Mining scene ideas?

Here's a small mine scene based on an inexpensive, kitbashed Plasticville coaling station.

Jim

Jim, nice job with the mountain face surface detail and color.

Sorta depends on what kind of mine....sounds like you plan a horizontal adit vs. a vertical shaft mine....and what you are mining...coal, or metal ores?  An adit just

demands a framed entrance and narrow gauge track back into it with a few ore

cars....then an ore/coal dump, and maybe a car high raised loading platform to run that front end loader out on.  Possibly a shack outside the adit for shelter and to act as a toolhouse?  This could keep it simple and look like the Barthell coal operation/museum down in southern Kentucky.

Thanks for the ideas and photos. Now I have a direction to go.  Don

On30 would absolutely be appropriate for a mining operation (depending on era being modeled to some extent).  Logging, mining, and industrial operations are all very appropriate locales for narrow gauge.

Jim, like what you did! Question for you:

Did you add on the conveyor going into the mountain side and what did you use, or did it come with the original kit?

Thanks

Bruce

I put the mine in a corner and used a LIONEL kit.

Hi Bruce,

The conveyor was constructed from a solid piece of wood about 1" x 1-3/4". It was cut to length with 45 degree angle cuts on each end. Then it was covered with Northeastern corrugated siding, and glued in place between the tipple and mountainside. Vegetation grew quickly around the mountain end to cover any gaps (neat how that stuff always grows where it's needed to hide problem areas )

The other changes I made to the Plasticville structure were:

1. Cut the lower half off the support legs and added a concrete foundation from 3/4" thick MDF (medium density fiberboard). The result was that the whole structure sat a little lower over the tracks.

2. Sheathed the upper half of the structure with the same corrugated material and added corner angles with stripwood.

3. Added some signage found on the web and printed on my home printer.

4. Replaced the steps with a narrower ladder due to clearance issues (no OSHA here!)

5. Spray painted the structure a dark red primer with a rattle can, and added some weathering - drybrushed and powdered pigments.

The scene is from the Reading Central project layout on a door that I did for OGR magazine back a few years ago (Runs 247 and 248).

Jim

Charlie,

Looks real good!  

I am planning to use the Lionel kit as well.  I will be adding a scratch built conveyor housing from the top of the mountain down to it.  However, this item is so far down on my To Do list it's laughable. 

George

Jim,

Very informative.  Thanks for posting this.  You made that Bachmann coaling kit look pretty good, too.

George

George

An idea for your coal breaker project

You might want to look at some of the delears web pages that are listed at www.oscaleresource.com