hay out there

[Lester Perry]

Les...Is that 50 hoppers for real..?? I figure I got a long train going with a dozen cars behind an engine...!!!

Absolutely In my mind a coal train is big. I have pulled 100 plus caboose. But that is not regular. My minimum coal train is 35 as that is what my main mine can handle. That train usually goes to Clifton Forge yard where it is combined with 15-20 cars from Crooked creek local mine run before it is sent East to Newport News Va. or West to Russell Ky. both of which are off layout hidden yards. In real life both of these would be off loaded on to barges which if I live long enough and get rich I would love to model. My Crooked Creek run is usually 18 empty coal cars from Clifton Forge to 3 small Mines where they are swapped for 18 loaded cars. There is also a logging operation on that run which usually gets 2 or 3 empty skeleton cars which are exchanged for loaded ones. There is also an exchange track with PRR which gets 1 or 2 cars most of the time to pick up or drop. Sometimes the 35 coal cars go directly to power plant where there are 35 empties to pull for a return to the mine to be loaded. When they go to the hidden yard in a 50 car drag they are seperated from the 18 +- cars from Crooked Creek. and sent to power plant. sopund complicated but it is very simple. Basicaly you have either 35 or 50 car coal trains running on the main line . There is also an 18 plus car local coal train, loaded or empty that is on the main for a short time then goes onto Crooked Creek local track. Here is video of coal train pulling from mine you will also see the empties going to Crooked Creek headed the oposite direction. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr-LShgKzvQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr-LShgKzvQ</a><!-- m -->