# What's your favorite full sized coal hopper?



## Festus (Jun 28, 2010)

Many of my ancestors worked the coal mines in southern Utah about 100 years ago and many of them are buried in the long forgotten cemetery there. As a way of at least remembering them, I thought I'd like to have a line of coal hoppers on the mainline here. By full size I mean a 3-4 bays and 70 tons or more. I really don't care about road name or color, just so they'll all be the same. I have a dozen or more now, all different makes, models and colors, but none of the ones I have look as good as some I've seen in GR magazine or in photos of garden railways around the world. Please tell me what YOUR FAVORITE coal hopper is and if possible give me a make, model, brief description, and why you prefer it. I figure if I call the right dealer and tell them I want a dozen hoppers, they'll give me a great deal. My friend is an excellent artist with graffiti and I plan to have him add the names of my fallen coal mining ancestors on the sides of a few of the hoppers, as well as some information on where the mine was and the dates. I give him basic directions and he always comes through with excellent results. SO TELL ME WHAT YOUR FAVORITE HOPPER IS. FESTUS


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Festus 

I worked down in the Coals mines in Northern WV from 1972 to 1984. 

The coal hoppers I remember servicing the mine (Eastern Associated Coal Corp. Federal # 1 mine, Grantown, WV) and are my favorites are B&O 34 footer 2 bay hoppers. 

[url="


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

I would go with "modern, but small"..
I think the 2-bay hoppers made by Aristocraft would fit the bill nicely:










Aristocraft 2-bay coal hopper
they represent an early to mid-20th century hopper, that would have been pulled by both steam and diesels.

IMO, the 3 bay hoppers:
USA Trains 3-bay hopper 
Aristo 3-bay hopper 
are just too large, unless you are running SD70's and Dash-9 diesels. 
My favorite is definitely the 2-bay hopper..because of the classic look of them, and the nice (smaller) size..

What kind of locomotives will be pulling this train of hoppers? that is an important factor..
also, im assuming you are talking 1/29 scale! but perhaps you are not..
If you are not running 1/29 scale, then we need more info about your railroad and locomotives.. 


Scot


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

so I'll post the link again 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyZk7H_TbMs&feature=plcp


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

ALL 

This is also posted on the USRA hopper thread in the Rolling Stock forum. 


Here is a video taken by Mac Beard of the C&O HS on the IE&W in April. The hoppers are all MDC cars modified by MLS member Mike Oates with Accucraft trucks, Kadee body mounted 1836 couplers, and custom lettering provided by Stan Cederleaf. Mike also added heap shields on the ends of some cars, replaced the ratchet brake levers with proper power brake wheels and AB brake system [air reservoir, triple valve, and brake cylinder] on the B end of each car. The numbers and lettering style are correct for each car series represented and Mike weathered each of the cars. The locomotive is an Aster Berkshire modified to represent one of the Pere Marquette 2-8-4s that came to the C&O. The C&O caboose is a custom model done by Ross Schlabach. 

Intruding on our C&O event is Jon Kling's K-27 on some test runs. He was doing performance comparisons to his coal fired K-28. 


==> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_zI3ZRqtWw&feature=youtu.be 

If and when a proper standard 70 ton three bay hopper appears in 1:32, it will displace these as my favorite.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

*Scot said*


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I can't sem to edit the above post. Sorry 'bout that. 

What I had tried to say was that Scot said it all for me. 

Ed


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## D-n-H - Kirkville Branch (Jan 14, 2008)

i like that hopper scott kinda nneds a new paint job to look like - http://www.trainweb.org/dhvm/images/dhrr_freight/Darren-E-Hadley/341-01.jpg


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

I would have to go with two or three bays. I'm kind of a old time guy. Really don't like the modern stuff.

Don


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Need you ask??? 










Originally built in 1913 by Pressed Steel Co., and quickly "adapted" (read: copied) by the EBT's own shops. 

Of course, they're not exactly standard gauge... 

Later, 

K


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## Festus (Jun 28, 2010)

Excellent pictures and replies. Thanks. Don't know how I missed all these great looking hoppers. They're all exactly what I've been looking for. I read about a custom coal load and they looked very nice. I don't know how they were made though. Does someone sell a kit or is this a do it yourself with a sack of coal and a board of some kind? All the loads looked a bit different than the one next to it and that made it look much nicer. Festus


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## Festus (Jun 28, 2010)

I forgot. The locos that will be pulling these hoppers are Aristo-Craft FA-1, SD-45, U-25B, an RS-3 and a pair of Lionel SD-20's (I think they're called) so I don't know if that means I should keep them down to a 2 bay or 3? Or more? 

I will also have the small 0-4-0 LGB switcher type locos, like 2060, etc. on trestles about 15" off the ground and I'd like the smaller 2 bay hoppers up there so I'll be looking for two sizes. But both need to be filled with coal or empty if possible. I have seen some ready made hoppers with removable coal loads but would prefer to buy or make some custom loads. 

So perhaps the 2 bay hoppers above and 3-4 bay on the ground with the big boys? FESTUS


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