Load Size for Intermountain Bathtub Gondolas???

[Kisatchie]

Does anyone have an Intermountain bathtub gondola that they can measure and let me know what size load it takes (length x width in inches)?

I found some Hay Bros. sulfur loads for IM bathtub gons, but I want to put them in Atlas 90 ton hoppers. I'd like to know how much cutting/filing/grinding I'd need to do to get them to fit.

Thanks for any help.


Hmm... probably a stick
of dynamite would make
it fit good...

[nkalanaga]

Have you tried making your own loads?  I use a chunk of 1/4 inch balsa, carve the top to look good, paint it black (for coal), liberally coat it with white glue, and press it into a pile of coal.  Once everything dries well, a day or more, sand the sides to remove any coal stuck there, and in case the wood swelled a bit, paint the sides black, and you have a really cheap load. 

With different sizes and colors of material you can make any load you like for pennies.  I've made ore loads for my narrow gauge, woodchip loads, gravel/ballast loads to match my gravel pit's material, etc.

If one doesn't turn out the way you want, they're cheap enough to throw away and try again!

[Kisatchie]

Have you tried making your own loads?

I don't have a problem trying to make my own loads. I just don't know what to use to simulate a sulfur load. Ideas, anyone?


Hmm... maybe use real
sulfur...?

[nkalanaga]

I have no idea what a sulfur load would look like, but if it's chunks, I'd start with white ballast, of whatever size is appropriate, then paint it. 

From http://www.minerals.net/mineral/sulfur.aspx
"Pure Sulfur is bright yellow. The color may be altered if impurities are present. Clay and selenium impurities, as well as volcanic mixtures in sulfur can cause it to be slightly red, green, brown, or gray. Sulfur often occurs in petroleum deposits, where it is found coated with greasy black petroleum."
"Much of the fine natural Sulfur crystals are destroyed by mining operations. In mining, underground Sulfur deposits are flooded with hot water, causing the Sulfur to melt into a brine. The brine is pumped to the surface, where the water is evaporated and the sulfur recovered. Such mining operations destroy all specimens."

But I haven't found a picture of the of the finished product, so have no idea what size the chunks would be.  It would have to be bigger than powder, though, or it would blow out of open cars.

[Kisatchie]

...In mining, underground Sulfur deposits are flooded with hot water, causing the Sulfur to melt into a brine. The brine is pumped to the surface, where the water is evaporated and the sulfur recovered. Such mining operations destroy all specimens."

When I was in junior high school in the early 1960s, the Science Club took a trip to Freeport Sulfur mining operations in southern Louisiana. It was very interesting. We even got a sample of the mined sulfur (a light brown color) to take home. On the other hand, the Hay Bros. sulfur loads are bright yellow. Oh, what to do, what to do...?


Hmm... I'd prefer my
sulfur loads to be
pink or lavender...

[nkalanaga]

If you have a sample from the area you're modeling, I'd match the load to that.  You know it's right for that mine, even if it doesn't match other locations or times.

[Kisatchie]

If you have a sample from the area you're modeling, I'd match the load to that.

Yeah, that's the best thing to do. Sorry, Hay Brothers.


Hmm... I bet there was
no rail service to the
Freeport mine...

[crrcoal]

Yeah, that's the best thing to do. Sorry, Hay Brothers.


Hmm... I bet there was
no rail service to the
Freeport mine...

Well you could always contact Hays Bros and see if they would make the appropriate load for you......