RRManiac's Summer Stilt Hopper Tipple Structure Challenge

[RRManiac]

Hey guys.

While I am doing the EBT Mt. Union enginehouse in HO scale, I figure I might as well do another one that will definately be much easier to achieve.

Close to, or after, the end of common carrier operations, the East Broad Top took several hoppers to a few mines at the far end of the line, removed the trucks(and returned them to the line), and placed them on stilts. That way trucks could still be loaded at the active mines.

Many of you are probably thinking: "well, why aren't they just loading the trucks directly?" Here's a possible theory: the height of a hopper car, even a narrow gauge hopper, is much taller than the truck. The tipples were built for loading hoppers. A small concrete ramp beneath the hopper ran downward to get the trucks at the correct height after the installation of these "stilted hoppers".

I'm also going to try something to make this a bit more fun and challenging: no pictures to work from. Only documents and the recountings of people who knew of their existence. Why? Because I can't find any pictures, so instead I am going to go with common sense, logic, a few documentations, and as much historical information as I can get from somebody well known among most people: R. Lee Rainey.

I think this will be fun, and will get started on it immediately.

Enjoy. And by the way, by know pictures, I meant nothing to work from. That means that they will be compensated for by build pictures .

[RRManiac]

Most of the supplies that I'll need are going to be ordered later tonight through the local hobby shop owner Ed Forsythe. He's got quite a bit of HO stuff, but not much of anything for N.

In the order will be some N scale chain, a cheap-o N scale hopper, some styrene rod and hopefully some square styrene that I can use as the timber supports. I'll also be looking out for a razor saw and miter box, as well as a few other tools such as a scale rule and some tools that I need for the switch from HO to N.

I may use scale stripwood in place of styrene for the timber supports. Not too sure, but that is most likely what I'll order. I usually get it within a couple meetings' time, so I'll have it really soon.

[boppa]

I'm also going to try something to make this a bit more fun and challenging: no pictures to work from. Only documents and the recountings of people who knew of their existence. Why? Because I can't find any pictures, so instead I am going to go with common sense, logic, a few documentations, and as much historical information as I can get from somebody well known among most people: R. Lee Rainey.

Its amazing how much information about the past is being lost as the older generations pass away
My home town had a railway line that closed back in the 1930's- we know what the station looked like (it is a house now)but....
We dont know where it was!!
the building itself was moved and the various maps disagree about its location- by a kilometer or more

another town just up the road most people are completely surprised it had a turntable
We dont know what it looked like, or even again exactly where it was located (different accounts put it at opposite ends of the town...)

All that history, going, going, gone....
(sorry for the slight thread derail)

[RRManiac]

That's fine with me. It is important that we remember that history. It's such a shame that the "old-timers" that worked on the EBT during the common carrier-era are either dead or almost there. I won't have an oppurtunity to speak with any of them about the EBT any time soon, so that really stinks.

An update on the project:

A member of the local train club brought in a cardboard box packed to the brim with stripwood that he got on e-bay for a couple dollars. No orders with Northeast Scale Lumber today!

I ordered the coal hopper that I will be using for this one. It's nowhere near an EBT hopper, but it's close enough.

I have also picked out a piece of foam that I will be doing the scene on. When the layout comes around, I'll lay it down with the rest of the scene already on it. Need to get some track and ballast together, but otherwise I'm all set for now.

I wasn't thinking yesterday when I was fishing through the stripwood and never grabbed any planking. I'll have to get that Tuesday.

[tomustang]

Hey guys.

While I am doing the EBT Mt. Union enginehouse in HO scale


I'm also going to try something to make this a bit more fun and challenging: no pictures to work from. Only documents and the recountings of people who knew of their existence. Why? Because I can't find any pictures,

You mean this thing? <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.spikesys.com/EBT/Tour/muehouse.html">http://www.spikesys.com/EBT/Tour/muehouse.html</a><!-- m -->

[P5se Camelback]

Prototype photos are good ... now we have a decent idea what you are building.

Now ... we need a photograph or three of the model work ... c 'mon ... don't be shy ... the whole "Challenge" exercise is about building something and sharing the build with the rest of us. we're all doing it. Some threads have over 12 pages of photos ...

So ... :?:

[e-paw]

:needpics:

[RRManiac]

That is the one that I am building, but I am also working on a much easier project that I can't get any pictures of. I am waiting on an order to come through so I can get started on it. It is a hopper put on stilts to facilitate loading of culm/boney/coal impurities from one of the mines into trucks.

Later, there will be a chute from the mine running to just above the hopper, but that'll be after the layout is built up to that point.

I will get some stuff together Tuesday to start working on the bulk of the project, and then I'll just have to wait on that hopper.

[RRManiac]

New developments:

-The hopper to be used in the project just arrived yesterday. I still need to re-letter/re-decal it.
-The foam board piece to be used as the base for the diorama has been selected, and is being prepared
-I just got more scenery materials, so I'll be getting the scene ready for the final pictures.


Still to be done:
-Re-letter/re-decaling of hopper
-Get stripwood
-Weather/Stain stripwood
-Make the scene to be used as the basis of the diorama

I think you guys misunderstood what I was saying when I said "While I am building the Mt. Union Enginehouse." There is a separate thread for it, and it will most likely be done, as I don't have my siding yet due to a lack of dimensions. I still have absolutely no idea how tall it is or anything.

More updates will be posted as work is done. I'll post pictures of the car later today, as well as pictures of the foam.

[P5se Camelback]

... don't have my siding yet due to a lack of dimensions. I still have absolutely no idea how tall it is or anything. ...

There is a door in the side of the building, which is visible quite clearly in at least one photo. The Architectural Standard for a standard door is 3'-0" x 6'-8". The size of a concrete block is also a known dimension ... 8" x 16" ... you could count the blocks.

Once you identify a known dimension in a photograph, "scaling" sizes is not an impossible task.

[tomustang]

I think you guys misunderstood what I was saying when I said

Gotcha, so you mean this:



or this one:

[RRManiac]

P5se: That's some neat information. I didn't know either of those things, so that's pretty cool. I would like to please respectfully ask you to post any more information in the build thread for the enginehouse here: http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=37&t=3207


Tomustang: That's pretty close, but not quite it. What it is is a hopper car, put up on wooden or steel truss supports and loaded via a chute(I can make it from U-channel) that would pour coal into it from the mine. The primary difference between using the hopper as a tipple and loading trucks and cars directly from the mine is the height. Trucks are shorter than cars, so some coal was likely to hit the deck and not go in the truck, thus wasting that coal during the loading process.

Granted, it would be cleaned up, but it would need to be separated from other stuff before the coal "washing" process could even begin.

[RRManiac]

I just took some pics last night. I'll get them on my computer and you guys can see them.

[RRManiac]

At long last! Build pics! I hope you all enjoy                

[Gary S]

Pictures

PICTURES

PiCtuREs

We want pictures!!!!