Do you put coal in your coal cars?

I use St. Charles Model Works coal loads in ALL my hopper cars.

All the ones I have came with coal loads, the plastic insert that covers the top of the car and looks like coal. All I have is MTH cars and they have pretty nice loads that really do look like coal, very similar anyway.

I fill the bottom with wood shavings and then add a piece of cardboard on top of it with pieces of coal on top of the cardboard. Looks great and keeps the weight issue down.

 

Others have the plastic or wood with coal glued on them.

 

Lee Fritz

I use a Masonite template, black beauty (sand blasting material), and construction adhesive.

I use coal, iron ore and ballast loads in most of my Weaver and Intermountain coal cars. Loads are used also as additional weigh especially for the Intermountain coal cars.

Yes...I usually replace or add real "coal" to my coal hoppers.  Aquarium filter "coal" works great!

 

Alan

I have various loads for different cars, including ballast, coal, rock salt, limestone and several other loads.

I do as well for the same reason - it simply looks better.

-Greg

Mike CT, I like your version.  The coal looks good. 

In a case of life imitating art, the two DL&Wcoal hoppers at Steamtown have coal loads built exactly like yours.

 

Conductor Earl  

Yes i do put a cardboard in the car then put coal on top looks real.

I make a 1/8 in thick wood spacer that sits 1/2 in below the top of the hopper then fill with coal,looks good.

Mikey

     I use foam from old couches and chairs that people are throwing out. I cut them to size, paint them flat black and cover them with black beauty. When they dry I put them in the cars and away we go. Choo Choo Kenny

Absolutely and I also use Black Beauty. I usually create my own load but will also add BB on top of the plastic load but only if the load sits downa bit into the hopper

Ogaugenut ROFLOL