Creating coal loads

Here are the results of my first efforts to create removal coal loads for my hopper cars. As I've said, I only need to create about 5 since most of the fleet were kits that came with prefabricated plastic molds. I created 3 bases using bass wood with some random pieces stacked on them to simulate some depth to the coal pile. Then I glued a steel washer on the bottom so I can use a magnet to more easily remove the loads for cars that are supposed to me empty (written as -MTY- on the waybills). I painted these a flat black and once dry, painted on a thick layer of white glue. I had 3 different types of "coal" - scale coal from Woodland Scenics (I think, got it a long time ago) and 2 sand art materials from Michael's Arts & Crafts. One of these was rather fine and the other more coarse.

Three experiments creating coal loads

I covered one based with the fine and the second with the coarse material. The third I first sprinkled the coarse material then dusted it with some of the fine to fill in the gaps. These are in the photo above - but right to left so the fine one is on the right. Once they dried, I tapped the loose material off and decided that the two with the coarse material are pretty good but the fine material is too fine - you can see the layers of basswood. Maybe another couple coats of the material to hid the sharp corners of the stacking material.

Plastic, my homemade and purchases homemade coal loads

In the next photo, three cars are showing the coal loads I have - left is the modeled plastic that came with this hopper car, the middle is the better example I created, and the right is a model I picked up at a show with a homemade coal load. Based on this, I think my experiment went pretty well.