Operating Coal Loader - LIVE Coal Loads in HO Scale

[@aidanstuart4835]

This is by far one of the coolest things I've ever seen in model railroading.

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Aidan

[@mistermadmachine6311]

I wish I could figure out how to make something like that someday

[@jlcsr9163]

My dad RIp would of loved this he loved model railroading.

[@FMJX-cr9bl]

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[@malakingdude]

Amazing work.

[@ianwinfield929]

The camera angles-the model layout-the commentary! THIS IS AMAZING

[@nsmodeler24]

Thank you!!

[@petefoden]

I'd imagine a "derailment" would lead to many hours of sweeping up tiny bits off the floor lol

[@Homemadecable]

pete foden it would be a coaltastrophe

[@samiam619]

Ever hear of a shopvac?

[@alfredkennedy3197]

But I would also think it could add to the scenery.... left over coal from an incident

[@claybellmm]

I had live coal loads on a old layout based on the NKP in 1955. We had a passenger engineer not pay attention, and side swiped the coal train at a switch. It took about 30 minutes with a shop vac to clean up the 15 car derailment. We left some coal, and I (in between sessions) added dirt impact sites from the hoppers. It made us all laugh, and delayed the travel of trains, for 3 fast clock hours. Realism at its finest. Although, something that severe would have delayed for 18+ hours, but thats by and by.

[@Vandragorax]

An investment in a mini vacuum cleaner would do the job :)

[@Ralph2]

The slow running is a joy to behold.

[@deusvult7559]

Every now and then I catch the Norfolk Southern coal train running through my town down to New Orleans. It's around 50 cars and thing of true beauty. Nice job of recreating it. Thanks for sharing!

[@JimNichols]

The detail on the engines, is phenomenal. .. as well as all your detailing on the board... very nice work!

[@nashvlbees]

I agree! I was a CSX engineer for 37 years and the detail on those engines is amazing, from the lit up number lights to the fuel gauge on the tanks, to the hand brakes, etc...Everything about it is spot on!

[@ejdsndnj]

Scaletrains made these models if your wondering

[@redstonerelic]

- So how did the fire start, Inspector? - In the basement, he runs a live coal model railroad. - Ah, That explains it.

[@mandarin1257]

HO scale coal mine fire, 73 figurines died.

[@elsdp-4560]

THANK YOU...for sharing. Very nice, your dad is a real craftsman hobbyist. Nice work Mr Dad.

[@tomclark4654]

Thanks from both Josh and myself! (Dad)

[@christianhorton2748]

Wow it’s been almost 4 years since I watched one of your videos. Last time I watched you were figuring out how to make the original coal hopper. It’s amazing how much you’ve done on this layout it looks astonishing!!

[@DJScott87]

Excellent work again Josh! If nobody knew better it could pass for a coke train. Whatever works for you though.

[@davidcaro8217]

Loading real coal? That's the WOW factor right there !

[@Ranveer_Singh_sangha03]

Just wow.... what can I say You Can't even tell it's a scale model Beautiful

[@aaronhill8315]

I love your coal train videos. I know the answer is 'because it's expensive and hard to find' but what a run of real coal.

[@gacj2010]

This is so incredable ..oh I wish you and Dad lived next door...You explain it fantastically and have a broadcaster voice ...Wish I knew how it was built.

[@jamalayyad7458]

OMG,....It takes alottt to make me speechless, i almost slid off my chair....I can't believe it, you and dad are master railroader's. Thank you dearly for letting us in on it..

[@carmichaeltrainproductionc9663]

That is one phenomenal lay out, I can’t imagine all the work that was put in to this modal railroad together, but it was well worth the effort, keep up the hard work!

[@jimaz6532]

This loading process is truly impressive and the video captures a realistic visual effect. Great job. Thanks for sharing. 🚂

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Jim!

[@jb1639]

Amazing and very, very cool, great job.

[@rvnmedic1968]

So realistic, fantastic construction of the coal chute, and realistic slow, smooth speed of the train. Wow.

[@gacj2010]

NS This is the most beautiful thing I ever saw and you made it with your Dad ... My Dad loved to do our less sophisticated set up and I miss him...You are so lucky ..I want to see how you unload the cars .

[@Trashman702]

Absolutely the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen on a model RR

[@manda60]

Ok. This is absolutely amazing. I always did love the NS, particularly in the early 2000s, with plenty of CR paint still around... must not succumb!! I wanna see those Y6s in the background run!

