http://www.nsrm-friends.org/

My beta GMail (from google) tries to place related info next to the
email, sponsored links and related links (most times) The margin of
this email had "Official Friends of the Nevada State Railroad Museum
Website".

2180 South Carson Street
Carson City, Nevada 89701
Phone (775) 687-6953

They might help.

George Myers

On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 19:35:15 -0700, Robert Leavitt <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi all.
>
>         I've been monitoring the excavation of a trench for the railroad through
> Reno, along the original transcontinental route. One of the things we've
> found is a substance that is similar to coarse sand in grain size, texture,
> and ability to pack (I couldn't get vertical walls, they all ended up being
> at the angle of repose...) and a uniform black that rubs off on your hands,
> clothes, etc. Normally, there's nothing else in the deposit. A couple of
> deposits have been rather random in shape, but one was in an approximately
> cubical hole about 1 meter on a side. I was thinking that it could be the
> remains of coal used in the train boilers, consequently subjected to high
> and extended heat. But coal isn't a common fuel in the Great Basin, so I
> have no idea what coal ash should look like. Could someone accustomed to
> coal-fired heat give me a clue what remains when coal is well burned?  Ashy
> (like wood)? Mottled color or uniform? Black or shades of grey? Can I
> expect a scent after its been buried for a century (I detected none)? Or
> ??? Unfortunately, I have no picture, but visualize black sand.
>
> Robert C. Leavitt
>