Operating Rotary Dumper - LIVE Coal Loads in HO Scale 

It’s only my humble opinion, but this rotary system is truly the most impressive feature I’ve ever seen on any layout. So unique and realistic. Thanks for sharing. 🚂

This rotary dumper has got to be, hands down, one of the coolest things I've ever seen on any layout thus far. Kudos to your dad and friend for the work that went into doing this masterful piece of mini-engineering. As an engineer myself, I appreciate their efforts.

Your layout is so impressive that it puts real life to shame

That is so cool!!!! 👍👍✌✌

As someone working at a power plant I commend your knowledge of coal storage and approach to realism on that conveyor. Looks just like what I see every day

All I can say is model railroading don’t get no better than this. You and your Dad’s layout is absolutely awesome and this coal tipper set up is tops in my humble opinion. Thanks for sharing 👍👍👍😎😎😎 Cary

That was some cool stuff! I was blown away by the amount of effort that went into the rotary dumper. I also like how the "coal" is real, and not just a textured plate in the car. I didn't realize that until it poured out.

Working on my layout again I can feel and realize the pain staking detail you put in every aspect of your layout, truly museum quality hands down. Awesome detail Josh and Tom!

Idk why, but the narration and dubbed audio in this video really reminded me of the old Trains Across America series

I've been in model railroading for over twenty years and have successfully built a number of animated devices on my layout. But all my attempts pale to what you have accomplished here. By far this is the coolest operating model coal loader and unloader I have ever witnessed. I don't know how many brains went into this project but every aspect has been taken into consideration, right down to those awesome sounds used in the operation. My hat is off to you gentlemen and I will anxiously await to see your next project. I can only imagine

Regardless of whether it is fully prototypical it is an amazing bit of kit with fantastic operational potential. Thanks for sharing.

That rotary dumper is just so cool.

I am truly amazed at the reliability of your coal dumper.

The fact that you add the sound effects in makes it seem much more immersive

That is way to cool and awesome ,,,i wish you could buy a rotary dumper ,,,thanks for sharing your awesome train layout,,,Ken

I think this is absolutely fantastic.. well thought out, designed, built and then put into action... I would love something like this on my layout... then again who wouldn't...... In all my years I have never seen anything like this on a model layout.. well done.

Just overwhelmingly impressive operations. I’ve checked a few of your videos and this coal series is the most miraculous thing I’ve seen on a RU-vid video (model railroading). I enjoy this HO scale trains even though I have large scale trains. Norfolk Southern is my favorite railroad

The uncoupling process, dead clever that. Well done.

Another well done video. I really enjoyed see the 5071 working the dumper with her running/walk way lights on.

Wow! Your operational coal loader and dumper are amazing!

Awesome ! Thoroughly enjoyed watching that ! Great detail, and sound !

Well done video, Josh! The Rotary Dumper is so amazing and fun to watch, thanks for making this video! I love your operation videos, with MPUs and super long trains! Great video!

Wow! Blown away by your skill, knowledge and attention to detail on this coal operation

Another great video Josh, thanks for sharing your layout.

Thank you Josh for the great explanation on how coal is ran on the District.

Oh, you guys, geez. I believe you've captured the joy/magic of model trains that I used to have a long time ago as a kid. Thank you for this, I love it.

Having built my own rotary dumper I completely appreciate the work you, your dad and friend have done here. I just love it. Keep up the excellent work. Look forward to other videos.

JUST ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO YOU AND YOUR FATHER ARE TRUE CRAFTSMAN VERY IMPRESSIVE AND INTERESTING JUST A GREAT JOB YOUR CHANNEL IS A GUILTY PLEASURE OF MINE.

This may be one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Not just the working rotary dumper but the realism of the layout, rolling stock and locos too. Great job!

I believe that was the neatest thing I’ve ever seen. You’re dad and you are the best engineering I’ve ever seen. Thank you for sharing.

Such fine work in that rotary dumper, fine work on the whole layout. This layout has reached levels I could only dream of achieving! Keep up the good work Josh!

Absolutely blown away by the details amazing results, many countless hours your dedication is unbelievable, amazing work looks awesome great job cheers KC Tassie 🇦🇺😎👍

That has to be the smoothest and coolest operation I've ever seen. Great job to all involved

this series of your trains is super awesome Josh! thanks for sharing with us!

That is so cool!! Very impressive! Your loading and coal dumping on this ONE LAYOUT just blows my mind! Absolutely love it

Best part of model trains is the time spent with dad. I just lost mine last year and now I cry every time I go into our train room. I should of lived in our train room so I could spend more time with him.. awsome layout . I hope you and your dad make more great memories !

!!! Wooooow !!! Insane work !!! I’m impressed !!! Very nice layout !!!

That rotary system is the coolest thing I have ever seen on a layout.. 👍

I love the quality and dedication you put into your videos! Keep up the amazing work! 👍

Another great video and display of excellent modeling. You and your Dad set the bar for modern layout modeling!

You have become my favorite modeler on RU-vid to watch. Your attention to detail is fantastic, right down to the sound effects of the cars. Brings back lots of memories of watching the Asheville District in my college days.

Absolutely brilliant. Superb modeling and realistic landscape. My hat off to you guys.

Very very very cool rotary dumping operations!

You and your Dad have one of the most unique layouts that I have ever seen on RU-vid. Thank you for sharing. I like to hear your comments too on what is going on as we watch and how it mirrors the real line.

Truly an Amazing and Awesome Layout, a true work of art 👍👏👌🙂

What a awesome layout you’ve got there, very impressive it’s like looking at the real thing.👏👏👏👏

about 9:40, you talk about the thermal sensors and how they ensure the hopper cars... don't receive "advance weathering"... haha Glad they're working now! The three of you have done an amazing job!! This is freaking awesome!

going to watch again, this is by far the coolest train video I have seen,

I had to look this one up after hearing you discuss this on `A Modelers Life`-Fantastic!!

