Operational Flood Loader in HO Scale - LIVE COAL LOADS

Take a close look at our working coal loader on HO scale Norfolk Southern layout. In this video, we will look at both coal operations on the layout and how the scratch built structure works. We will follow train 745 as it leaves Asheville and heads to the mine for loading. As always, thanks for watching!
- Josh
[ Galatians 5:1 ]

[@nsmodeler24]

8801 is from the new run of ScaleTrains Dash 9s! Check them out here! www.scaletrains.com/RivetCounterHODash9

[@NoHateJacob]

Hey remember the train roster video you posted a year ago locomotive 4252 I’ve seen that Train in real life if you want I can send you a video

[@kcgrailgilbert8466]

Love those coal train josh NS is my all time favorite locomotive

[@kcgrailgilbert8466]

Josh could could I send my locomotives to you so u could do some good sounds for them

[@DH2906PRODUCTIONS]

I've got one. There very reliable engines

[@milesjones6851]

Those Athearn Genesis Dash 9-40C's are actually really cool!

[@jimjohnston7688]

Beautiful layout. When the coal train stopped for the conductor to throw the switch, I almost expected a miniature figure to climb down and throw that switch.😁

[@frankgustafson8045]

Lol I was thinking the same thing too.

[@soarabove337]

Me three lol. Too funny.

[@new_comment]

I'm sure they could make it happen somehow, lol

[@leatherneck7501]

Awesome. I'm a former police officer. I worked from 7pm to 7am . I became friends with some coal miners and some csx engineers. When I didn't have anything going on I would go and watch them load the coal trains. They would let me sit up with them in the little house. This brought back so many memories. I would always help csx when they would have problems. Thanks for the video.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Another great video, Josh! Those ScaleTrains DASH 9s look great, don't they?

[@rushylvanianorthern]

Indeed

[@DH2906PRODUCTIONS]

Yes. I've got both wide cab and standard cab versions. Very reliable and detailed engines

[@CraftyFoxe]

5:10 I really was not expecting that chute to drop down. That's so cool

[@pennsylvanianrailfan]

Which do you prefer scaletrains or athearn

[@iatif1995]

@@pennsylvanianrailfan Athearn because they are making/made EMDs in the G2. Scaletrains keeps doing GE units

[@pennsylvanianrailfan]

@@iatif1995 that's because before they didn't have much in the way of emd tooling for making the models but now with the mth tooling they have emd things so i am thinking it won't be long till they release something good like a ace

[@tablerockrailfan5078]

Like Pennsylvania Railfan said, they don’t have much EMD tooling. However, now that they have acquired Fox Valley Models, that may change very soon, as they are already making Scaletrains SD70ACes in N scale using Fox Valley tooling.

[@mattyhanno2592]

A part of my job is to remotely operate a flood loader here in Australia. I just love watching it done in miniature. Keep up the good work.

[@clearlycaribbeanreb7176]

Josh, your railroad is an absolute masterpiece my friend

[@dibley1973]

That really is fantastic, especially with the closed loop to keep stop the need of operators to transport the coal to the hoppers. Did anyone else see just black video near the end? @12:35

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Yes! Dern those gremlins!

[@PhilBender612]

No, my pc played it fine. That's a shame to because he demonstrated emptying all the hoppers using the operating scratch built Rotary Dumper. lol, ya, I know. I'm an ass. lol 🤣

[@dibley1973]

@@PhilBender612 - yes I have seen his rotary dumper, it is incredible

[@RonStanek]

Thank you! Josh! Quality Stuff, we've come to enjoy from you. Say HI ! To your father. He raised a fine young man.

[@mikebell9166]

Since 'fugitive dust' has become an issue over the last decade or so, flood loaders have been fitted with a spray system to apply a water based polymer coating, to envelope the top layer and try to keep the dust under control. The kicker is that the coating wears off and must be reapplied periodically. The system would require a tank and plumbing; it could be attached to the backside of the loader's drop chute. I've seen both new loaders constructed with the spray included in the design and retrofitted to older builds. This is so realistic, it'd be great to keep it 'new as today' current. Loved the video, thanks for putting it up!

[@michaeldeckert6023]

I just love the realism of your layout! My early years of employment I was a brakeman for Southern Pacific. My dad was an executive officer. Based in San Francisco I had the opportunity to do a lot more, and see a lot more than most. He was in charge of the communications department. Assistant General superintendent system of the railroad. It was his department, and staff under him who created the company we knew as Sprint. Your attention to detail the second to none. Great job!

