[Rockhounds] Coal

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

I was contacted on behalf of the Railroad Club in Traverse City today. 
Their clubhouse is a refurbished caboose with a coal burning pot belly 
stove. They are looking for a supplier of coal willing to sell bushel 
basket to pickup truck loads so they can keep it warm for meetings.

Long story of how they connected to me in Grand Rapids (it is a small 
world), but I would like to help them out. I found one supplier, but 
their minimum quantity is a railroad car load, and the club can't 
afford it (or store it).

Coal used to be a heading in the yellow pages. I remember visiting 
relatives as a child and helping stoke their coal furnace in the 
basement. My elementary school had a coal fired boiler. There were 
several dealers in town. It was common.

My fireplace was designed for coal, and my house was heated by it 80 
years ago (my basement office is in the old coal bin). I've still got a 
wheelbarrow full of Anthracite in the garage, but use it sparingly 
these days; I have not been able to find it locally for at least ten 
years (since the dealer seven blocks away closed up shop).

Does anyone know where I could buy coal in small lots? The railroad 
club has given me a new reason to look for a supplier in Michigan.

Thanks!

Kreigh