Bachmann Plus coaling and sand tower

[SteamGene]

I have the old Bachmann plus coaling and sanding tower.  I bought it new from a dealer and kept it unopened all these years.  Now that I'm building it, it appears that the sprue which contains the sand drying house is missing.  I have looked on my work bench, at the complex's layout location (Sarah's Mountain), and working kit storage area ( South River Yard East {not yet constructed}) and can not find the sprue which contains the walls and chimney, at least, of the drying house.  Are parts for this kit still available or do I scratch build?
Gene

[TonyD]

Can't recall Gene, but I don't remember getting anymore than the hopper and hose with my coal tower, I don't remember finding anymore than what you discribe.... maybe that's another kit, like the IHC row of houses.....ya get ONE, but they show the whole street...what a bummer that was....

[SteamGene]

No - I have the sand bunker, base, and tower.  The drying house is missing.  I even have the roof to it - walls and chimney missing.
Gene

[Paul M.]

It wouldn't be similar to the IHC sanding house, would it?

[SteamGene]

To some degree.  However the sand tower of the Bachmann is attached to the coaling tower, with a line running from the sand dryer to the sand tower. 
It is actually a nice kit.  I broke one of my rules and built the coal dump, under the layout.  This allows the viewer to see that there is a hole! 
Gene

[TonyD]

Yeah Gene, I did the same thing, the turntable leads are on 2" foam, so I removed ties, carved out the square hole, painted it up, park a hopper on top-and you can't see a thing....but, since I built on this tempting foam stuff, the next track, closer to the viewer, is the ash dump, into cinder ballast flats and idlers coming up the steep grade, out of this long slot cut out of the foam. Now 'that' attracts attention. A shame I am so bad at posting pics....not for long I hope, btw, I guess some balsa wood or pickins from other kits will have to finish your sand house huh? A sand question! A big road might take damp sand from maybe a hill of good stuff online, or contract loads, but what did smaller lines do? buy it in bags? Farm wagons full from locals? A foreign hopper would have to be demerged, and last forever, and need to be covered etc etc. I want to 'shrink' my sanding operation, looks too much like it's own scene! Whatta ya think?

[SteamGene]

Actually, my question might be - how did they get sand into the "sand box"?  Unlike the coaling tower, I don't see a under track dump or a means to transfer sand from dump to box.  I guess the sand came in by gon or hopper and then got siphoned in some way. 
I hadn't thought of that before.  Thanks.
This facility is at the top of the grade from Bradyton to Sarah's Mountain and serves to replinish coal, and water after the climb and to insure enough sand going downhill eastbound.  There will be no ashpit.  It's in the South River engine facility to the west.  The sand tower there looks like a small coaling tower and has an inclosed shed to unload sand from a hopper or gon.
Gene

[TonyD]

I think, have a hunch, the mechanicism used to move raw sand from a freightcar to the drying shed was called...."a guy with a shovel"... a reminder that not all railroad jobs involved blowing whistles or punching tickets..... I since remember something about 'loco sand box cars' which would have made more sense, and if it was a imbargoed or home road, it could sit there until shoveled out, no rush. I think I just answered my own question how to shrink the sanding facil.... you got a swayback single sheath that doesn't stay on the track??? And an HO kid who can't wait for another job to come up for bid.....

[WoundedBear]

Maybe something like these were used to load the sand bins?

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3519


http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3520


Sid

[SteamGene]

That's what I was thinking. 
Gene

[SteamGene]

Well, I found the walls.  The hoist house walls are a bit strange and they threw me off.  I have what I need.  No scratch building is necessary. 
Darn, I feel dumb.
Gene

[BIG BEAR]

that's a first.  OOPs, did I say that out loud?
   Just kidding Gene

                 Barry

[SteamGene]

Not hardly.  Once, way back when, I lined up a 105mm howitzer with my near stake and the gun to my left's rear stake.  The safety officer didn't catch it and we never saw it.  But apparently nobody caught it.
Gene

[r.cprmier]

...Sort of sounds like the time my son Andy and his tank crew blew up a cow down at Ft. Hood...  Interesting, the firepower of that M1-A2...

Rich

Like father, lke son?  Yeah...like hell!

[SteamGene]

Actually, it's coming along fairly well.  Food for the Iron Horse coming up the hill and brakes for those coming down.  I have the Walther's wood water tank to add to the "top of Virginia" facility.  I think it will be nice.  Above the railroad facility, which will include a team track area, will be a small mountain village, named for my son.  The mountain goes by my daughter's name.
Gene