[@txag007]

This is and the rotary unloader scenes are the coolest part of any layout I have seen. I am always impressed when either are covered in a video.

[@Incognito.culture]

If you ever have an open house, feel free to invite me! Absolutely pronominal layout! You actually inspired me to keep working on my layout!

[@Scaletrains]

Excellent video, Josh! Keep up the great work. -Drayton

[@RFMCabooseNP1713]

Great video. You do an amazing job of presenting your layout. I look forward to every episode. Keep up the great work. Bob

[@stephenrickjr.7519]

I have the 7293. I know their models but the photography makes them almost real. Impressive coal loader. Very enjoyable video. I just added dcc and sound to two tunnel motors today. I can't get enough of the hobby. 😁👍!

[@MeigsCountyModelRailroad]

That's really nice. I especially like the spring creaking noise under the coal tower. For many years I was on the other end of trains like that, unloading coal trains at Kingston Fossil Plant in Kingston, TN. Good job! Greg in TN :)

[@andybenfer5292]

That weathered SOU 86ft looks so good!! Great work Josh

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Andy!

[@hankkofron8414]

The Sound amazing, so real. Can’t imagine how many hours went into creating this.

[@paulmack4090]

Over the last year, I've been converting the power for the coal trains to ESU decoders. I also use live loads and I couldn't get the slow speed needed for loading with the previous decoders. Their motor control is very configurable and the sound was a surprising benefit. I find it greatly adds to the realism and in helping to create the illusion. Good job on the loader and dumper! Thanks for sharing with us!

[@Steven_Williams]

Great video! I was not too far from Lombard Hobbies at the Midwest Train Show in Wheaton today. I'm an O scale guy, but I grew up HO. Gonna have to check this place out.

[@disturbed1954]

Thanks Josh for another fine video! After a 42 day stay in the hospital this was a true blessing to come home to!

[@nsmodeler24]

Hi David, thank you for the kind words. And so glad that you’re able to come home. Praying for a smooth and quick recovery. -Josh

[@shaunDmond]

It's crazy how far model trains have came over the Years this is awesome to see.

[@Mesabi193]

Love the videos. Such a fun layout to watch operate. Although I love the close-up "realism" - an occasional wide shot would be nice for reference. Thanks for making this series!

[@johnoneill5661]

I love this 👍👍 loading the coal “for real “ just adds so much more fun to the layout I think I might have to try a build something like this for my layout thank you 👍👍👍

[@skyking6989]

Awesome! Need a video on how to make a flood loader next.

[@enjoyingrailroading1013]

As usual, well done and definitely enjoy seeing your operations updates. Thanks!!!

[@corey294]

Very cool look at loading coal! So realistic! Nice job! 🤙

[@ldsnurse9268]

Such a great channel. I’m glad I found it. Amazing!

[@benjaminlindenberger9004]

NSmodeler24, I absolutely love your layout. The detail and scenery is outstanding and the videos always seem so lifelike. I am a huge train enthusiast and I am starting to look into a possible layout of my own in the future. I just wanted to know what are the best skills to learn and/or have for a great layout like yours? Detailing, electrical work, scenery, space, etc. I love you videos and look forward to the next one 👍

[@FunWithHOScaleStuff]

Outstanding explanation of operation. The operating coal loader is amazing. Great job. Enjoyed the video.

[@Adam_Malkovich]

Definitely want to do some cool coal live loads when I get a layout of my own (still a ways out from that stage), but love to see the ideas and how it’s done

[@2sk21]

This has to be some of the best modeling I've ever seen!

[@edaschoff1894]

Great videos! Always a treat when a new one come out! Amazing work, thank you for sharing! Truly inspirational!

[@trainsmad12]

Fantastic video and a great running session. Thanks for sharing.

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Thank you Josh! Really appreciate every visit to your layout!

[@nhdenver7883]

First class! Thank you for posting!

[@TrainsForever]

I have O gauge because HO didn’t have sounds and all the cool stuff when I was born. Sometimes I with I had HO because you just can’t do all this cool stuff when the trains are a lot bigger. This is amazing tho I could play around with these all day and never get bored

[@CosmicMomentumX]

This editing is so awesome, I love all the sounds you added, really brings the video to life. Great visual and auditory storytelling, excellent work, cant wait to see more!

