# Simulated coal unloading



## jackpresley (Dec 19, 2017)

I will be modeling the local power plant that gets coal via train from Wyoming. I have two corners of the room where the train can go through the wall into another unfinished room that I will have easy access to for mishaps. I intend to put a photo backdrop of the power plant on the wall with some structure blended in front of it. 

Simulated Coal Unloading

Rather than try and attempt live coal, I thought I would push the loaded coal cars into the "loop" while a hidden unloaded train is pushed out of the "loop." Then the hidden "loaded" train goes to the Wyoming mine where it is exchanged for unloaded cars. In a perfect world, currently beyond my ability, JMRI or TrainController would automate the process of handling the movement behind the wall.










Seems like it works in the simulator okay. Just not sure about the electronics of it all. Will need pretty accurate block detection and probably some other IR sensors to make sure the uncoupling process works. Wonder if anyone else has a way to simulated unloading/loading.

Thanks


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

At least for the interim, can you simply make a balloon track on the far side of the wall, so that the loads being shoved in actually shove the empties out the other track?


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## jackpresley (Dec 19, 2017)

CTValleyRR said:


> At least for the interim, can you simply make a balloon track on the far side of the wall, so that the loads being shoved in actually shove the empties out the other track?


I considered that a lot. But it only works once, then you have to reposition the loaded train out of the loop, and replace it with an empty. I could probably disguise it enough with scenery to make it work where the loaded train pops out somewhere else on the main.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

jackpresley said:


> I considered that a lot. But it only works once, then you have to reposition the loaded train out of the loop, and replace it with an empty. I could probably disguise it enough with scenery to make it work where the loaded train pops out somewhere else on the main.


You will always have to cycle empties in and pull the loaded cars out between operating sessions, no matter what you do. Even your system will fill up the other track with loaded cars that will need to eventually be replaced with empty ones. You could make the loop big enough to handle more than one train load, if you have enough empties to spare.


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## jackpresley (Dec 19, 2017)

CTValleyRR said:


> You will always have to cycle empties in and pull the loaded cars out between operating sessions, no matter what you do. Even your system will fill up the other track with loaded cars that will need to eventually be replaced with empty ones. You could make the loop big enough to handle more than one train load, if you have enough empties to spare.


Actually the hidden unloading area of the power plant also doubles as the Wyoming coal mine, which won't be modeled. The empty train will exit the loop and travel to the NW corner of the layout where it will disappear, headed north to Wyoming, when it will actually travel behind the scenes to the power plant and stage the empties, pickup the loaded coal, and return the way it came on the hidden trackage. It reappears in the NW corner southbound and then turns east to the power plant for unloading.

I've redesigned the loop so that it doesn't take a hidden switcher to make it happen. It's a circle so that it can drop loaded cars from the south or empties for the north.


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## jackpresley (Dec 19, 2017)

The coal train arrives, enters the unloading loop, and disconnects before entering the circle. The engine turns around on the circle, backs up and couples up to the empty train that is staged. It moves forward and exits the way it entered. It pulls the empties along the main line to the NW corner where it leaves the area for Wyoming to get some more coal. It actual travels along the north side eastbound behind the divider. It enters the same spot where it picked up the empties and uncouples. It circles the south half of the circle, backs up and couples up to the full coal train. It then pulls forward, going straight north, then west, and finally reappearing in the NW corner with a full coal train, back to the power plant to repeat the process. (Not to scale. Only depicts a representation of the coal train route -- not the full layout.)


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