Operating Coal Loader - LIVE Coal Loads in HO Scale

Here is a closer look at our operating HO scale flood loader on the layout. The original kit is from Walthers and the working components were built by my father. The coal is fed from a hopper located beneath the upper level shelf directly above (see details below). After loading the live coal loads and proceeding to Asheville Yard, trains receive helpers that assist the train to Ridgecrest, where they cut-off and return to Asheville. The pushers are actually needed, given the weight of a loaded coal train and the winding 2.6% grade to the upper level.
To come... the operating rotary dumper, which is strategically located right above the coal mine and existing coal hopper. Once complete, the rotary dumper will feed directly into the hopper, making for completely hands free coal operations on the layout.
The coal cars are a mix of BLMA and Atlas Norfolk Southern "Top Gons." The locomotives are ScaleTrains Tier 4 Gevos with ESU LokSound v4.
The clips in this video are just a small snippet of a larger "Layout Tour" video which will be coming from ScaleTrains! Stay tuned!
As alway, thanks for watching.
-Josh

[@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!!

[@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)

[@davidcaro8217]

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

[@Ralph2]

The slow running is a joy to behold.

[@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.

[@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.

[@Ranveer_sangha03]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@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 :)

[@jimaz6532]

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

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Jim!

[@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!

[@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 :)

[@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 .

[@rhendricksonn]

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

[@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!!

[@Trashman702]

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

[@sonnyozeretnyjr5249]

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

[@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..

[@theAvra]

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

[@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.

[@taurus4205]

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

[@clayjones903]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@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!

[@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

[@donaldreighn1318]

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

[@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!!!!!!!

[@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.

[@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!

[@darrincalcutt8332]

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

[@rvnmedic1968]

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

[@nicke1903]

Wow this is cool, I see those Trains runnin Coal everyday.

[@trentonharris5521]

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

[@markarrivi3818]

Definately A Great Idea And A Great Job Done By You and Your Dad Very Impressive And Operational Wonderful Again👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Mark! Appreciate the kind words. - Josh

[@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

[@timothymclaughlin6860]

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

[@mrmike8782]

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

[@virginialoverproductions]

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

[@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!

[@7492rony]

Awesome job Dad and son

[@ethanb7388]

What an amazing layout! The sounds the coal hopper sounds!! Everything omg! Lol what a great video!

[@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!!!

[@KCUnionStationTrains]

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

[@j.p.1214]

I like how each hopper has its own unique number

[@angeldjcuba61]

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

[@decoeric]

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

[@biggiefitz6275]

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

[@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!

[@21thalastdonmalone17]

This set up is unbelievable great job Very beautiful layout

[@amnestykings9584]

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

[@wmjwell]

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

[@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

[@wheeliefish5161]

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

[@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)!!

[@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 :)

[@MrTurboCat21]

Impressive realism. Even the sound is similar.

[@valchavez9163]

Josh...you out did yourself....WOW......so cool....NS RULES......👍👍👍👍👍

[@richardstewart8716]

What beautiful work, thank you.

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Richard. Means a lot! -Josh

[@TMandN]

This coupled with a working rotary dumper would be phenomenal!

[@David_Brewster]

Better read his video description. (It says he has one!)

[@WhatAboutTheBee]

@@David_Brewster Hi David. The description indicates that the rotary dumper is "to come". That could be tomorrow or 10 years from tomorrow.

[@IlikeCatF]

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

[@dipannitabhuyan3440]

Truly awesome. Congratulations. Impeccable!

[@jackhromadka6842]

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

[@fletcher3913]

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

[@dougcostello9064]

Now that is impressive. Nice work! 👍

[@mafarnz]

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

[@mattmaz2]

Fantastic video, stunning modelling ! Keep up the great work ! 😊👌👍

[@kevinmeredith4800]

Super impressive!!!

[@joshtomberlin5105]

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

[@normanrowe2831]

Hello, now that's something amazing. Nice job you two.

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Norman. We appreciate it!

[@kellingc]

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

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Chris

[@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.

[@jb1639]

Amazing and very, very cool, great job.

[@barryrose8360]

Wow!! Amazing layout. I always loved coal trains. Really cool.

[@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!

[@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.

[@FlushtheSystem]

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

[@jonfoisy1237]

Ok. That's some really impressive model building there! Great job!

[@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.

[@cooperreed254]

Love the coal dispensing keep it up with making your layouts

[@Kevin-ev7hw]

A great layout update Josh. Thank you.

[@austinyingst5902]

Nice, impressive pair of videos. Smooth loader mechanism. Thanks

[@floppychzcake7936]

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

[@RealSergiob466]

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

[@garylewis3815]

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

[@olentangy74]

Amazing. I have to remind myself that I am looking at a diorama!

[@RailserveJohn]

Awesome stuff Josh.

[@Msmedic424]

Looks good josh !

[@devinrogers6877]

That adds a whole other element of fun now !

[@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"

[@micksbackyardaquaponics1408]

That is a great layout you have there it was good to see it and that was stunning to see the coal going in keep up the good work. 👍 👍 🚂

[@nsmodeler24]

Thanks Mick!

[@robertmcdonnold3038]

Very realistic and professionally done.

[@jimbrent8151]

Coolest model railroad I have ever seen.

[@alcopower5710]

Outstanding.....amazing work to get this to operate as well as it does

[@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.

[@YardLimit]

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