[@cprtrain]

Spectacular video. Thanks.

[@bobbyt9999]

Amazing... one of the best layouts out there by far!!!

[@cnosprandt5155]

Wow - this is amazing! And how you tied it into the rotary dumper is genius! Cheers!

[@sunnysiderails397]

This has to be the best HO video I have ever seen, incredible!!!

[@ariesarethebest271]

Let's go! Been waiting for this! Makes my Friday even better. 👍🏿😊👍🏿

[@spartan7042]

So realistic the attention to detail is incredible nice work

[@australiantruckspotting8883]

Really epic layout Dude. I love how the close shot video makes it look so realistic.

[@mikecarr8593]

Great Video. Love all of the details. Hope to see the unloader in action soon.

[@regisbrooks8064]

Nice job on your layout n locomotive's n weathering

[@jonathanjones35]

Pretty darn cool, man. Really nice. Thanks for sharing this.

[@rdub9767]

Amazingly realistic layout. Your coal loading/unloading operations are fantastic to watch. As if running trains wasn't fun enough, I can't imagine your excitement once the coal handling feature was mastered.

[@cpwhiskycreek]

Great modelling and layout. Thanks for sharing

[@ladyash6942]

Really like your Locomotives

[@switchtowerhobbies383]

Great Video. Looks Fantastic

[@ariesarethebest271]

Only complaint. I wish the vids were longer. I was fully prepared to watch that loaded coal train make a trip. Lol.

[@jamesa6272]

That c40 standard cab looks amazing! I miss running them.

[@Biwabik223]

Remarkable layout!

[@JosephMusgrove]

Excellent video!

[@GMTX-kg8ep]

Utterly incredible!

[@donaldkormos5529]

Really nice job on the coal loader!!!

[@valchavez9163]

Josh...so amazing you seem to have a lot knowledge about the railroad..ever thought about working for Norfolk Southern.....I live about a mile from the calumet yard here in chicago....it's a nice yard.....103rd st bridge goes over the yard.....great video as always....

[@johnathanlewis2049]

Hi Josh! Great video! Your layout is an inspiration!

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Johnathan, really appreciate it! - Josh

[@ontariorail1251]

Those scaletrains engines sure got the pulling power!

[@greykirbach5459]

Another amazing video

[@anthonyborden2513]

Excellent layout

[@CRP7609]

Very nice!! Amazing quality

[@user-kn6db5xi5y]

Sounded awesome Mike

[@awesomecronk7183]

Interesting! Good to know about the coal size, thanks!

[@centralMDrailfan]

Looks good josh, keep it up!

[@new_comment]

One of the coal co. I worked for, also had their own tipple and train load out on the property. Though I worked the deep mine, we often had to stop at the main office, to gossip like old women and pick up our coal bonuses 😁. The load out was directly at the end of the office. I had some buddies that worked at the plant and loaded trains. I would go up in the load out if one of them happened to be up there. A few times I got to load some cars. It's not as easy as I had always thought. Even with a staging bin with digital scales. You had to glance at the sugg load wt on each car, and be ready to charge the staging bin with that much weight, while you were loading the current car. All while the CSX conductor was sitting behind you babysitting his train. If you didn't uniformly load the car or you overflowed one end and spilled coal, they were very unhappy. If you underweighted cars, the coal co wasn't happy. It's stressful and aggravating, glad it wasn't my job, but experienced operators made it look so easy. But it was fun too try, and a nice view of the train. This was at the Jupiter Coal co. in Boone Co. WV, ran bye the late Chris Cline, a hell of a man and coal operator Getting ready to tear down my N scale Chessie➡️CSX layout. And rebuild with a lot of inspiration from NS Modelers layout and operations, his layout is incredible.

[@GodGotMeMinistry]

Very nice; love it.

[@jamesbeckwith3639]

Hiya... an excellent video... what does the mechanism look like that allows the coal to drop and what happened at 12:35 when the screen went dark for a few seconds.? I would also like to know in more detail how you made this as well... keep up the good work

[@macg9940]

The same question here.

[@enjoyingrailroading1013]

@@macg9940 I was wondering the same thing on hte dark screen.

[@centraliowarailproductions2810]

Nice video! ScaleTrains has really nice locomotives.

