# Real coal in H0 scale?



## andgul (Jan 6, 2015)

I use era 1 train and do have steam locomotive with the tender too.
I see coal imitation of the plastic in the tender and it´s not nice to watch it!
So how do you find real coal in scale H0?
I want to use real coal and glue on the plastic coal imitation.
Should i use an real coal and crunches it to scale 1:87?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

It is usually best to avoid the 'real' commodities around
a model railroad. Coal, for instance, is a dusty product
and you will likely find it on your rails and wheels.

You can test the various rock or nut shell products to
find a coal that you like. 

Don


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## time warp (Apr 28, 2016)

A charcoal canister off of a 70's or 80's era car has coal that's close to correct for HO or S scale, but when we were using it It was very dirty. Don is correct.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Woodland Scenics makes H.O. coal....

https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/BallastAndCoal


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

Woodland Scenics coal is a pretty decent stand-in. Apparently BLI has been using real coal in the tender hoppers of their steamers in at least some instances since about 2012.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I agree -- real coal is dirty stuff. Use one of the commercially available products to simulate it. I've seen a lot of people say "nothing looks as much like real coal as real coal", but I don't think that's true, especially with our small models.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

Prototype coal comes in different sizes. This thread explains the different sizes and their uses.

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=68298

Here are several earlier threads on how to make you own realistic coal loads – or modify plastic coal loads with a covering of real coal.
Unfortunately the pics have disappeared from the first link, but the description is still there.
Gluing the coal to foam or to a plastic coal load reduces the dust problem. Besides, a full load of real coal would add way too much weight to your cars.

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=16771

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=54777

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?p=1238929


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

I have used both Conway and Brennan’s to make coal loads for my O gauge hoppers. They also make HO scale coal. I have had no problems with dirt and dust on the layout. I slather flat black paint on the plastic or foam load and pour the coal on top of it. Some folks use white glue instead of paint to hold the coal in place. Here is Brennan’s site. I couldn’t find the Conway’s site, but you can get it on eBay.

http://www.brennansmodelrr.com/store/index.php?categoryid=118&productid=5


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## andgul (Jan 6, 2015)

Okey...
But if i seal the real coal with can flat clear to seal after i did crunches the coal?
This way do many pro weathering by seal the powder on the locomotives and wagons.
That means no risk to dust on the model railway.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

I tried making small pieces of anthracite from big pieces of anthracite. I did make one hopper load with the coal I crushed, but I was not happy with it. Then I got Conway and Brennan coal and was very happy with the results. I would not seal it with flat clear…at least not if you are modeling anthracite. Black diamonds are supposed to sparkle. As I said above, I had no problems with coal dust.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

The problem isn't so much the mess after you're all done, but the difficulty in doing it.

I mean, sure, if you just have to have real coal, then crush it to an appropriate size (although again, no easy feat), run it through a screen to get the size uniform, and glue it in place. As was noted above, make a dummy load of foam or wood, then just apply a thin layer of coal to the visible parts (that's a good plan for ANY load or pile of stuff, actually). If you completely saturate it with diluted glue or acrylic medium, that will seal it.

There is nothing wrong with using real coal, but there are better options (in my opinion). As I said in my original post, I don't see any difference in appearance, and I often think people use real coal just so they can say they did.


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

The charcoal used in many fish aquarium filters is relatively dust free. Plus is usually small pieces.

Dan


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

CTValleyRR said:


> There is nothing wrong with using real coal, but there are better options (in my opinion).


If you are modeling coal, what could be better than little O or HO size pieces of coal?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Any of the simulated coal products out there.....maybe not better, but equally representative of....

And, maybe, just maybe, easier to obtain that a real hunk of coal, for the average person, of course....


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

its easy to get Brennan's or Conway, it is already sized and not too expensive.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Great discussion going here!

So, food for thought....why use anything "real" for any layout?

Most of today's rolling stock, and most locomotives, are made of plastic....that doesn't mimic "real" railroads....but then, "real" steel boxcars on your layout could not be all pulled by our locomotives....

