West Virginia Coal down South

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Pipescs
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Location: Lester Alabama

West Virginia Coal down South

Post by Pipescs »

Having run my small American for close to five years on borrowed coal, I decided it was time to pay Pontiacguy and Fender back for all their help.

Like most Newbies I have little education on finding coal that is suitable for our use. I am told that, years ago the best to use was from the West Virginia Pocahontas Mines. The coal I have been loaned was labeled Pocahontas No. 3, being nut sized. After much discussion with fellow steamers at Mid South I started searching for a supply up north. This lead me to the Chesapeake and Allegany live steamers who run in Baltimore. They provided me a name in Hagerstown MD. that was their supplier, This supplier then provided me with the name of the mining company they dealt with.

Finishing up the story this all lead me to the sales office of the Pennsylvania Keystone Coal Co. The salesman is named Joe.

http://www.penncoal.com/blacksmith-live-steam.html

The page on the website dealing with Blacksmith and Live Steam coal has the following info.
5f2576037a8ea01d093201ed624304c7.jpg
Pocahontas Blacksmith Coal & Live Steam Coal
PKCC ships it's high quality Blacksmith and Live Steam coals to all of the lower 48 states and Canada.
Sales to individuals, groups, and brokers are welcome.
Pocahontas Blacksmith coal is $15.00 for a 50 lb bag plus shipping.
We now offer PayPal as a payment option.

Please enter your zip code in the form to the right for a shipping quote via FedEx Ground or email it to: sales@penncoal.com
Wholesale pricing available by the truckload bulk or bagged.
Bulk loads are 22-26 tons, bagged 22.5 tons.
From the Pocahontas #3 seam, mined in SE West Virginia.
As Received Specs:
Size: Pea 1 x 3/8 or Nut 3 x 1 1/2"
Moisture: 1.48%
Ash: 7.12%
Sulfur: .75%
BTU/lb: 14,373
BTU/lb: 15,724 (dry, ash-free)
Volatile Matter: 18.63%
Fixed Carbon: 79.62% (dry ash-free)
Free Swelling Index (Coke Button): 9
Lbs sulfur per million BTU: 0.52
Coal analysis report by Geochemical Testing, Somerset, PA.

Not wanting to pay shipping on one bag, I opted for the next bulk shipment up, which was a 50 bag pallet. This brings the price down from $15.00 per bag to $10.00 and moves you into the truck freight shipping charges. With input from my bride on getting enough, I ordered two pallets. Important note: You get a better shipping rate if you have a dock side unloading capability and this is where Pontiacguy helped tremendously as he arranged for the shipment to go dockside and then picked the pallets up and brought them down to his farm.

Total cost of shipment was $1000.00 for the coal and $722.20 cents shipping. Worked out to $17.25 per bag for 100 bags totaling 5000 pounds of coal.

While this sounds expensive if you live up north, you need to understand I live in Lester Alabama, where the coal south of here (Birmingham) is not too good to say the least. It smokes so bad, the last time I fired up the American Lisa came out thinking the house was on fire. Also full of clay.

Over all, the dealing with Penn-Keystone was very simple. Took ten minutes on the phone to order it. From the time I placed the order until arrival was five days. This when the broken oil pipeline seriously hindered shipping.

On one other note: although the website says they accept PayPal, they do not on pallet shipments. I received an invoice five days after the shipment arrived and payed it by check.

As to the quality of the coal. We shall see this next run day.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


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Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
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Berkman
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Re: West Virginia Coal down South

Post by Berkman »

I guess theoretically the best/cheapest way to get it would be a buy a truckload as a group and deliver it to a club track etc.
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Bill Shields
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Re: West Virginia Coal down South

Post by Bill Shields »

It is good stuff -> been dealing with them for years
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
wms6
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Re: West Virginia Coal down South

Post by wms6 »

Berkman wrote: Mon May 31, 2021 7:01 pm I guess theoretically the best/cheapest way to get it would be a buy a truckload as a group and deliver it to a club track etc.
That's how my dad got a bunch of coal from Pennsylvania to California. Big group went in on a train car shipment of bags.
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Fender
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Re: West Virginia Coal down South

Post by Fender »

As another data point, I went by Goins Gas and Produce in Bluefield, WV last week, and bought two 80-lb bags of coal for $10 each. Will see what the quality is like later.
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
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Pipescs
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Re: West Virginia Coal down South

Post by Pipescs »

I guess theoretically the best/cheapest way to get it would be a buy a truckload as a group and deliver it to a club track etc.
I believe this would be the very best option. You will need to call 814 244-3140 The salesman is Joe and he will be very happy to do the price and quote over the phone. The dealer that the Chesapeake and Allegany Live Steamers use quoted me $225 a ton if we picked it up. They buy it in 26 ton truck loads. from Penn-Keystone.

I will also say his quote was the actual price I paid to the penny.
It is good stuff -> been dealing with them for years
Thanks Bill, This is good to here after writing such a large check to purchase it.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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Pipescs
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Re: West Virginia Coal down South

Post by Pipescs »

The do ship in rail cars. Curious as to how you would get it from the car to your track.
a18e7ef6b8211f39420fe3beeb0a25c6.jpg
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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Bill Shields
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Re: West Virginia Coal down South

Post by Bill Shields »

however...there is no guarantee that last year's coal is the same as this year's coal... :shock:

historically, it has been good stuff...
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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Pipescs
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Re: West Virginia Coal down South

Post by Pipescs »

So I have been told. Coal is like a box of chocolates, You never know what your going to get.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


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Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
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Bill Shields
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Re: West Virginia Coal down South

Post by Bill Shields »

Does not taste as good as a box of even the worst chocolates
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
SteveM
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Re: West Virginia Coal down South

Post by SteveM »

Bill Shields wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 11:34 am Does not taste as good as a box of even the worst chocolates
Yes, but a pile of Hershey bars isn't going to get up a head of steam!

Steve
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Bill Shields
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Re: West Virginia Coal down South

Post by Bill Shields »

Shipping in railcars and shipping a railcar full of bags on pallets are 2 horses of different colors.

One can be unloaded with forklifts into flatbed trucks.

The other is best done with a rotary dump.
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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