[@mymodelrailroadlayout]

Wow, what a nice Layout man

[@Longshadowsmodeltrees]

Great Op's video Josh, great working flood loader. Bob

[@nsmodeler24]

Hi Bob! Thank you! Hope you and your family are doing well! Josh

[@scotabot7826]

When you weather the locomotives, don't forget to power the locomotives wheels 180 degrees so that the other half of the wheels are not shiny and missing the weathering.

[@seanthornton1659]

@NSmodeler24 awesome video of the loading of the coal train keep up the good work and I enjoyed watching your videos even if my arms are hurting me too much

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Sean! Hope you're doing well and appreciate the kind words! - Josh

[@ianmanson-blair5065]

So realistic. Awesome

[@pinball1968]

Fantastic!!!

[@KeanesCove]

Great layout

[@camerakid76]

That closed loop system is genius! I was wondering about how you went about getting it back and forth. I wasn’t familiar enough with your layout to know the unloading happened above. I may have to steal this general idea if I ever get the privilege of designing a layout for myself. I’ll go ahead and say I’ve been very impressed with the overall production quality of your videos and of the layout itself. You and your father can be very proud of what you have achieved. Keep it up!

[@WindCityRailfan]

Nice video I enjoyed it

[@allenbarnes7202]

Awesome modeling

[@Running-with-skizers]

That is so cool and being mostly mechanical not much to go wrong

[@alexmanne]

Impressive!

[@tomgrabenstein2741]

Very very nice. Hope med school is going well for you Josh. I finished mine in 1977. Doc Tom

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks for the kind words Dr. Tom. I’m halfway through - we start clinicals next month and can’t wait. Will be a good change of pace! - Josh

[@tomgrabenstein2741]

@@nsmodeler24 Now the fun begins. Clinicals are the best part of med school. Model railroading is a great stress reliever for medical doctors. Also helps keep up your fine motor skills for any surgical procedures you might do. Keep up the good work. Doc Tom

[@AmericanPatriot191]

@NSmodeler24 I don't know how you do it but your videos and layout always look so good

[@myrandomthings1]

nice video man

[@PKWModelwerx]

Video, but not audio, dies at 12:33? then picks up again. very impressive modeling. Wow. Thanks

[@sixoneninesixsixfour8729]

That’s freaking amazing, I have mine on my ceiling room and love this trains so much, so fun

[@YourFavoriteSCPguard]

Fantastic i also want to make a flood loader in ho scale

[@kaykayschuckers]

Got some foreign power on the layout. Nice

[@OhioCentralModeler]

I'm definitely planning on building something like this for my future layout. Also you should consider a tutorial on how you make custom sound files for decoders, that could probably come in incredibly handy for some of use wanting to model some oddball locomotives out there.

[@Lakeside_Rail_Productions]

Seconded

[@toddheisler9874]

So cool 👍😄

[@haegenbyrne]

I had a model railroad at one point I need to get back into the modeling railroad

[@DevonMopiedmont1143]

I just want to see you timelapse an entire loading and unloading process. I'm sure it would be awesome.

[@johnsweigart3917]

You can change the replay speed on the video on the computer, under "settings" to slow down for a close look

[@iatif1995]

Someday you should customize some vader signals that have the NS shape! Its just wider and flat bottom.

[@howardsanford1745]

Wow. No words.

[@dave3216]

That’s about as realistic as it get’s. 👍👍👍👍

[@eb4rob]

Both my son (8) and I love the coal loader and rotary unloader! we have bought the kit ready to try and replicate the flood loader! We will re-watch your video on how you did that a good few times before we start putting it together! We have finally started putting track down in our summer house (train shed), so getting close to running now! thank you so much for the inspiration on the loading and unloading! your layout is a true work of art and you should be extremely proud of what you have achieved! one question I have about your layout but not about the coal loader... I noticed you have some really nice EOT lights on the tail car... how do you go about fitting those? do you have specific cars that are dedicated EOT cars and have the light and an accessory decoder fitted? I would love to see how you have done that if possible!?

[@nsmodeler24]

Hey Robert, best of luck on the build! Check out some of my older videos - we have a much more detailed video on the workings of it and design (probably 5 years old or so by now). The EOT is by Ring Engineering and is a replacement truck/coupler package that come together and is pretty easy to install. And yes, we just have dedicated cars that we run on the end of the trains, as its not too easy to move around.

[@bryanvandyke8523]

Really assome would like to know how to set things up like ur continous coal unloading operation coolest think iv ever seen