# Coal mine plans or ideas



## mkschram

I was wondering if anyone out there would have any coal mine plans or ideas on how to go about scratchbuilding one. Thanks in advance


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## radfan

Are you talking about open cast mining(cut and cover) Deep mining with pit head gear or what?


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## Reckers

Some people say that man is made out of mud,
But poor man's made out of muscle and blood.
Muscle and blood
Skin and bone
with a mind that's weak
and a back that's strong.....

Take it, somebody!


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## mkschram

Okay, we'll go with open cast mining. 16 tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt


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## Reckers

*LOL* Sorry, but sometimes I just break into song! As far as scratch-building one, it would seem the starting point would be photos of real ones. Are you looking for materials or pics for inspiration?


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## radfan

Say preacher don't ya call me, I jus cant go, I owe my soul to the company store.

Open cast mining is the cheapest form of mining and can be as little as a few trucks frontloading shovels and a hut for the explosives with everything going to an off site plant for screening.

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=open+cast+coal+mine&gbv=2&aq=1&oq=open+cast

google is your friend!


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## Reckers

Man, you guys can really sing!

I was born one morning, it was drizzlin rain
fightin and trouble are my middle names
I was raised in a canebrake by an old mama lion
Can't no hightoned woman make me walk the line.


mkschram, if you aren't locked into a particular type of mine yet, there's a world of pics here: http://www.pulaskispast.com/McCreary/showalbum.php?albumID=7 The Blue Heron mine camp has been partially restored, in eastern KY, in the Daniel Boone National Forest. That means plenty of great pics to work from and information available.

If you see me comin, better step aside
A lot of men didn't---a lot of men died
one fist of iron, the other of steel
If the right one don't get you, then the left one will.


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## bradimous1

Reckers... that is a great link... I have been contemplating a coal mine, and you sealed the deal... going to start on that one soon.


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## Reckers

Let me know if I can be of any help. I'm in Kentucky---at the opposite end of the state---but I visited Stearns, KY last summer and took the train ride down into the camp. It's a beautiful setting, in the bottom of a narrow river valley. The mine had a small train that carried coal across a high trestle to the 3-story tipple and dumped it, then brought the cars back. It would fall down through the tipple into railroad gondolas parked beneath the tipple. The tipple is still there, and the trestle has been floored over for visitors to walk across the river on it.


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## mkschram

Reckers, Thank you for that link. I have been struggling with what kind of a coal mine would suit my layout, and the Blue Heron Mine fits the bill. I will make some minor modifications and it should look great. My voice is starting to crack, so I will give the singing a rest for now. (Mostly because the dogs are howling and the wife is covering her ears and running, screaming like a crazed banshee). Whoops, did I say that out loud?


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