Coal types

[mattmason]

I am starting an article on different coal types and want to know what you all are using. I have Pochohontas, Austrailian Char, and Utah coal in hand. I know a lot of people use Welsh (when available) and looking to get my hands on a gallon or so for comparison.

What I need to know is if there are any other types in use by 3/4" - 3 3/4" scale locomotives. I dont think anyone is using anthracite, but that is why I am asking. If you can give type, scale, and boiler type would be useful.

Also, how do you start your coal? Charcoal with lighter fluid, blowtorch, or something else?

Thanks.

[LVRR2095]

Matt,
I use anthracite with my 3/4" scale locomotives. I start the fire first with wood, then I go to some soft coal as you need a fair amount of heat to ignite the hard coal. Once the anthracite gets going, it is much cleaner and will not soot up my tubes. The 15" gauge Cagneys were designed to burn anthracite, as they were used in amusement parks where they didn't want smoke, or burning cinders hitting the crowds.
Keith

[Harlock]

We have the Utah type that our local cement plant gets. It's a bituminous I believe, harder than the soft Pennsylvania coal and burns clean, though not as clean as anthracite. Last time I got it going real good by soaking pine sticks in kero, put a bunch of them in, light it, then when it's nice and hot, throw in some chunks of cut up 2X4 (it's a big firebox, heh.) then throw maybe two ice cream scoops of coal in when I feel it's hot enough to catch. When the coal is really going and the fire's getting nice and hot, I throw in a few fresh scoops more and then tend a fairly light coal fire until the safety pops. When actually moving around the track I'll build a bigger fire if I need it. The big Shay is very forgiving so it's good for a coal-firing newbie like me.

The Utah stuff seems to burn real clean, I barely have any visible smoke out of the stack when running with proper draft, and the fire burning super hot and I'm getting great steam. doesn't need a lot of raking, doesn't leave behind a mass of clinker.

Contrast with the locomotives at Cass burning soft Pochahontas, billowing large clouds of black smoke whenever they are under power.

I'm real curious about the Australian stuff. Peter and Ron stopped by the Triennial from the Bay Area for one day just to pick up a palette of it. Previously they ordered a shipment from Penn Coal and paid far more for shipping than the coal was worth.

Peter uses soaked wood pellets and soaked sticks at the same time to get his fire going. He soaks them in lighter fluid if I remember correctly.

Here we use Jet-A for our kerosene soak.

The biggest mistake I made the first time I fired coal was not building a hot enough starter fire. The coal did not catch and we cheated with a big torch.

P.S. Dave L I know I still owe you a bucket to try. If there is a bucket left over from this weekend I'll give it to you.

[Fender]

Contrast with the locomotives at Cass burning soft Pochahontas, billowing large clouds of black smoke whenever they are under power.

Last time I was up at Cass, I asked about where they get their coal. I was more than a little surprised when they said, "it is trucked in from Kentucky."
So it isn't Pocahontas, and anyway that mine has been closed for years.

[Peter Crisler]

What I need to know is if there are any other types in use by 3/4" - 3 3/4" scale locomotives. I dont think anyone is using anthracite, but that is why I am asking. If you can give type, scale, and boiler type would be useful.

Also, how do you start your coal? Charcoal with lighter fluid, blowtorch, or something else?

Thanks.

I've used cannel coal in my 3/4" scale Rob Roy with very good results. As long as it's mixed with a little bituminous, as cannel coal burns extremely hot. But it burns extremely clean. Leaves nothing but a pinkish/white ash. As for starting it, I once got it going with lighter fluid and 3 wooden matches. It lights easy compared to any other coal I've used. It's a little difficult to find, but a Google search will help locate vendors.

It does have one drawback. It is extremely hard. If you buy chunks that have to be broken up, using a hammer demands a full face mask and gloves. The flying fragments will hurt.

[Doug_Edwards]

Here we use Jet-A for our kerosene soak.

Fwiw, I understand that jet fuel has a biocide in it, the fumes of which resulting from combustion can be fatal. I don't know how much is required.

Regards,

Doug

[Harlock]

Here we use Jet-A for our kerosene soak.

Fwiw, I understand that jet fuel has a biocide in it, the fumes of which resulting from combustion can be fatal. I don't know how much is required.

Regards,

Doug

I shall look into that...we just happened to have the Jet-A handy. The better stuff to use is solvent grade kerosene, which is almost odorless and evaporates completely.

[Joel Harper]

Here in Nebraska we are always looking for supplys of coal. The cannnel coal and Utah coal sound interesting, could someone list some suppliers.
Joel

[Fred_V]

Matt, do you know about this outfit?
http://www.penncoal.com/default.php

fred v

[Bill Shields]

Jim and I use Anthracite in our Little Tom Thumb 3/4". We start it with anything we have, and once it is going good and hot, in it comes.

Primary ignition is wook soaked in charcoal lighter fluid, ignited with a burnz-o-matic torch.

Good luck actually getting legitimate Welsh steam coal.

The last time I asked when I was in the UK, I was told that all the Welsh coal mines are closed and there is no more 'traditional' Welsh coal to be had. This isn't to say that someone doesn't have some squirreled away, but just beware of anyone selling 'Welsh coal from the UK'. Ask what mine it came from and when....

I get this from several live steamers as well as at least 2 full-size coal shovellers on the historic railways. Their coal is almost all coming from Poland now.



The guy in the overalls and TIE, is the fireman - and NO, this is not his first run of the day. Heck, I get dirtier than that loading my propane fired steamer in the truck!

During the week, he drives locos for one of the full-size railways, weekends he either firemans for Severn Valley Railway or runs his 7-1/4" steamer.

He says (as do others) that the coal is pretty much 's..t' and is nothing like the Welsh coal they used to get.

If these guys cannot get it, I doubt we can either.

[B&OBob]

My experience is mostly with 1" scale. I start either anthracite and Welsh Steam coal the same way: deep bed of Real Charcoal (not briquettes) soaked in kerosene; after a few minutes scoop on a light layer of coal, then more as fire builds up. The pin is off zero after five minutes, and safety valve lifts after eight; rake fire, load up with coal and ready for main line in ten minutes from striking match. (Copper boiler) Welsh coal also works well in my 1/2" scale 4-6-0. With a grate only 1.5" x 5.5" it pulls me around a 700' level track like witch for ten laps, firing on the run.

Experience with Welsh in a narrow firebox 4-4-0 is excellent, but only OK with anthracite, which needs a lot of attention. With a wide frebox 2-4-0 Welsh is a dream, if not too hot, even with minimal draft. With anthracite, fire burns reliahly in that engine with good even flame over entire grate. However, Pennsylvania anthracire presently being used tends to develop clinkers. Other PA anthracite I have tried to use was half slate! All of this is running over 6/10 mile up-and-down track with continuous firing, stopping only for traffic or to take on water. Lots of fun.

The best coal I have ever encountered was obtained in 1946 when live steamers used to meet in Marblehead, Mass. It was said to produce a bushel of ashes per ton of coal. It supposedly was used as ballast on lend-lease ships returning empty after delivery of war material to Russia. It lights easily, no ash to speak of, and burns with a hot uniform fire; very forgiving in a small engine. I have heard that coal from Poland has the same characteristics. but where to get it? I still have a 1/2 cu. ft. left that I have been hoarding for my Gauge 1 4-6-0. Welsh has recently been available from Cole's.

Bob[/u][/i]

[tomc]

We have been getting our coal from a pile in Kalamazoo. No history where it came from but burns nice. Soon it will be gone and then maybe corn cobs!!! We start on wood and add coal when the wood is hot. Keep adding a little and soon it is off and running.