# loading ore cars operations



## MrDuane (Oct 21, 2011)

here is what I see as an operating mine. Seems way more track than I'd think there should be. but here goes my thoughts.










train comes from the left, goes onto spur 2 to get off the main line. 

then it unhooks from all but the one just behind the engine, moves right, and backs up to line 3 and moves it under the hopper hanging over it.

once full, it goes right and then backs into line 4 as a full loaded car and leaves it.

then engine goes back to line 2 and grabs the next ore car to fill up, rinse and repeat.

the only other thought is to have line 2 be twice as long with the hopper in the middle and fill up as it goes. this does make for an awfull long spur of nearly 6'.


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## MrDuane (Oct 21, 2011)

well, I've one more thought, less trackage, smaller mines (which I kinda like)










in this senario, train comes in from the left with 6 empty cars, 
backs in to spur 2, drops off 2 cars
pulls out a bit and backs into spur 3 picks up 2 full cars
pulls out a bit and backs into spur 2 again, picks up 2 emptys for a total 8
pulls out a bit and backs in to 3 again and leaves the last 2 empty to fill up

so after engine 2 empty, 2 empty, 2 full, goes to next mine of similiar operations, gets 2 fulls and leaves 2 empty

this way I think I'll have a gold mine 2 cars, silver mine 2 cars, copper mine 2 cars. seems workable, over one huge mine, and I can paint the ore different colors. i only wonder if granddaughter would want pink ore, lol.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

MrDuane said:


> well, I've one more thought, less trackage, smaller mines (which I kinda like)
> 
> 
> 
> ...



But when you are filling all the cars wouldn't the engine be sitting out on the main line with this?

Also it is kind of strange to have a gold mine with a silver mine and also a copper mine all in the same area.

But it is your RR.
Heck why not add a coal mine too?


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

big ed said:


> Heck why not add a coal mine too?


You could call it the Claus Coal Company, "We Supply Santa."


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

I'll have 2 mines on my current layout on opposite sides. On one side is an ore mine. The mine has 2 tracks that have a capacity of 8 cars each (small 30' ore cars), there is also a siding that can handle 16 cars out adjacent to the mainline. 

Engine pulls into siding off mainline with 16 empties and pulls to the end of the track, unhooks, then pulls around the spotted cars back out on the mainline (mainline used as run-around). Engine then pulls into mine spur #1 and picks up 8 fulls, then backs out of #1 and into #2 to connect to the other 8 fulls. Engine then backs out of mine with 16 full cars and proceeds back out to the main yard to have them sent out.

A switcher parked at the mine would then pull the empties into the mine in strings of 8 cars and slowly push the string through the tipple to fill them.

The other mine is coal - I'll use a flood loader for that. Flood loading is very active (cars don't get spotted.) Basically the engine with its cars pulls all the way through the flood loader. The engine disconnects and comes around to the other end of the train of cars located at the flood loader. The engine then reconnects to the train of cars and slowly pulls them through the loader - the coal loads as the cars are being pulled through. Once the last car clears the loader they are taken back to the yard for shipment.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

MrDuane said:


> i only wonder if granddaughter would want pink ore, lol.


She might enjoy seeing you use dollar coins for gold loads, dimes for silver, and pennies for copper. Our granddaughter is into pirates, so she'll only approve of doubloons as loads.


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