I’ve been doing research. I’ve been doing some experimenting with scale rulers. Between the information in Michael George’s book, Sanborne maps and photographs I’ve decided to rip into my track and plaster in the vicinity of
Bryson City and make changes all because of putting coal into tenders.
Some basics. A ton of coal takes up space around nine cubic feet. The two wheel wheelbarrows that were used at some coaling facilities were about that size. The “top” of the coal board on a tender side was around 15-16 feet above the ground level. So by calculation I need the “track” for the coal chute to be around 20-25 feet above the ground.
No wonder the description of the coaling facility at Bryson says the track was steep. But…
That track ALSO used by the cattle pens, and the Bryson City Lumber Coal and Supply co. Sanborne shows a BLDG Materials building on post foundation (with a platform going “out to” trackside from the side of the building) a lumber shed, a coal yard at the diagram says: WOODEN COAL TRESTLE.
What I haven’t determined is whether the “line” that runs from behind the water tower and “east” past the coaling tower was to delineate a retaining wall. If it was- then a guess would be that the “ground” would have been pretty steep and I would think I would have seen the change in elevation when I visited Bryson. Unfortunately my topo maps don’t really show the detail either.
Nonetheless, I now embark on further research and experimentation.
Anyone have any photographs of the Bryson City Lumber Coal and Supply Co. ???
How about the mysterious trestle?
And then we have my “peanut gallery” chanting who would know if you don’t model Bryson City exactly the way it was in 1942? I bet her that the minute I had it complete that someone from Bryson City will visit and tell me I’ve got it all wrong.
