Operating accessories that are built to scale have been made, although only a few were commercial models. Here's a beginning list in S scale that I have seen.
Frank Titman has a coal tipple that can load hoppers on his current layout. It's been there since I have known him. Entirely prototypical looking from the outside. In his case he used HO plastic coal for the coal. He said he tried real coal, but it made too much dust. He (and I) do use real coal for scenery and tender loads. Frank also had an operating rotary dumper on an earlier layout. These have been made is several scales. I know two people who were working on building operating models in S of the rotary dumper at Salida, CO on the D&RGW that was used to transfer mineral traffic from narrow gauge to standard gauge cars. PBL imported some brass S scale coaling towers, some of which were operating. The buckets that load the tower move up and down and the chute can be raised and lowered. I picked up a used operating one that needs some work, but I'll get it going one of these years. Several people have used a slow motion switch machine or a servo to operate the spout on a water tank. I've seen at least one in Sn3. On a previous layout, I had an operating incline system, where a cable was used to pull cars up a steep grade and to let them down slowly. I used a low rpm display motor under the layout for power, but the "cable" was routed around a drum on a steam donkey engine that "appeared" to be doing the work. In my case, I connected the cable to a special block car. I don't remember what the grade was, but it was probably over 45%. I really miss having this, and am formulating a different plan in my head to move some log cars up and down a very steep grade on my current layout. At one time, Backwoods Miniatures made an etched brass kit for an Sn3 model of an American Hoist & Derrick ditcher that operated. It was an option, but it could be operated from anywhere on the rails using three DCC decoders to control the motors. I have one kit on my to-do pile. I've seen the prototype model actually being used to load small dump cars. I don't think there were a lot of these kits made. Of course, depending on your era, there are semaphore signals, train order signals, crossing gates, and wig-wag signals, that can be animated. Faller makes a car system in HO and N scales where the vehicles follow a buried guide wire and you can do "turnouts" and stops. It doesn't seem to be that well known in North America, but I've thought of trying to adapt the HO scale mechanism to an S scale vehicle. My problem is keep getting new ideas before I finished working on the last one. But sometimes I need a break from laying track and wiring. Dave Heine Easton, PA -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Scott Sent: Monday, April 22, 2013 1:58 PM To: [email protected] Subject: {S-Scale List} The feasibility of prototypical industries as it applies to current S scalers Based on so many examples of modeling excellence I have seen S scalers accomplish, I don't doubt that more than a few of you could create beautiful scale coal loaders that operate. However, as I have often looked at the coal loader I am currently working on, the question keeps coming back to me is what to load it with. Plastic is to lite, it bounces all over the place. Coal breaks down over time creating dust. What is a heavy enough material that can be small enough to look prototypical that doesn't break down over time? Any ideas would be great! This question also applies to other industries, now that I think about it. The subject line has been changed as requested and left open enough to allow more discussion on how we could enhance our operations with prototypical industries. Cordially, Scott Huston Las Vegas Nevada ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
