I am sorry if this subject has been brought up but I just ordered the coaling tower by 3rd rail from Just Trains and I am excited. Has anybody have this and does it dress up the lay-out? Is it pre-assembled? Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.
Reuben

This is pretty much the coaling tower out of the box. You can see some of the shipping stuff still on the tower.

You need to assemble the chains that operate the chutes and put the ladders (which are a bit over-scale, don't worry about it if you don't count rivets).

It is large and impressive.

The only other thing you might want to do is model the concrete that the legs should be anchored into. Some one makes one, but I don't have the information. Perhaps someone else will know.

I find this to be the greatest bang for your buck. Very well made and looks great.

It is a great tower. I have the concrete version on order but it is delayed.

Marty, love your NH sign on the tower.

The concrete version is on hold due to lack of orders. If you would like to see that version produced, please place an order with your dealer so that GGD can justify going ahead with the project.

Jim

Marty & Don, You both have the concrete footings I referred to in my post. Who makes those and are they still available?

Reuben - You might want to get it for your coaling tower.

Jim - I take it you modeled your own. Very nicely done.

TM

You made a very good choice. I bought the enhanced version of the Golden Gate model at York this April and I am looking forward to installing it on my layout.
The tower will make a great addition to your pike.

Marker, you might contact Scott Mann and he can give you the mans name. They were $20.00 if memory serves me correctly. Scott is very good at answering questions.

Harry Hieke (sp?) is the mans name.

VIDEO of Harry's scratch built coaling tower he was selling at YORK

His website is everthingoscale.com

I saw Harry's coal tower at York also but didn't know it featured a motorized coal bucket. If I remember correctly the asking price was around $500.00 +.

I know he does exceptional work as far as adding detail to engines and was surprised to see him at York; is he always there?


"She took the Atchison, Topeka & the Santa Fe"

I'm waiting for the concrete version.

quote:

The concrete version is on hold due to lack of orders. If you would like to see that version produced, please place an order with your dealer so that GGD can justify going ahead with the project.

Chessieman,

please read the above.

quote:

His website is everthingoscale.com

Charlie, I think you left a "y" out.

http://everythingoscale.com/

It is a great Coaling Tower and adds a great deal of depth and height to the layout. The lights work fine. When mine arrived the chains were out of the bag and had wrapped around a leg of the tower like a gordian knot and the top wall had seperated in shipping. But there were instructions on gluing it back together so this must be a common occurance.
Nonetheless, a wonderful addition to any layout.
Phil

Louie, Thank you for the correction.

Harry's concrete coaling tower

If you looking for a coaling tower, I would highly recommend the Golden Gate wooden style version while supplies last. I spoke to Mr. Mann at the York meet and for those who are waiting for the concrete style model to hit the market, I wouldn't hold your breath. There appear to be insuffient orders at this time to justify production now. Maybe Golden gate can clarify this for those who are waiting for it.

I have the concrete tower on order. If it does not get made, then I will build a concrete N&W or C&O concrete coaling tower using a Clorox bottle.

What is the current status on the concrete coaling tower?

quote:

Originally posted by Passenger Train Collector:
If you looking for a coaling tower, I would highly recommend the Golden Gate wooden style version while supplies last. I spoke to Mr. Mann at the York meet and for those who are waiting for the concrete style model to hit the market, I wouldn't hold your breath. There appear to be insuffient orders at this time to justify production now. Maybe Golden gate can clarify this for those who are waiting for it.

If anyone looking for a GGD wood coaling tower, we have some in stock.
$175. plus ship. We can also take orders for the concrete one.
reply/inquire to our email..

thx...beth

I have the concrete version on hold.

As been said above, but I want to remind everyone; The concrete version is on hold due to lack of orders. If you would like to see that version produced, please place an order with your dealer so that GGD can justify going ahead with the project.

I have had a reservation for the concrete coaling tower for some time now. The concrete tower is more in line with my Maryland-Virginia-West Virginia themed layout than the wooden one.

It's interesting to note that even though the wood tower is based on an obscure C&O prototype on the defunct Chicago Division, more modelers bought that rather than a more common C&O concrete coaling tower that would be more suitable for the modern steam era locos that most like.

Scott,

Any movement on the concrete coaling tower yet?

Marty Fitzhenry, what is the locomotive all the way on the right?
(I highlighted it in a red box)

It looks like the MTH CNW stream lined Hudson.


John.

Train Memories, I posted photos on OGR's Photo Album ("Coal Tipple example addressing...") from my layout, featuring that style Coal Tower, for your reference and consideration.

The only thing about this tower I think I would change is those huge lamp posts. I would think it could be changed out with a smaller brass tubing.

If anyone is interested in an excellent model of a concrete 200 ton coaling tower, look for the Suncoast Models kit. You can usually find them at O scale meets, and run between $100 and $150. They are virtually identical to the finished model, ready to install, that Golden Gate Depot was planning to bring out, but stalled due to lak of reservations. The phots above, the GGD, and the Suncoast Models coal tower, are all "two track" style, i.e. coal hoppers are dumped into the coal elevator on the center track (under the tower), while locomotives are fueled on the outside track.

I had Stu Gralnik of Model Building Services, kit-bash my Suncoast kit so that locomotives can be fueled on both the outside AND underneath tracks, and a third track was then added to dump the coal hoppers into an external/outside elevator track.

here is how mine came out:

Hot Water:

Nice 2-10-4. Who made the model? And nice overall modeling!

Thanks.

Those are both Sunset/3rd Rail CB&Q 2-10-4 M4a models. The closeup engine has the Elesco Feedwater system, while the engine in the distance has the Worthington BL feedwater system. They both run beautifully too!

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Water:
. The phots above, the GGD, and the Suncoast Models coal tower, are all "two track" style, i.e. coal hoppers are dumped into the coal elevator on the center track (under the tower), while locomotives are fueled on the outside track.

The GGD coaling tower is actually a 3 track model. Locomotives can be recoaled on the middle track underneath the tower. a dunp house and pit should be added to the rear track to finish it off properly



In this view the dump chutes are in front and underneath, the dumphouse and lift mechanism is on the third [rear] track.



Hope the pictures help to visualize this design.

If it is a "3 track" design, I can't see any coaling chuts for the "center/underneath" track. GGD's first coaling tower, the wood one, was/is only a "2 track" design. Adding Harry's dump house/cover for an additional, opposit side, track is a nice extra feature. But, one must still install scratch built coaling chuts for the center track.

Hot Water:

Thanks for the info. Just looking at the nearing locomotive you can "fell" the "heat" from it. Now THAT is modeling! BTW, who built the "Q's" 2-10-4's?

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Water:
GGD's first coaling tower, the wood one, was/is only a "2 track" design. Adding Harry's dump house/cover for an additional, opposit side, track is a nice extra feature. But, one must still install scratch built coaling chuts for the center track.

Is that right.
If you look on the GGD website, it is depicted as a 2 track coaling facillity.

This is the basic design of the GGD tower, except it is 2 rail track not 3 track facility, therefore only requires a single slopped bin



In the below picture, a middle track chute can be seen behind the ladder work