staging. But I think it would be more interesting to have the breaker on the visible layout.
A google image search for “HO Anthracite Breaker” yields a number of layout-sized examples. A number of these seem to be kitbashed from the Walthers New River Mining kit.
Byron, I agree with this, that it would be more interesting to feature the breaker on the layout. This might have some advantage in terms of providing an excuse for some elevation change on one of the Hazelton etc coal branches (that might even get me up to a shortened upper deck for the branch line). The main challenge with an anthracite breaker is its overall height–and getting the auxiliary buildings right, or at least suggesting those associated buildings.
I got a copy of Tony Koester’s book on coal railroading and read through it last night–an easy read. Koester himself used the Walthers kit as a basis for one of his main coal mines. One thing that struck me was the difference between soft coal mining rr ops in the West Virginia context versus the anthracite region. Very little way freight traffic on the WV coal lines, whereas I think it would be possible to have more industrial switching and freight ops modeling one or more of the anthracite roads.
Armstrong’s design book has a section on ‘railroad routing through mountain territory,’ which I had forgotten about, that has a map of the LV from New Jersey to Geneva NY. He also includes an elevation chart. I like this as a possible basis for what I’m thinking about doing, and I know on the anthracite historical society’s pages there are links to a half dozen or more model railroads based on the LV, so lots of ideas there as well.
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I’ve been slowly accumulating materials on anthracite breakers, including articles in the model press for building/kitbashing variously sized structures. Ran across this video on youtube last night and thought it might be of interest: