Old King Coal Mining Co on Duckunder Divn of N&W

Way to go Will,  looks like you been putting some time in! I am especially interested in the concept of your layout. Great idea!  Mining town is looking great.

Fantastic

The coal mine towns and coal tipples are a favorite.

THAT is truly AMAZING!!! Coal mining scenes are my favorite! What a great job you have done! You have really taken the time to think it all out and build it. Any idea how much time it took?? If I only had the space....

Pete

Patrick,

Thanks.  Call (919-349-6566) or email; happy to talk about the concept.  There are actually 7 coal mines on the layout.

Will,

If my arms were any longer I'd give you a pat on the back for a job well done.   I love it.  I can almost smell the coal.  Great job.  Enjoy running your trains.

Killian

Union Pacific Big Boy - http://youtu.be/e9LRVWq_exE

VETERANS HOME - NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Pete,

After entirely deconstructing my old layout (40' X 25'), I waited a year and decided to build one half that size.  This one is about 500 square feet and meanders through the room.  It's built very high off the floor to minimize stooping.

I wanted a coal road in the late steam era, and I wanted everything close to the edge so I could reach it.  Most switches are manual.  The big yard uses both manual and tortoise switch machines.  All RCS switches.

The concept and track layout design are mine.  But I am an operator, not a fine detail modeler.  Never claimed to be, and frankly, I am not good at it.  I made a few of the things you see, like the picnic tables, rocking chairs,  loading ramp, etc., but I contracted with my good friend George Lasley to do the fine detail work.  He scratch-built the tipple and added a lot to the Weaver row houses (model G1960) to make them more realistic.  He and I cast a number of coke ovens from rubber molds we made from very old coke oven models (which are not pictured).  The trees are almost all JTT. 

Time?  The benchwork and wiring for the entire layout took maybe 3-4 weeks, but we weren't working full time on it.  The Old King Coal Mining Company scene, however, by itself took about 5-6 weeks (again, not working full time on it).

Will

Ok Got it! I shoot ya an email when i slow down a bit. Again Great Idea and workmanship

Will,

Thanks for the reply! It would take me forever to do that!! 7 mines you say?!?

Pete

Will:

So glad you have a layout again and are sharing photos.....

will, knowing your past fondness for passenger trains, will there be any operating here, or just coal trains?

Will....so glad to see these pictures!  I will never forget our very pleasant conversation while you were going through the lean time.  It is always wonderful to see great guys like you come back even greater than before.  This is a beautiful layout and I look forward to seeing even more so keep those pictures coming....

Alan

Everyone,

Thank you for your very kind remarks. 

Alan, times are still lean, but I am very happy nonetheless.  

It's great to have a working layout again, from which I derive a lot of pleasure and enjoyment.  That's the point for all of us, isn't it, that is, to have fun?

Will

Forrest,

There will definitely be a few passenger trains on the new Duckunder!

Really nice! Enjoyed looking closely at all of the photos.

Yet another fan of northeastern/Appalachian coal mining, here.

Very nice Will,expert work looks awesome

keep us posted.I also can't wait for one of

your great video's.

THANKS,ALEX

Thanks to everyone again for your encouragement and compliments, but please give George Lasley credit (not me) for the exquisite scratch-built coal tipple and slack tank, and for detailing the built-up buildings like the Weaver row houses and turning the Menard's hardware store into the Old King Coal company store.  George also built the single-story row house facades which can be seen on the rear side of the mine tracks, and he painted the backdrop before adding plastercloth-on-foam insulation mountains that emanate from the background scenes. 

George is a genius when it comes to such modeling (my skills in this regard can only be described as Neanderthalish).  I highly recommend you see the mind-blowing scenery detail George did for Jerry Davis' 2-rail layout in Cary (next door to Raleigh).  Jerry's 1000 sq.ft. layout models the SP in the California desert in 1954 which features a full-blown, accurate Tehachapi Loop.  George did all the detailing for every scene on Jerry's layout, and every one is a marvel.

Will

Congratulations Will, outstanding work by both you and George. Nothing like coal railroading.

Very nice work!

Earned yourself a Like for this Topic, congratulations!

Simply awesome, Will! The concept and the execution of the scene are fantastic. The scene holds special interest for me since my Papaw worked in the old Angle Mine in Maybuery, WV. back in the day. Thanks so much for sharing!

Thank you all again.  Everyone is welcome shoudl you find yourelf heading to Raleigh!

Will

Will great to see you back and running.  Look forward to more photos and maybe a track plan.

quote:

The Duckunder Terminal Railway was acquired by the Norfolk & Western Railway in 2011.  The Duckunder has risen from the ashes to become a thriving coal-carrying division of the N&W. 

Will,

Then why all of the PRR and B&O liveries?

Wow - the layout is looking good, Will! 

I love the "Old King Coal" concept - maybe if you do a town, it could have a shoe store or cobbler named "Merry Old Soles"...

Andy

Will;

Great to see you back in operation again.  The layout looks great and if you want to give George all the credit; tell him that Wilford would be proud of him.

Will,

I thought I would add these to your layout thread. They are almost done.

Malcolm

Jim,

Interchange and leased hoppers.  Though the majority of coal hoppers are N&W and Virginian, there are C&O, B&O, PRR, NYC, and a host of other roads.  Makes operation more interesting and challenging to get the foreign road cars back to their home roads.

Almost all the hoppers are 2-bay (various styles), with a small number of 3-bay hoppers, all of which are N&W.  No 4-bays at all.

Brother Love (Malcolm), thank you for the preview of Virginian cabs coming to the Duckunder!

Thanks again to everyone for your encouragement.  Very much appreciated. 

I was just out in the train room switching hoppers in and out of the Old King Coal mine using double-headed Vision Line PRR CC2s 0-8-8-0 (on loan to the N&W by the Pennsy, which owned a controlling interest in the N&W).  I use two CC2s locomotives because shoving 12-15 diecast hoppers into the OKC tracks requires a lot of power, and one engine alone wasn't up to the task.

Best regards,

Will

Will, very nice

Doug

Ben,

I considered lighting, but I had my fill of lighting on my original Duckunder.  Every building was lit, with the consequence of wires running everywhere and lots of extra transformers dedicated to the lighting alone.  Eventually I replaced the incandescent bulbs (which constantly burned out) with LEDs from Scott's Odds-n-Ends, but still it was just too much trouble.  I hardly ever lit the layout except when guests came over, and since I am principally an operator, the lighting did not heighten my operating experience sufficient to add them on this new one.  It was cool to look at but a lot of trouble and expense for the pleasure and fun it provided me.

One day, when every scene is complete, perhaps I will get bored of not having anything to do and go back and add LEDs to some buildings.

Will

That elevated oil tank looks just like my American Flyer tank car.

Nice job kid!!!!!

Don

BINGO!  Nick at Nick's Trains here in Raleigh has a nice selection of old Flyer rolling stock at very reasonable prices.

Don,

Can't hold a candle to your modeling skill.  But thank you very much.

Will

Greetings,

Did you scratch build the OKC coal mine?

Thank You

Redshift,

George Lasley scratch-built the coal tipple and the slack tank behind it, along with all the conveyors. 

George and I got ideas and inspiration for the tipple and company town from a number of books, but one in particular that we recommend is Appalachian Coal Mines & Railroads.

Will

It really looks good Will.  We, (Fort Pitt High Railers), are taking good care of Parts of the Old Duckunder