Most commercially made structures are plastic......sure you can use "real" wood, but would you use "real" concrete for a concrete structure? "Real" steel for a steel structure? Why would you.....?

And of course, "real" water is always a bad idea for a layout.....

But take a look at some layouts....they look so "real", even though we know they're not.....

So really, there is no reason to use anything on your layout that is made of the same materials as the real thing.......unless you really want to, of course....

And that's probably not feasible.....or maybe even possible.....


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Personally, I like the sparkle of real anthracite. It makes me understand why it’s called black diamonds.









And yes, I have been told that the Reading didn’t have yellow hoppers. There are also some folks that believe real railroads have no center rail.


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## Don F (Dec 5, 2015)

Whatever material one chooses, be it real coal or commercially available and correctly sized, I would recommend using a spray bottle with a water base urethane finish. It goes on evenly, and leaves the shine on the material, and it minimizes mess. This works on wood, foam, or the manufacturers' plastic load, simply spray the base, sprinkle the material, and spray again. If using a flat base, several layers will be necessary to achieve a prototypical load. I use a cardboard box with the front cut out to act as a spray booth. Here is a video I made showing my process.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

Old_Hobo said:


> Great discussion going here!
> 
> So, food for thought....why use anything "real" for any layout?
> 
> ...


By definition, a model of "anything" is not the real "anything". Each modeller decides how close to reality he or she wants to get with every aspect of the model -- depending of course on: (1) time, (2) money (3) space, (4) availability of prototype materials, and (5) how much effort he or she wants to put into the model.

We all take different short-cuts in our model construction - which gives us different-looking model and layouts. The diversity makes it all interesting.

*****

Now when someone makes a fully-functional, HO-scale, live-steam, coal-burning locomotive.....

or

a forest of miniature live trees, that grow a little taller every year, turn colors then drop their leaves in the fall, and grow new ones in the spring....

.... then the distinction between a model and the prototype will get fuzzy.


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## andgul (Jan 6, 2015)

Lot of answers here! :smilie_daumenpos:
I decides to try with an real coal by crunches it.
I try with the charcoal.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Lehigh74 said:


> If you are modeling coal, what could be better than little O or HO size pieces of coal?


If you read my posts, than you already know the answer to that question.

Creating those tiny pieces of coal is a huge hassle, and there are dozens of ways to make fake look like the real thing.


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## slammin (Mar 25, 2016)

I've tried HO scale model coal from several different companies. They all looked good, were clean and east to use. I would rather spend my time building a few of the dozens of kits on my shelf than hammering and screening real coal. IIRC in the 90's PBL offered small bags of "real Chama coal" in their Sn3 catalogs.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

CTValleyRR said:


> If you read my posts, than you already know the answer to that question.
> 
> Creating those tiny pieces of coal is a huge hassle, and there are dozens of ways to make fake look like the real thing.


I did read your posts, but I only agree with half of what you said. I did try to make little pieces of anthracite from big ones (see post 10) …and yes, it’s a mess. That’s why I buy pre-sized anthracite from Conway or Brennan (see posts 8, 10 and 15). It already looks like the real thing, because it is the real thing.


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## andgul (Jan 6, 2015)

I will check after model coal later.
But first i test a charcoal and see the results.

:thumbsup:


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

Lehigh74 said:


> I did read your posts, but I only agree with half of what you said. I did try to make little pieces of anthracite from big ones (see post 10) …and yes, it’s a mess. That’s why I buy pre-sized anthracite from Conway or Brennan (see posts 8, 10 and 15). It already looks like the real thing, because it is the real thing.


I've always given my coal loads at least a dry brushing of black gloss paint, or just use black gloss entirely, because coal does have a measure of shine or reflectivity. 

It's true that "nothing looks like real X like real X", but for HO scale the practicality of that varies greatly! If nothing else does it for you than real coal, then go for it. I certainly have the same feeling about passenger cars - those old real metal streamliners have a look to them that the best plated finishes (to me) can't replicate.


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