The coal temple was all of the things said. It was also the place where the coal was sorted to remove rock and slate. It was then fed into a crusher and/or sorted. The sorting process was a series of various size screens. In later years most coal was always crushed and graded to form 'stoker' coal. 'Stoker' coal was of a size for use by an auger system to automatically feed the coal into the fire box. 'Lump' coal is what was sold to most home owners before the age of stoker fed furnaces - that is in the days of the old kitchen cook stove and warm morning heating stove. The final purpose of the coal temple was the loading process into train cars. Next we will be discussing coke ovens. -----Original Message----- From: Jonah May <jomay@eastky.net> To: SW_VA-L@rootsweb.com <SW_VA-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Wednesday, January 27, 1999 09:15 Subject: Re: Coal Tipple >Edgar, > A coal tipple is the huge hopper that coal is stored in until loading >on to trucks or rail cars, also coal processing/wash plants are referred >to as tipples. >Jonah > >At 01:18 AM 01/27/1999 -0500, Edgar A. Howard wrote: >>All, >> >> Some have ask what a coal tipple is. Someone was injured on >>one. I'm sure someone can give us more detail. Coal is a big part of >>the history of SW VA. In the "Back Counties" as my father called >>them. >> >>> A tipple performs several functions, the essential features are that >>> coal is brought in on one conveyance at a higher level, dumped into >>the >>> tipple where it may be only stored, or may be processed, and then is >>> dumped at a lower lever into another conveyance. A tipple for steam >>> engine use consisted of a side track with entry high on a hill. A train >>> would back a coal car onto the side track and park it there. The side >>> track would gain altitude toward its distal end and be high enough >>that >>> another steam engine could back its coal tender under it. The dump >>> doors under the coal car on top would be opened and dump coal >>through >>> the track on top of the tipple into the coal tender. A mining tipple >>> serves to receive the coal from the mine and dump it into coal cars. >> >>-eddie >> >> >>==== SW_VA Mailing List ==== >>#6 HELP is available from the sysop/owner anytime at: >> ehoward@conknet.com or swvaroot@swva.net >> > > >==== SW_VA Mailing List ==== >#3 Support the fight against unrequested junk e-mail (SPAM). >Visit the webpage at: http://www.cauce.org/ > -sysop >