# Coke from the railway tracks
**URL:** http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/coke-from-the-railway-tracks/2535
**Category:** Charcoal Gasification
**Created:** [June 2, 2016, 1:40am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/coke-from-the-railway-tracks/2535 "2016-06-02T01:40:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Wallace](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Wallace)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2016, 1:40am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/coke-from-the-railway-tracks/2535/1 "2016-06-02T01:40:11Z")
Here is a question:
I walk a long a set of tracks often enough to spot the coal and coke on the ground and wonder how this fuel would react in a gasifire.
The coal I can see being very dirty and prone to clinkers.
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### Author:  [@glgilmore](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/glgilmore)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2016, 2:15am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/coke-from-the-railway-tracks/2535/2 "2016-06-02T02:15:34Z")
Anthracite coal (hard coal) can be used in a charcoal gasifier if used in limited amounts. Coke is also OK in limited amounts too, but you could probably use more of it. Bituminous coal is a NO GO. Too much silica and it will gum up your nozzle big time.
Gary in PA
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### Author:  [@Wallace](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Wallace)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2016, 1:58am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/coke-from-the-railway-tracks/2535/3 "2016-06-03T01:58:22Z")
Every walk I pick up a bit more these days.
The coke is worthy of more attention.
I have not been able to burn any pieces of it.
I assume its because I need to keep it hot to burn.
My wife has taken note of this collection and said she is apposed to more " junk" brought home.
So my coal and coke experiments will have to be small.
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2016, 2:12am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/coke-from-the-railway-tracks/2535/4 "2016-06-03T02:12:20Z")
> [@glgilmore](#):
>
> Anthracite
I’ve burned about 4 tons of PA anthracite coal in my bucket-a-day, hot water heater, and I found it to be rather nasty when it comes to rotting metal out and the fine ash dust sucks.
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### Author:  [@kyle](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/kyle)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2016, 2:31am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/coke-from-the-railway-tracks/2535/5 "2016-06-03T02:31:29Z")
I have some experience with coal.
I ended up with tons of it (literally). It was free, so I thought “what the heck.”
I have not yet had the nerve to try it in the gasifier.
I an not even sure what kind I have.
Some of it looks like anthracite. Other bits look bituminous.
It is just stacked outside in big piles.
When I light it (which is challenging), it produces a lot of nasty smoke (gray then yellow) and smells bad for a while.
Then it starts burning pretty clean, and very hot.
I have used it to melt aluminum, etc.
But every time I use it, it seems like it is hotter / more corrosive than charcoal by quite a bit, and very hard on steel.
I have given some consideration to “coking” some of it in my charcoal retort, and trying it in the charcoal gasifier.
But I thought I would save that for a later experiment, after I have all the kinks worked out of the charcoal system first.
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### Author:  [@Wallace](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Wallace)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/coke-from-the-railway-tracks/2535/6 "2016-06-05T21:03:04Z")
I never worked on the coke batteries, but I work down wind of them and let me tell you there is a lot of nasty things in there lol.
But once coked I know its a fairly clean fuel.
I wonder if I have real coke here or a blast furnace by products?
Its not slag too light and its not coal.
Great video:
And Mr Leeder is willing to chat about this video he made in the 60’s
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ZMxW5UKRFA/hqdefault.jpg ""Illawarra Coke"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZMxW5UKRFA)