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coal dump

32K views 497 replies 25 participants last post by  Magic 
#1 · (Edited)
This all began with the purchase of some TYCO operating hopper cars and the unloader bridge. I had been wanting to add something to our little industrial branch that would incorporate some old bridges I had been saving, and here's what I came up with.
This is the original end of track area before work began. Gondolas are delivered here having come from the industrial spur "downtown". No facility to handle hopper cars though.

Transport Scale model Rolling stock Train Railway



I added a 10"x 48" piece of 3/4"plywood screwed to the bottom edge of my 1"x 3" framework. I added the pier blocks which I cut out on a table saw, And screwed them into place after adjusting the spacing to fit the bridges and dumper section. The 3/4" blocks were cut to the proper height to allow for the cork roadbed thickness. That's a TYCO 630 flying past in the background on the main.


Transport Train Scale model Railway Vehicle



The bridge approach was installed level with the existing tablework and a new switch was installed for the siding. I added insulated joiners to both the original siding leg and the new coal dump section, in order to allow selective power routing through an atlas relay in parallel with the switch machine.
The second bridge allows run out space for the empties as they come off the dumper.


Transport Scale model Vehicle Nonbuilding structure Amusement park




Gotta hand it to the crew! They did all that was expected of them!( Nuthin'!,these bums did nuthin'!)
These are cheap Atlas figures that I painted years ago. Everything I have nearly is from "years ago", have you noticed that? The unpainted "Zombie Apocalypse" guy is there to illustrate the difference a little paint can make. These days I paint them on a TV tray while watching NYPD Blue reruns on Audience.


Wood Table Hardwood Furniture Room



The retaining wall was covered with doll house embossed brick sheet from Hobby Lobby. Even though the "bricks"are oversize, I used it because it was what I could find with the limited spare time I have available. The ground cover is old Life Like landscape paper. This is the in progress view

Transport Mode of transport Crane Vehicle Steel


I also covered the piers in brick sheet and cut the pier caps out of cardboard. My scenery is very simple. I plan on adding an end loader and a truck or two ,plus a lot of clutter, around the area. I've installed light poles along the bridges since these pictures were taken also.


Transport Vehicle Crane Wheel Amusement park



A few details have been added at this point. this area will become very "busy" like the rest of our layout. We do this on purpose to keep the eye moving and make the small space we have seem larger


Scale model Transport Track Train Railway



Next on the agenda is the loader facility, Shown here mocked into place. The plan is to put a funnel in the roof to pour the "coal" into to load the hoppers. This is located in the branch line track halfway between the coal dump and the interchange.I'm using small black beads from Hobby Lobby (thanks, Shaygetz). problem is they won't come out of the hoppers! I'm going to try PAM cooking spray and see if it helps.


Transport Train Railway Scale model Vehicle





There are 2 switchers here now, one for the gondolas and one for the hopper cars.
With the power routing relay you just throw the switch and either train will run depending on the siding selected. that keeps it simple for the little guy. And me.
Thanks for looking!
 
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#132 · (Edited)
Looking a little better now! I covered the front and sides with metal foil and a coat of paint everywhere else. This poor thing was never built right, is not square and everything is crooked, I'm glad it turned out this good!
Efforts are being made to ignore the impending doom lurking in the street.

Toy Scale model


Scale model Transport Toy Building Architecture
 
#139 · (Edited)
Can you hear me? Can you hear me? NAJ, buddy I tell you I haven't slept in two days! I had pre posted some publicity shots for the new diner in town and an hour later it was chaos! I hear sirens, screaming, women trying to run in high heels, it was terrible.
I tried to get to the action but the police had already blocked the streets and the ARMY was on site! I was able to get this shot before things got bad, but what's that at the end of the street?

Mode of transport Vehicle Floor Flooring Car


Early the next morning I had snuck around for a better look, although I was shaking in my shoes wondering what might happen! I was able to get a shot from atop the diner just before it all broke loose! Right after this picture they opened fire with everything they had and the impact blast blew me off the roof but it seemed like the attack was having no affect. The shooting was relentless, going on past daybreak.

Toy Play Games Animation Table


OK, So it was quiet through the next day, but you could cut the tension with a knife. I still was having to hide from the patrols to keep from being arrested and still hadn't really been able to see what it was causing all the horror.
Around dusk, it started up again for several hours, and I managed to work around towards the railroad station. Only after climbing up a tree could I see the terrible, Yet unexplainable site. A large, shifting, pinkish purple mass which was steadily growing larger and had apparently paralyzed the innocent bystanders, who were frozen in fear! Lots of talking, discussion and heated discussions could be heard through the erie silence after the firing stopped.
Then to my surprise, a local kid's hotrod came zooming out of the shadows, and just before I blacked out, I caught this shot before the car plowed into the.........blob?