You make it sound so simple, yet look so realistic, superb attention to all detailing you could ever want. My mind boggles as to how you could plan such an impressive layout, let alone knowing where to start actually building it all. How many man hours did it take to create such a believable piece of miniature reality? All i can honestly say is, WOW, WOW, WOW!!!

Very nicely built layout. Thanks for posting this as well.

Amazing videos of both functions of this layout of coal operation! #Keeponrailroading 👌

Very impressive work. Thanks for sharing

I love it! Man, that is so cool! I'm here in Norfolk see the Coal drags every morning on my way to work and you have captured them in scale. I also have HO scale NS power and starting to collect coal cars! Thank you for sharing your art work! Black Diamonds!!!

Nice car dumper! I was in a HO modular club back in the mid 80's in Dallas-Fort Worth. I built a car dumper to take to the shows. Ted Mars had a small module that had a mine, he converted the mine to load the coal (asphalt roofing granules). The trains moved the loads to the dockside yard, then the switcher moved them to the dumper. My dumper was all mechanical, no electronics. We did have microswitches on signals to the controls box. Motion was generated by a screw mechanism via wire rope. Spring loaded bars clamped the car in place. Coal was dumped into a chute. Then into an HO scale ore boat. It was lots of fun at the railroad shows when operating, hundreds of cars emptied each day. Hope to someday get it operating again! The empties got pushed out the dumper onto a kick track, then into the empty yard.

Truly impressive model making. Thanks for sharing!

Very nice layout, video done well . I enjoy all your videos 👍👍👍

That unload is incredible!

Such an incredible layout. Beautiful job.

Truly amazing. Love watching!

Mind blown! 🤯 VERY impressive!

Wow I'm so glad that I found this site I'm loving it damn good job can't wait to see your next video rail on my friend rail on.

Loved the video, worked for Roadway 20 yrs, before it was YRC!!!

Very, very impressive. Well done.

That is just TOOOoooo slick! - cool heavy train. I do have the HO record...I think. My old layout I had a live gravel train loaded 65 cars...MDC 3 bay open hoppers...16 oz per car. Required 5 front and 6 mid sd 40 t2 LIVE PULLERS at 19 Oz each and you had a 80 pound train. But we just ran it up and down the line. Yours is FAR more interesting and interactive....great JOB!!! I really like how you did the lift track to take the car by gravity into the loader....Tooo cool!

Very nice, pretty cool you guys built from scratch.

Fantastic set up

This, plus the guys who dig gold with RC machines fascinate me!!!

Fascinating! Well done!

Truly amazing detail in every element of the layout. I can only guess how long it took to develop all of it! Fantastic modeling skill! Thanks for sharing it.

You guys are awesome. I worked in a paper mill in Thorold we dumped chip cars. The mill had its own short line.

Awsome, I love your dumper, thanks for sharing

absolutely amazing watching these vids, superb workmanship

Very cool video it’s nice getting to know how the rotary dumper works. I don’t really see coal trains even though I live a few blocks away from a busy CN mainline. Anyway very cool video thanks for sharing!

Thats a cool and creative setup!

This was interesting, I had never knew how coal cars were unloaded until I saw your layout.

Your videos are so relaxing and cool. Great work man. Keep it up.

I would buy one of these if they were sold in stores, easy purchase as I am a Model railroader coal guy. This is right up my alley.

Another awesome video my friend..Keep them coming

Very impressive. Many moons ago I had an operational dumper made by Miller Engineering. I had a shelf layout with a coal mine which loaded at one end and the dumper at the other end. It was about a foot deep by 10 or 12 feet long. We were in an apartment before the kids had arrived. One still in college now !! Where's the time go. Super cool video. Thanks for sharing.

Your coal operations are on point! Love your videos. When I lived back East I was part of a modular group where I helped a friend build a coal dumper and loader. The dumper was fun because the exit track had RFID sensors that would throw a switch back and forth. As the car rolled out the first sensor would align the switch and the second one would reverse it as the car rolled up hill so that when it rolled back down it would end up on a parallel track and out of the way. Seems like you could have benefitted from this idea but I think the operation you gain from having to pull seven empties back through might be a bit more fun.

Awesome video love your channel and thanks for the great content!

Fantastic Modelling and operational interest ! :-)

That is so cool, fantastic realism!!!!

This is truly a work of art and impressive. You, your Dad and Crayson should consider a patent on the electronics and work with Walthers to provide for the manufacture of the entire system, coal loader and rotary dumper, so that individuals like myself, who are not tech savvy, can enjoy installing and operating one on our layouts. I could never figure out the electronics.

This is really cool to watch

Great layout love your vids!

That is just brilliant. Bravo.

Super cool amazing layout I love it thanks for sharing.. I love That coal rotation.. I'm Norfolk southern CSX Amtrak person. Just like the real deal

Very cool operating coal dump

Dang took the entire school year (for me at least) to get this coal delivered. It was well worth the wait

Outstanding Op's video story Josh, yes...it's like watching a story. Bob

Brilliant, bro! Mesmerizing.

I wish it was this easy in real life! This is a 3 person job that's pretty dangerous. I absolutely love this set up, everything about it!

rotary dumper is awesome, that's a great feature, i'd buy one!...

This thing deserves a crore views.....what a masterpiece💖

Absolutely amazing!

I’ve been looking forward to this video!

Super cool 😎 👌 Love it !!!

YOU GIVE CREDIT TO ALL WHO HELPED CREATED THIS PORTION OF YOUR LAYOUT VERY GOOD LOOKING JOB AWESOME GOOD VIDEO.