Filling the Cotton Factory Coal Bin

OK, so the hopper car is not in place, but the coal situation is well in hand.

First next step was to find a block of wood to use to support the conveyor from underneath the layout, hold it in place while hole in layout is sketched on the block, measure how far the conveyor sits below the layout table top (5/16"), and then drill out the area.  Here's sketch, but it's pretty close to the edge of the block.

No problem, just shift the sketch toward the middle.  Use the non-Murphied 7/8" wood bit again plus a little chiseling and voila:

It fits.  A couple of wood screws countersunk from underneath and the block is in place.

That looks good.  Next to make a coal pile.  Starting with a piece of pink foam insulation will save some "model" coal.  A little shaping with a welding brush helps to give the natural look.

We need to get rid of the pink, so a little black acrylic paint helps, followed by a brushed application of Woodland Scenics Scenic glue, and a sprinkling of model coal.  Now take to layout to apply the edges.

What next?  Fill the hole under the conveyor with appropriate material and put some loose coal on the conveyor belt and we're ready to fire up the Cotton Factory boilers.  One note is that there looked to be a shed roof on the boiler house in one of the prototype photos.  That might be a good addition to camouflage or disguise the 2D boilers a bit.  Not hard to do. . . .  And is there a coal shovel in the house?!