# Coal Load for Accucraft 3-bay Hopper



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I started adding coal to my hoppers this week, and having the camera handy I thought a photo-essay would be of interest. Nothing beats real coal, and here's the finished job: 










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Stage 1. Coal._

The coal came from the B&O RR Museum. The small 1:1 scale lumps need crushing - I use a tough plastic bag, which doesn't last long but it stops the bits flying all over the place.











The coal is seived into an old plastic sink bowl to get rid of the dust. Large pieces go back in the bag for a repeat bashing.











The final crushed coal is dumped into an old plastic tray.











_Stage 2. The base._

The coal is loaded onto a flat base made from foamcore (from Michaels Crafts.) I'm cutting on an old glass shelf. 











The chisel is to cut away the foam on the back to clear the crossbars and slope the ends. NOTE: the crossbars are NOT symmetrically placed! ( Don't ask me why.) Measure carefully.











Note that two corners are cut at 45 degrees. The other corners fit under the corner plates of the car, but you have to get the load out occasionally (not to mention squeezing it in.) I add a nail, painted black and glued on the back in one corner to help. Sometimes it does.











Here's the base, sprayed with black primer from a can, and loaded in the car.











_Stage 3. Loading the Coal._

I start by spreading glue and dropping coal on it. A good clear glue is helpful - I use Duco Cement from my Ace Hardware, as it dribbles everywhere but is invisible when it dries on the coal. (You may see the green tube in one or two photos. The bottle in the pic below is a different version - it dried white on the coal so I stopped using it.) 










I kept adding layers and filling empty spots - it usually takes about 3 or 4 layers to cover it adequately. Then, after the glue for each layer has dried, you pick it up and shake off the excess. You can dribble glue onto the top of the lumps to add more. Smaller pieces are good for the sides and between the larger lumps.











And that's it. As I said, nothing like real coal! Only 7 more cars to go . . . 











_Can't wait for #12 to arrive..._


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## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks great! Can't find any coal around here so I've used aquarium charcoal with some good results.











Best,
TJ


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

so I've used aquarium charcoal with some good results 
Loinel sells a bag of O-scale coal that looks like your char-coal. 

On a Loco, properly sized coal would be appropriate, but the EBT hoppers carried 'run-of-mine' coal in all sizes that was sorted and crushed (if necessary) at the My Union plant, before the Pennsy took it off to its final destination.


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