Steam Service Area - Ash Pit

I saw one  on the Diamond Scale Products page.

Very simple to make if you dont locate 1. Buy 1 piece of polyurthene Block wall or stone.8.99 Cut 3 rows off at a time with a knife.Glue to a square pieces of foam or wood.

The one you have posted is really a short line type of ash pit.  A similar kit in O-scale is the "Big Springs Ash Pit" here"

 

http://www.sn3.org/TMW/MP/1800.htm

 

Click on "1816" to see a photo.

 

A first-class railroad should really have a pit with an ash hoist.  Until recently, these didn't exist in O-scale unless you scratchbuilt one.  Now there is a built-up hoist ready to go from Crescent Locomotive Works.  They call it a cinder hoist.

 

 

Here is the website to order one.

 

http://locomotiveworksinc.com/Products.html

 

I installed an old fashion turn of century Ash Drop on my Service Yard Enter/Exit Lead[photo]. I bought a Mule and Wagon from Scale University complete with Farmer specifically ro keep the pit shoveled out and ash hauled off.

 

Recently bought a Ash/Cinder Lift Tower from David Duhammel like pictured above by Bob. Template shows location of Tower next to old type ash drop. I need to burn some charcoal and make ashes/cinders.

Tnx, everyone for the great responses.  Matt

boin106,

 

Being that you model the Southern Pacific, you will not need an ash pit, since the SP didn't have any coal burning steam locomotives in California after the very early 1900s. The big coal burners where assigned to the Rio Grande Division, out in Lordsburg New Mexico. The SP didn't have ash pits in California nor Oregon.

 

However, ash pits really too look very nice where required.

I am glad to see the short line version in O scale. Now I need to decide if I am going to still make one. I always think it was a real pain to manually shovel and wheel barrel up that ramp. And you still had to get rid of it. My scratch build idea is to make a 3 sided version with a natural gully on 4th side. That way, you can dump the ashes down the side of the hill, like they did with most stuff before those pesky environmentalists got in the way. Thinking like a turn of the century railroad guy on a tight budget. Just a little humor. But my son in his limited kid perspective told me that coal burning steamies were better for the environment than diesels. When I asked why, he said " Duh, did you ever hear of a coal spill in the ocean ruining the beach?" Lots of wisdom in that one.

As Patrick H posted, an ash pit is easy to build and install. Just dig a pit between the rails. Use stone or concrete for walls and floor. Small ties fit under each rail on top of each wall. The third rail requires some imagination, unless an ash pit is beneath an unused length of track.

 

Some ash pits were shoveled out. Others had conveyors or hoists. The Reading had one or two with an overhead traveling clamshell. It depends on how many locomotives dumped ashes there.

 

Check out the article by Eliot Scher in OGR magazine - Run 250. That issue is in the OGR Digital Library available to Premium Members of the forum.

 

 

Oh Matt, your pal has one. Don

My 1894 prototype Ash Drop shown below hiding under the snow and leaves on the west leg of the old CF&YV wye in downtown Greensboro.

Hi

I went and squezed in an ash pit and coaling severice in one spot.

 I  had put it betwen the main lines and turn table. Used a pice of atlas bridge rail

 and old  atlas ho large pilars. for suports.

hah3, that looks amazing. Wonderful, wonderful job. Can I swipe your idea? I have a old FM coaling station kit I'm going to build and it comes with a nice smaller ash pit but I like yours much better. Then I can give Matt (boin106) that part of the kit or he will whine forever. Don

Hi Don

Thank you for the complement.

 Run with it. I had found some old prr pics that were similar and figered

 I would try to do something similar to fit the space. worked well. Still have some more work to do to it.

I built my own Ash Convayer Tower. Used styrene plastic. I have since seen the wood model mentioned above and think it is very nice, especially if you are not into building your own. www.locomotiveworks.com Crescent Locomotive Works,Inc. 9210 Lakeside Way, Gainesville, GA 30506 cell 1-678-618-6228 wood cinder hoist $85.00 +-.

 

Paul Goodness

hah3, I really like your ash pit and the steam shovel that's working at it.  Don is silly. I won't whine.  Matt

Hang in there, Matt! A small ash pit as fred describes would work fine.

Thank you for the complement Matt.

Outstanding pit Harry III and the rest surrounding looks good too!

Matt, I agree with Hot Water. Don

Harry....that ash pit area is fantastic!!  WOW!!!

 

Alan

Harry,

 

I really like that ash pit!

 

Dave

Ed,

 

Here is the one you posted in your picture, available from Banta Model Works as item 6001 in the O scale section.

 

http://www.bantamodelworks.com/

 

Dave

Harry

Very well designed and constructed engine sevice yard.

 

Well...Don...you never know when one of those coal-burners from a small railroad, like the Milwaukee Road...might have to use our yard at the B&B RR.  I also think ash pits are cool.  And besides...I'm only the Superintendent of the B&B.  The CEO said she wanted an ash pit.  Matt

Matt, when your CEO says do something, you better do it and fast. My CEO wants to now when she can go shopping with your CEO. Don

boin106,

 

What will you be using for ashes, then?

 

boin106,

 

Since "Berkshire ashes" would be no different than ashes from any coal burning steam locomotive, I visited our local Illinois Live Steam group, and pick up a jar of REAL ashes after they dumped the ash pan, on a 7 1/2" gauge locomotive. Check out OGR Run 244 (August/September 2010, page 46), and see what REAL ashes from a coal fire look like, in my ash pit.

Are they scale size ashes?

Absolutely! I put a bunch, including a clinker, on the steel top workbench and mashed them out with a big hammer.

After visiting Hot Water's layout last week, I'd say he has the best looking ash in O-scale! 

 

Seriously, it is the most realistic I've seen since it is, well, real! 

 

Unless I can avoid NS Security and dig around and under the old A&Y Pit on the wye downtown[still there] I will have to burn a little charcoal for my O-scale ashes and cinders.

 

 

Hay Matt

 Just build it to fit the space you have. With all the info you got we know you will come up with somthing.

 Be nice to see when you finish it.

Bob,

Did you do the famous "drink trains and run beer" routine while you were there?

Thanks hah3.  That's exactly what I'll do!  Thanks everyone (except Don) for all the great feedback.  Matt

Why i resemble that remark! Don