A moving, "animated" coal load in steam loco tenders?

I have suggested this to Lionel several years ago and have listed the idea on the forum as well.  I really wish they would implement this.

You'll need a simple track for the coal pile to ride up and down on.  Micro switches at each end of the track so the motor knows when to stop.  The engine could track how many miles have run and then send a signal to the tender to drop the coal load one notch.  The motor would then move the coal pile to the next level.  Once it reaches the bottom, it would trigger the micro switch so it would not continue to try and lower the coal pile.

Lionel could then make a coal accessory to go along with this feature.  The engine would pull up to the coal loader.  Press a button and the coal pile would raise back up to full load. 

I think the coal load should also be controlled via the Legacy remote so the users can move the coal pile up and down manually.

my idea is even a little nuttier... make a working stoker screw only run it backwards (who would notice) which would draw the coal back into the tender's water tank until the bunker is emptied.

As I understand it, the coal load doesn't move but the loco reports its status.  Does it actually stop if it runs out of fuel?

All of these are good ideas, guys.  I'm encouraged that others think this is something wroth Lionel pursuing.  The more "things" these toy trains do, the more fun they generate.

Great idea but most of our tenders are full of electronics which already take up that space. It is interesting though.

make a working stoker screw

That's an interesting way of emptying the coal load.  It would be more realistic for the dropping coal load.  My only concern with that method is a possible jamming of the stoker.  Your way may be easier to make since there is no track involved to raise and lower the coal.  Its a simple motor running forwards and backwards to move the coal from one visible bin to the hidden one.  As long as there is room for the two bins it may provide a better affect as your way really empties the coal and users could send the stoker working when empty.

It also might also eventually wear down the "coal" into finer particles, and it would be a mess should the tender de-rail or tump over.  But you are right - it IS a very neat idea!

So if the tender derails and the coal spills out - now you're talking real railroading

Lee,

MTH produced a hopper car, with an operating coal load, which was cataloged in 2001.  It has a flexible rubber coal load, which is piled high in the hopper.  When operated on an operating track the coal load lowers down in the hopper, as if it were being emptied.  Of course, the rubber coal load looks like a rubber coal load, but it is still a novel operating car.  It came in both PR and Virginian road names.  If the coal load could be given a more realistic appearance, I think this would do what you are looking for in a tender.  I have one of these cars, but I have never opened it up to look at the mechanism.

George 

Lee, I believe this sums it up. Quote.

"If no one as ever done it that way, it might be fun to try."

Good Luck.

Lee you get points for thinking outside the box. As for a moving coal load, the more features/functions you add the more expensive and less reliable the locomotive gets.

If you limit locomotive funtionality based upon runtime since "fueling", that would be really neat. This could be implemented with software only. The Lionel break-down "B" unit operated something like this. While you're at it, you could have the crew flipping out because they were running out of water. A slight modification to the MTH crash sequence could have the boiler exploding.

Gilly

What about a black rubber membrane that has real coal glues to it. The rubber membrane could have a loop on the bottom side that the mechanism  could draw down on to give the simulation of the coal emptying out the tender chute.

Lee, check your tender electronics 1st to see if you have any room to play with.

"If" you actually do, my thoughts would be a slight downward slide for the back of the coal load, then it would stop...1/4"....and pivot while the front end of the load drops as far down as it can giving you an angled unloading which I think was prototypical...{I wasn't there then so I don't know}. Instead of an electric motor...why not take a step a tad more left field and think about an air bleed system...pump it up to full and let it bleed down at a setable rate till empty...

Or, run oil fired locomotives and not worry about it...

Rusty

Except, tender coal bunkers aren't rectangular.  The back and sides slope toward the center to direct coal to the stoker auger.

Rusty

Oh yeah, that is correct. But I would forgo prototypical accuracy (which is seldom that timportant to me) in the interests of a feature that would be that fun.

Lee

More to the point, if you have bought every  steam engine on your list then clearly it is time for a new list!  lol

...cheater!

Cool idea....but I'll do as my grand daughter does and 'pretend' and return to the coaling tower more often than needed!!!

I found that you need dense objects if you want to put coal pieces (like the stuff used in the coal accessories from Lionel either 97, 397, or 497) so that they don't shake or vibrate from the intense sounds (mostly the whistle) coming inside the tender.