My layout. by toptrain

[toptrain]

I had a need for a coaling tower that would service two tracks. All I had was Bachmann ( old Plasticville ) coaling towers. They get loaded from underneath and load to the side. For me this won't work. The basic idea was to cut the coal bin area free of the tower support legs. Then just put the legs back where I want them. It sounds easy. but their was alot more to it than that. A realistic way was needed to get the coal up to both bins. A third coal tower was needed to supply the chain and bucket lift housing to the upper conveyer belt that would deliver the coal to the two towers. This conveyer belt has to pass thro both bins. It needs to unload the coal onto another shorter conveyer belt which brings the coal to the top of the slide in each bin. Ok now I realize what would be necessary for this coal tower to be realistic. I'm not building the interior working parts. Just the housings that they would to in. I must have access to these conveyer belts, deflectors and slides to maintain them. Here is what I kitbashed.
First what a Bachmann coal tower looks like.

   

Next the tower completed in place with locos being serviced.

   

A photo of the entrance side.