Dumb Anthracite Question

Miner Dave · **Posted:** Fri Nov 02, 2012 6:57 pm

how much? i'm looking to get some so I can break it down to load into my HO scale coal trains. do you think they will ship about 5 pounds by mail?

Doug · **Posted:** Mon Nov 05, 2012 12:06 pm

If the guys out East can't help. I have some and could send a Postal Flat Rate Box.

Chris · **Posted:** Mon Nov 05, 2012 8:08 pm

Yea how much do you need? Can prolly just send you a lump and let you smash it to size.

Miner Dave · **Posted:** Mon Nov 05, 2012 8:25 pm

At this point, I'm not sure. I just got the benchwork done, and it will take at least 5 months with my budget
(read allowance) to buy all of the track and equipment that I need. Add another 2 months for the wiring. Then it will take about 1 month to get the scenery started and prepped. I need to buy at least 6 Walthers New River Mines to kitbash and build several mines. Then I will get started on buying the necessary amount of hoppers for the traffic I want to run. And then I can start getting the coal to load.

Miner Dave · **Posted:** Tue Nov 06, 2012 10:11 am

Add about 6 more months to that. Last night, on his way to work, my dad rolled his truck. He is fine, but the truck is totaled. He was reaching for his coffee cup and hit the shoulder at 55 mph, he then over corrected, and rolled twice. We are very lucky that all he received by way of injury is a minor bump on the head. Not to go into a religious discussion, but I firmly believe that God didn't want him to go to work last night, so He did what He had to. I am very grateful that he is here with us. This will probably be the last post for a few days because we need to get things in order. (a new vehicle, the insurance, etc.)

Miner Dave · **Posted:** Tue Nov 06, 2012 6:29 pm

Never mind. I can post.

Miner Dave · **Posted:** Sat Feb 23, 2013 2:08 pm

I'd like to hear the story about the blacksmith, if nobody minds.

Chris · **Posted:** Sat Feb 23, 2013 2:26 pm

story sent via pm

fredmcain · **Posted:** Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:54 am

Mike A wrote:

For Anthracite to burn properly all the combustion air has to come from under the fire. If the woodstove has grates and a damper that will let air in under the fire it will burn Anthracite. The best thing is to get a good wood fire going and let it mostly burn down to coals. Than throw a little coal on. Wait a couple than throw some more on. In no time you'll have a fire.

I heat my home with anthracite (around here folks just call it "hard" coal). The advice you provided above is very good and this is usually what I do. It is also best to have a stove with a rotating grate to grind up the hard, burned out cinders although that is not really a necessity - just a convenience.

Hard coal is getting a little salty. My last load was approaching $300 a ton. It's still cheaper than heating with gas or oil, though, if you don't mind making fire and carrying out ashes.

Another lesson I learned the hard way is to never, never, never try to stir an anthracite fire - especially if it's getting a little bit low because if you do, you will soon have a black fire!

Regards,
Fred M. Cain,
Topeka, Indiana

Miner Dave · **Posted:** Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:40 am

My dumb question is this- What is a "black fire"?

fredmcain · **Posted:** Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:00 am

Miner Dave wrote:

My dumb question is this- What is a "black fire"?

Uh, a black fire is when it goes ...... out! That was supposed to be a joke. You have to be careful when you stir an anthracite fire 'cause it can very easily make it go out - especially if it was already getting low to begin with.

My living room stove does not have a rotating grate so sometimes I have to jab at the fire with the poker to push some of the ash and hard, crunchy, burned out cinders down. That has the effect of stirring so I try to do it quick, throw on more coal and open the draft full blast to get it going.

Regards,
Fred M. Cain,
Topeka, Indiana

Miner Dave · **Posted:** Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:07 am

Ok thanks. I thought that Anthracite had virtually no ash content when burned. I know that it is one of the cleanest coals in the world. It has almost no sulfur, and was a very clean fuel. Why do you think that N&W had the mascot Phoebe Snow? "Her gown stays white, upon the road of anthracite" was how they mostly ended.

fredmcain · **Posted:** Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:22 am

Miner Dave wrote:

Ok thanks. I thought that Anthracite had virtually no ash content when burned. I know that it is one of the cleanest coals in the world. It has almost no sulfur, and was a very clean fuel. Why do you think that N&W had the mascot Phoebe Snow? "Her gown stays white, upon the road of anthracite" was how they mostly ended.

Well, it is clean in as much as there is no smoke, soot, or fly ash. There is absolutely *NO* creosote which is why we prefer it to wood. I will keep burning it as long as I can get it. I'm afraid one of these days, though, the global warming alarmists are going to, going to....uh, maybe I better not got there.

It does, however produce a lot of ash - much more so than wood. If you live in town and want to burn anthracite, you will have to find a way to dispose of the ashes. We live out in the country so that's not much of an issue. I used to spread them in the middle our road until they paved the road. Now, I put them in our unpaved driveway. This has actually built the driveway up over the years and given it a good base.

I don't know about the SOx part of it. It smells to me like it's high in sulfur but I don't know how it compares with other fuels.

On the Phoebe Snow, wasn't that the DL&W Railroad?

Regards,
Fred M Cain

Miner Dave · **Posted:** Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:25 pm

Yeah *scratches back of head* I realized that the second after I posted. The Phoebe Snow thing. It's fine with me if you go there. I don't believe that there is a lot of love for Anti-mining activists here, but don't quote me. you might want to take a look at the topic "What to do about environmentalists" on this forum.

Dumb Anthracite Question

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