Coke Oven Modeling

Current roster of coke oven rolling stock. More is planned. Check out my page of prototype cokers and quenching cars.

Brass coker locomotive and quench car models. While not following a strict prototype, these models are very suggestive of a variety of equipment used to remove the incandescent coke from the ovens, quench it, and dump it onto a wharf for cooling and shipment.

Rear (oven side) view of coker loco and quench car. These models were constructed with techniques somewhere between scratch building and kit bashing that I like to call parts building.

The coker loco was build up from an old cab, an oil tank, brass sheet, a bunch of photo etched parts, and other odds and ends. It is powered by a NWSL PDT power unit, and yes, it runs very nicely !

The quench car was modified from a Japanese side dump gondola with a new floor, ends, top fencing, and other details

Brass quench car end detail

Coker and quencher early in the project

A couple of coke transport cars were kitbashed from Central Valley stock car kits

Coke Oven models

I intend to build a model of a by-product coke oven complex reminiscent of the Kentucky-Solvay plant in Ashland prior to its 1953 expansion. It won't be a totally accurate model due to a lack of complete information and the availability of model parts. Besides, I like to kit bash with a dose of modelers license :). The complex will have coal handling facilities, two batteries of 36 ovens, larry car, pusher, door machines, and selectively compressed by-product recovery facilities

Coke oven coal storage bin, modified from the Walthers kit. Two sets of ovens will extend from each side

Gas Holder (kit bash)

To model two batteries of 36 ovens will require me to make molds for an 18 oven side and top. I have two Walthers kits now, but they are too expensive to buy more just for the few parts I need, so it will be rubber mold and resin casting, plus some Plastruct tubing parts to get the required parts. When I have the molds made, I may sell the parts for others to extend their Walthers Coke Oven kits. Let me know if you are interested.

Coke Oven Modeling Resources:

Magazine articles on Coke Oven modeling:

4/1991 - Model Railroader - Dean Freytag - 'The Davies Steel coke plant: Part 1'
6/1991 - Model Railroader - Dean Freytag - 'The Davies Steel coke plant: Part 2'
8/1991 - Model Railroader - Dean Freytag - 'The Davies Steel coke plant: Part 3'
10/1991 - Model Railroader - Dean Freytag - 'The Davies Steel coke plant: Part 4'

Magazine Articles on Prototype Coke Oven Subjects:

2/1988 - Model Railroading - 'Coke Ovens at Kay Moor, WV'
4/1988 - Model Railroading - 'Coke Ovens at Richard, WV'

Coke Oven Modeling

Modeling By-Product Coke Plants

Coke Oven Rolling Stock:

Coke Oven models