[@bret_Lambky]

Excellent job guys! This is way above the trains I use to have! Love the mechanical details!!

[@wmjwell]

Great concept and then made it work. Hats off to all who worked on this and the unloaded! Fantastic workmanship and detailing.

[@sonnyozeretnyjr5249]

I had a blast watching this coal loader fill up those hoppers, great modeling

[@trentonharris5521]

That is too cool. I wish it could've been long enough to show the unloading.

[@rhendricksonn]

Very cool!! Props to your dad! This has got to be the coolest thing I've ever seen in a model.

[@Intrix_]

It’s just like the candy loader I saw at a train show a long time ago. Don’t remember if it was O scale or HO scale but it would load M&M’s and dump them into a tray. I never found the kit for it even though the guy said it was a kit

[@StaxRail]

I live in the UK, and when I went to a GWR Depot open day they had a layout there depicting Cornwall. As part of that, they had an aggregates loader! Now I'm going to use what I saw, and this video, to make my own!

[@donaldreighn1318]

Beautiful layout I'd like to lay out with the rain the way you guys have the rain coming onto the screen beautiful

[@gtizzle101]

I'm blown away. So glad this was on my recommended. I watched your video before this and was excited to hear you say in the next video you show how you get the coal in there. Awesome stuff!

[@j.p.1214]

I like how each hopper has its own unique number

[@IlikeCatF]

Wow that's incredible to see that work and hearing about the engineering it took to make.

[@scotabot7826]

Wow!!!!This is some top notch stuff here. You guys have taken realism to a level that's completely off the chart. I keep looking for things that just don't look quite right, but there are none to be found. Thanks for the video, and I will look forward to more. Bravo Bravo Bravo!!!!!!!

[@christianjones1850]

I find it amazing that I found your railroad after growing up watching the coal trains passing through swannanoa heading up towards oldfort. You've done an outstanding job!

[@michaelmcdougall4527]

Wow JOSH 🎩🎩HATS off to you and Your DAD GREAT WORK WOW but also what a Great example of a Father Son Relationship of Working Together and Sharing you’re Accomplishment!🚂

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Michael! Have definitely loved working on all of this with my father and the time that it's given us together :)

[@mitchs323]

Seeing this flood loader, took me back a couple of years when I applied the freeze treatment to coal trains. I spent many hours watching coal being loaded.

[@sammylw7694]

Awesomeness!!! Now someone needs to produce a rotary knuckle in HO scale and the dumping can be reproduced as well. Great job!!!

[@AceDegree76685]

sammylw7694 he’s making a video for dumping in December

[@floppychzcake7936]

That CANNOT be HO scale, the attention to detail is insane!

[@DF6254]

Really well done Josh, great addition for operational interest. Look forward to seeing how you unload.

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks JC. Hoping the rotary dumper will be done this year or next! I will definitely share once finished!

[@robertmcdonnold3038]

Very realistic and professionally done.

[@derekrohan9619]

So I’m a union ironworker and work at plants and mills all the time. In fact just finished building a structure for unloading coal at plant Bowen in Georgia.. the only thing I would say is there is much more coal on the ground around the loader from years of loading coal.. the tracks for like a 1/4 mile are black with coal .. there is coal everywhere. Did a salt mine in Ohio and same thing.. salt everywhere. Also the paper mills are always a mess... but well done it looks awesome.. add more coal around the tracks!!

[@scenariomckinney]

Now the UNLOADING process. 🤔🤔🤔 The details in this video was amazing!

[@rev9fan1]

Unfortunately i dont think HO scale or any scale has hopper unload hatches at the bottom. Real trains i believe have a hatch at the bottom that releases the coal into a ground chute, but i could be wrong.

[@sammylw7694]

rev9fan1 some real cars do unload from the bottom but these type are rotated one or two at a time while still coupled together and dumped into a pit. The knuckles are called rotary knuckles and there is one on one end of every rotary dump car. As long as you don’t have 2 coupled together you are good. Hence the rotary end is usually marked some way to make it clear. Also the train line air hoses don’t cross under the knuckle like almost other cars. That way they don’t dined when rotated.

[@wadeold8866]

I’m a conductor for NS at Lambert’s point where they actually unload the cars two or one at a time is pushed into the dumper still coupled and the whole car or cars is turned almost upside down into a pit with belts that go straight to the loaders and into the ships, it is a very interesting operation from humping the cars on the hill to free rolling them off the hill into the pit to where they get pushed up to the dumper

[@AceDegree76685]

He’s going to make a video in December on the unloading process

[@scenariomckinney]

@@AceDegree76685 thanx.