Motor vehicle Vehicle Scale model Car Model car


I woke up in bandages a couple hours ago, no hotrod, no blob. Lots of mess. Looks to be all clear now, but I tell ya NAJ, think twice next time you step in something sticky.:dunno:
 
#142 ·
Can you hear me? Can you hear me? NAJ, buddy I tell you I haven't slept in two days! I had pre posted some publicity shots for the new diner in town and an hour later it was chaos! I hear sirens, screaming, women trying to run in high heels, it was terrible.
I tried to get to the action but the police had already blocked the streets and the ARMY was on site! I was able to get this shot before things got bad, but what's that at the end of the street?

View attachment 271290

Early the next morning I had snuck around for a better look, although I was shaking in my shoes wondering what might happen! I was able to get a shot from atop the diner just before it all broke loose! Right after this picture they opened fire with everything they had and the impact blast blew me off the roof but it seemed like the attack was having no affect. The shooting was relentless, going on past daybreak.

View attachment 271298

OK, So it was quiet through the next day, but you could cut the tension with a knife. I still was having to hide from the patrols to keep from being arrested and still hadn't really been able to see what it was causing all the horror.
Around dusk, it started up again for several hours, and I managed to work around towards the railroad station. Only after climbing up a tree could I see the terrible, Yet unexplainable site. A large, shifting, pinkish purple mass which was steadily growing larger and had apparently paralyzed the innocent bystanders, who were frozen in fear! Lots of talking, discussion and heated discussions could be heard through the erie silence after the firing stopped.
Then to my surprise, a local kid's hotrod came zooming out of the shadows, and just before I blacked out, I caught this shot before the car plowed into the.........blob?

View attachment 271306

I woke up in bandages a couple hours ago, no hotrod, no blob. Lots of mess. Looks to be all clear now, but I tell ya NAJ, think twice next time you step in something sticky.:dunno:
Bravo, Bravo!!!
Standing :appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl:
 
#140 · (Edited)
Thanks for the kind remarks, everyone!

Mark, the foil is made for model cars and is very thin with a light adhesive background. You cut it to rough size and press it into details with your fingers and blunt tools, trimming around openings and such with an x acto blade. Gaps and adjoining pieces are simply lapped and pressed in. Joints are all but invisible.

Shdwdrgn, here's my working fleet, the beat up B&M you saw is my spare. I swap them out from time to time when I find cheap ones at shows, and sell the excess. To date I've had about a dozen, but keep only 3 in service. That's all the dump can handle.

Transport Scale model Vehicle Train Railway
 
#144 ·
I could feel the suspense.
HAHA! Wouldn't be worth it if it weren't fun! I don't know for sure where all this stems from but I think it originally goes back to SFATW and some stuff we conjured up over there! And NAJ, I tried to hint that there was trouble a-brewin'!:laugh:
BTW: The horror diner was a little gift from "THE NEW GUY". He had included it in some things I got from him a while back.:thumbsup:

Time to get the railroad running again.
 
#151 ·
These are the new additions I picked up Saturday. The Hot Dog's (gotta fix that) stand is going across the street from the Horror Diner next to the train station, The decrepit building is replacing the hardware store next to the freight terminal, and the nice Veteran's memorial is going in the park where the Diner was originally going to be along with a nice flag monument courtesy of The New Guy( where is he anyway?). Pictures forthcoming as work creeps along. The little man has 11 million Scout things to get done plus Pinewood derby and He's crossing over to Boy Scouts mid march so my time is spoken for. Look beyond the tall tree and you can see him back there!



Scale model Transport House Vehicle Building
 
#154 ·
He He, I will have to look into putting up a video. Can a person do that from a phone?
Absolutely, that is how I do mine. (Motorola Maxx Droid)
Video tape using the camera option on your phone, plug the phone and phone charging cable into your computer and open the phone gallery on your computer (mine says XT1080 when I go to "documents).
Copy and paste the video link from your phone to a folder on your computer.
Open the file with "Windows Movie Maker" (or whatever editing software you have or like) and edit, add titles, captions, music, etc.
When you are done post to YouTube and the YouTube link to MTF.
 
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