I’m delivering it with a coat of Thompsons Water Seal. I’ll recommend that they spray it with used motor oil. But that will be up to the Heritage Center to decide.

I didn’t hesitate to take on the build job. I worked underground for 37 years, most of it was in low coal, 42” and under. The days of hand loading coal were gone before I started in the industry. But I had a working knowledge of how it was done, and many of the old timers at the mine where I started in 1976…they had picked, drilled, shot and shoveled coal by hand. Several of the old motormen had been mule drivers back in the 1920s and 1930s. I was always interested to hear there stories.

My Grandfather worked in the mines for many years in the Snow Shoe mountaintop area. I don’t know the history of what mine this coal car came from, but I guess there’s always a chance that my Grandfather shoveled coal into it a 100 years ago. At least, I’d like to think that.

Excellent restoration Bigbrownie.

then I hope they put a roof over it

Thomson's will by them a few months

it's unlikely they will use motor oil , maybe they can be convinced of Linseed oil and pine tar as it is a wood preservative that if done annually it will last a long time.