[@decoeric]

That is the coolest thing I have ever seen on a layout. Wow!

[@doctordeath.5716]

A very cool video and I enjoyed it alot.

[@denaboersma6983]

Incredible detail here

[@emrrcmember6257]

Excellent video!! I just watched one of the early making of the coal loader videos the other day and was wondering how it was at this point. VERY cool to see. I am excited to see the rotary coal dump in action!! I grew up watching Model Railroader Video Layout Tour #4 (broadcast on public access TV and recorded to VHS in the late 80s. The last layout on the video was the Chesapeake & Allegheny of the Severna Park Model Railroad Club, featuring operating coal loader and also a rotary dumper. I only found a single KZbin video of the railroad club, showing the coal loader is still there, but not sure on the rotary dumper. Shoot me a message and I can provide you a clip of the video if you'd like.

[@nsmodeler24]

Cant find how to message you, but thanks! Shoot me an email at [e-mail] and I'd love to see it! Thanks, Josh

[@emrrcmember6257]

@@nsmodeler24 I'm sorry for the huge delay in getting back to you. Email was just sent.

[@clayjones903]

AWESOME!!!!! The technology put into this operation is must excellent!!!!! Congratulations!!!!!

[@theevangelist6178]

Being a country boy at heart from my youth, I LOVE seeing a NS coal modeling operation. The Blue Ridge Mountains as a backdrop, Asheville being the division HQ city. I absolutely love it. I would like to see someone create the Pocahontas Division, because that's what made the railroad iconic in the hills I grew up in. Tazewell, McDowell, and Mercer counties in VA/WV.

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks for the kind words! Much appreciated! -Josh

[@timothymclaughlin6860]

All I can say is WOW!!! Phenomenal Loader! Absolutely blown away . Recent subscriber and just love your work .

[@derekrohan9619]

Cool layout.. love the set up and I think it’s great that you and your father do this together.. the realism and weathering are well done.

[@disturbed1954]

Josh that is a work of beauty, job well done sir! This video was one of our main topics we discused at out train meeting last night. Thanks for sharing!!!

[@jackhromadka6842]

Coolest scratch built thing on a model railroad that I’ve ever seen!

[@satyam1529]

Fantastic layout

[@virginialoverproductions]

That's a cool railroad you got there! I think it's awesome how you can fill them up with coal.

[@willparsons32]

Very well done! I'd like to see the "recycle" method you have for the coal though!!

[@bradbeining3341]

Beautiful layout. Very cool operation

[@mrmike8782]

This was the second or third video of yours I've ever watched. And its still amazing

[@kevinmeredith4800]

Super impressive!!!

[@gregbowen617]

Great little video! What fantastic modelling skills you both have...I just hope my trains will run without derailing or stuttering let alone try to do something like this!! Cheers from Melbourne, Australia...

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Greg! If it makes you feel better, our trains still detail... quite often. haha Appreciate the kind words :)

[@angeldjcuba61]

Your layout and operations are so real....Awesome!!!

[@taurus4205]

I have no idea why I’m here but it’s pretty cool. Amazing really. 10/10.

[@Metalrails]

This is really interesting to see and watch. I used real coal with my HO scale layout as a kid. It was a big mess and my parents hated it. But it was so fun!

[@FlushtheSystem]

Awesome! I wish I had time to get back into model railroading. Thanks for sharing

[@neil_murphy1989]

I'd love to see more videos of operations and what not. I love the layout and I've loved watching it grow and take shape over the last couple years

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Neil. Really appreciate the kind words and following the progress. We actually have a video completely on operations coming soon (through ScaleTrains)!!

[@richardstewart8716]

What beautiful work, thank you.

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Richard. Means a lot! -Josh

[@richardbedard1245]

Beautiful layout! I really like how you use the peninsula to connect the two levels. Video and commentary are excellent.

[@biggiefitz6275]

That is so cool! Never seen anything like it before on a layout. Great job!

[@markattebery3375]

Your excellent photography and added sound effects, make watching this video, a pure pleasure. It’s as close to the real thing as one could ask for !!! My sincere compliments to the very realistic experiences you have provided us with ! Keep up the outstanding work ! Cheers, Mark A.

