Coal Mining Structures

[landnrailroader]

Colleagues,

Three or four of my bucket list routes lie in the areas where modern mining
was done in Appalachia. While there are (or were) a number of smaller mines
that had wooden tipples and such, many of the mines are modern in nature,
with batch & flood loaders, silos, high capacity air handlers, numerous
conveyors, etc. Most of the older style structures are available in the library.

I am wondering if anyone is working on, or has in their "private" collections
modern style equipment. Coke ovens are another item, and I noticed that
someone was working on those. While not the design of ones located on
NS lines in SW Virginia, they would be better than nothing.

The newer type equipment is found in the PRB route, in the library, but the
textures used are not correct, and unless the items were done in TSM, and
one had the source files, it would be hard to correct the issues. I am looking
at doing some items myself, but any help in this area would be nice. I have
a number of images of the former Transloader at Appalachia, VA (now gone)
as well as some of other mines in the Stonega, VA area which I will use as
reference for my creations.

J. H. Sullivan
(aka landnrailroader)

[ebnertra000]

I'm going to have to do some stuff for iron mines in the near future, but I don't know how similar iron ore-handling equipment is to that of coal

[landnrailroader]

I'm going to have to do some stuff for iron mines in the near future, but I don't know how similar iron ore-handling equipment is to that of coal

From what I have seen of the ore handling equipment in aerial views of the
pits around Belo Horizonte, Brazil, the only difference would be the color.
Ore conveyors are usually either black or rust colored, mainly because of
the fact that iron ore is, mostly dirt.

Modern coal mine equipment can be any color, but the most likely one is a
sort of blue-green color. If you peruse aerials of this mine in Kentucky, the
air handler is the bright blue item to the left end, otherwise this is a good
example of a modern, active mine. -82.4934/37.5917

J. H. Sullivan

[eolesen]

Pretty easy to build components like this in Sketchup... I built the conveyers and supports as separate pieces so that they could easily be used on an incline.

[landnrailroader]

I would hope that you might release some of your objects to the T-S file library. I use TSM for
my concoctions. Never got the hang of sketchup, but there are two stations shown as 3D
images in Google Earth that I wish I could use on one of my routes, if I ever get around to it,
or live long enough to do it. That would be the L&N main stem, 1st & 2nd subs., i.e. the line
from Louisville to Nashville.

[eolesen]

I'll see what I can do for these.

I haven't fired up the RE or Sketchup in almost a year, nor have I had time to learn TSRE due to work... Might as well let y'all enjoy them in your routes...

[landnrailroader]

That is the best part about retirement. Do what you want, whenever you want, for as long as
you want--- as long as the boss, i.e. wife, does not lay you upside the head-----.

[Rick-MONON]

Jerry

Are you going to do the L&N subs from Louisville to Nashville?

[landnrailroader]

The L&N Main Stem, 1st & 2nd Subs. are not on my list, but that does not mean I won't
do them. The main problem is that there are a number of towns, large enough, that
they would have to be fluffed out a bit to look really good, and then there are at least
the two large cities at the ends, and BowlingGreen in the middle that is fairly large. It
is a line that I know like my own backyard. My Uncle was a high seniority engineer. I
listened to his tales from the time I could sit still, and he inserted the railfan bug which
is a terminal condition. Then in my HO collection, almost all of what I have is L&N
prototype. One thing I could certainly do is produce the route with track & most roads
in place, and then turn it over to a "super-detailer". Otherwise, it is at least a 2 year
project.

J. H. Sullivan

[Rick-MONON]

Maybe Rick should come out of route retirement and lend a hand?

I lived around Elizabethtown area and that area is of interest and has some good rolling hills in there and a tunnel south of Horse Cave.

Your right, both ends would be some scenery laying for sure.

Whats more interesting is the lack of other railroads crossing over it, I think that happens only in Nashville and Louisville.