04-26-2009, 12:48 PM
Steve's explanation is usually how it worked in yards where the coal was dumped to the ground for storage - this was probably far more common that the enclosed bunkers which I have modelled. Most people nowadays don't realise how much manual labour was involved in many industries. While there was a considerable amount of mechanisation available, especially into the '50s, much of the work was done by "shovel technicians", including loading or unloading of trucks and freight cars.
The first house that I lived in, as a child, had a coal-fired furnace. While it was a rental, with other tenants on the two upper floors, my Dad was in charge of tending the furnace. The absentee landlord usually bought a minimal amount of coal, which was delivered in bags - even though the chute was at the front of the house, and only about 10' from the street, it was easier for the delivery guy to haul the 100 lb. bags from the truck to the chute than it was to set up the chute from the truck. I think that we generally got only two or three bags at a time. I guess that the landlord didn't want to buy too much at a time, just in case the price came down.
Wayne
The first house that I lived in, as a child, had a coal-fired furnace. While it was a rental, with other tenants on the two upper floors, my Dad was in charge of tending the furnace. The absentee landlord usually bought a minimal amount of coal, which was delivered in bags - even though the chute was at the front of the house, and only about 10' from the street, it was easier for the delivery guy to haul the 100 lb. bags from the truck to the chute than it was to set up the chute from the truck. I think that we generally got only two or three bags at a time. I guess that the landlord didn't want to buy too much at a time, just in case the price came down.
Wayne