Re: Loading from an ore bin (pics)

Along the lines of what AZ has described, I have seen something similar but a little more elaborate at sawmills for loading chip cars. The scheme certainly could have been present at a mine ore bin as it is not modern technology. Underneath the bin, but track side was mounted a cable drum connected to a worm gear box driven by an electric motor. A hand cranked or air operated version would be possible. A cable made several turns around the drum with the cable then passing down the track both directions to go around a pulley a car length or more in each direction. The cable ends coming from both directions would be connected to both ends of a car with a chain to account for varying car lengths. With the irreversible worm gear the car could not get away because as one cable end payed in, the other payed out. This allowed a car to be moved in either direction to even up the load being dumped in the car.