[@David-se2vg]

That is soo cool never knew you could do this with model railroading cars used to come with plastic coal in them now you can actually load coal cars omg shows you how far and realistic model railroading has advanced beautiful video

[@mpetersen6]

I'm subscribed to a Naval History called Drachinefel. I cannot remember the videos name but he had a video on base support actvities and logistics during the era around WWl. Almost all ships at the time burned coal instead of bunker oil. Included in the video was an aerial picture of a coaling dock at Pearl Harbor iirc. An approach track, a departure track. The coaling dock being a trestle built a little off of the shore. Plus there were a series of ovals with one leg being the trestle. The other legs were progressively farther away. Coal was stored between legs on shore. That would be a different coaling operation to model.

[@bobrulejr.4057]

One thing I REALLY like about your video is the speed at which you run your trains. It seems to me that in many cases, speeds are too fast and you do not get as much a chance to enjoy the railroads.

[@robertmackenzie1775]

Great video 👍. Absolutely beautiful and informational!

[@shadeplays6764]

Dude that’s strait sick and it looks like it’s Oscale

[@paulgalyet5308]

Great work. I've done a few things with loose loads on model railways so know how challenging it can be.

[@wheeliefish5161]

Very well done video Josh! Looking forward to the next one.

[@Msmedic424]

Looks good josh !

[@21thalastdonmalone17]

This set up is unbelievable great job Very beautiful layout

[@7492rony]

Awesome job Dad and son

[@amnestykings9584]

Youve reinspired my love for HO model railroading! Ill always be a Norfolk Southern guy though

[@joshtomberlin5105]

You guys load your models better than most guys can load out a taconite train up here. Keep up the good work.

[@no-oneshome3083]

This is flipping amazing. Would love to have a layout do this something like this, but my tiny brain cannot fathom how or where to start.

[@mafarnz]

That's really cool! Way better than a simulated empties in loads operation. Would love to see the unloading process as well.

[@RealSergiob466]

It looks realistic to me and that was the most unique model railroad I ever seen looking realistic

[@dipannitabhuyan3440]

Truly awesome. Congratulations. Impeccable!

[@garylewis3815]

Great looking coal operation and so smooth too loading each coal gondola. I will be looking for the unloading operations video. 😀👍

[@theAvra]

8 am on a Saturday morning in Germany. Google "thinks" I should see this. Very interesting video about awesome level of detail. 🙂

[@fletcher3913]

The loader looks and works like the real deal. Nice work, Dad. Looking forward to a video of the unloader.

[@darrincalcutt8332]

Excellent video, I cant wait to get my Norfolk Southern roster up and online. Miss my babies.

[@franzbrunner499]

i've now seen all 3 videos -SENSATIONAL, as a highlight for me the rotary dumper with the uncoupling method assume that is all handmade, not a commercial product from Walthers etc YOU MENTION "the clips in this video are just a small snippet of a larger "Layout Tour" video which will be coming from ScaleTrains!" could you provide the link for that video? thank you

[@YardLimit]

That is one of the coolest things I've seen.

[@dougcostello9064]

Now that is impressive. Nice work! 👍

[@KCUnionStationTrains]

That's so awesome! Great asset to any coal train layout! Thanks for sharing!

[@ammo2222]

This is by far the most coolest thing i have seen in a long Time!👍🏻 Great Job Guys

[@manchurianscilly8785]

No need to say most when saying coolest if you say it's the coolest then that already infers "most"

[@J3scribe]

Very dynamic feature. Love it.

[@liamskopal7516]

This is the most awesome thing I've ever seen.

[@wvbygraceofgod5508]

Great job, and by the way the coarser coal looks good too. I remember when I was a kid the coal trains hauled coarser coal like that and that hasn’t been that long ago.

[@kellingc]

That is really neat! The coal in the hoppers looks good, too.

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Chris

[@jonfromstearns]

This is freaking awesome! You’ve given me a few extra ideas for my own HO scale layout. I’m modeling the Kentucky & Tennessee Railway in my hometown of Stearns, Kentucky. I’m gonna be combing some of the Norfolk Southern Kentucky Division. Our town was a major coal mining company town. I appreciate what you’ve done. Keep it going.

[@moinnizami786]

Wow Nice Layout It Looks Like We Are Watching A Real One........👍👍👍

[@MrBillCNW]

moin nizami I thought so too, very realistic looking not to mention I’ve never seen a coal loader before on any layout. Good job guys and I agree with the other gentleman I’d like to see more video of this layout and I love the Block signals

[@Rob-tr1st]

So awesome to see such a great looking model and details.