Large Scale Central

Little River Rail Road in Doc Tom's back yard

General Discussion
#1

Hi For about a year now I have been a “lurker” on this site soaking up information about Large Scale model railroading. I come to large scale after 22 years in HO logging layouts. A move to a smaller home without a basement and the quest for a good running logging Shay led me to Large Scale and my first railroad in the back yard. This whole project has been a lot of “firsts” for me. I am for the first time trying to follow a prototype, The Little River Rail Road , a logging out fit in Eastern Tennessee. First time to use battery power in a locomotive…no more rat’s nest of wires. First time to use the nearby Lowe’s as a hobby shop. The first time to create scenery with living plants. Replacing for the first time ballast washed out in a rain storm. And for the first time I placed a post for help on the Large Scale Forum with an odd ball question about side mounting brake wheels on logging flat cars. What an INCREDIBLE response!!! I am amazed at all the help I got and the advice I received from Ric, Ralph,Dave and Ken!!! I even got a crash course on how to post pictures. So I figured what the heck quit lurking and start participating. So here are few snap shots of my new logging layout The Little River Rail Road in the back yard. First is a prototype picture of a Little River Shay pulling an “outing” train on a timber trestle high in the Smoky Mountains of Eastern Tennessee.

Next is my attempt at this same timber trestle with Bachmann’s three truck Shay # 2147 crossing it. I will build the observation car in the future. I was thrilled that this first trestle did not fall in with the weight of this very big Shay.

My wild and crazy passengers were not as well behaved as those on the “outing train” picture from the 1920’s. I think it has to do with sitting on the edge of a flat car dangling over newly constructed mountain valley and a newly constructed trestle by a definite Large Scale newbie.

I hope you like the pictures. Thank you again for all your help. Please feel free to offer advice, criticisms and/or suggestions. Hoping to learn more. Doc Tom

#2

Welcome aboard from one former lurker to another. Looks great. You won’t find a better bunch for ideas or answers.

#3

Very nice. The big Shay sure is a beautiful locomotive.
Ralph

#4

Welcome Tom. Thanks for posting the pictures :slight_smile:

#5

Tom, welcome to the forum. Pictures are always good. :slight_smile:

#6

I really dig Eastern RRys…Nice to see you do too!

Welcome in! Cale in SC

#7

Welcome aboard! Looks like you’re off to a good start on your layout. Neat prototype too!

#8

Welcome Aboard! Great pics and a good looking start to a great adventure.

Bob C.

#9

I see ya got the picture part down…Welcome aboard…

#10

Welcome aboard. Good choice for a RR theme. I also I have a logging theme for my RR. Cant wait to see more picftures. Where are you from?

#11

Nice pics Doc

#12

Wow, what a wonderful friendly bunch!!! Thanks to Peter,Ralph, Jon, Dwayne, Cole,Ray, Bob,Ken, Shawn, and Dave for the great welcome. You guys are really supportive!!! Shawn, I am originally from East Tennessee and have hiked the trails in the Smokies were the Little River Railroad ran. Incredibly it even had a spur up to the Clingman’s Dome area which is the highest peak in the Smokies. I now live in Clarksville Tennessee which is next to Fort Campbell and home of the 101st Airborne (Band of Brothers fame). I thought I would post a few more pictures of the work so far. First shot is of the prototype. I love the way my fellow East Tennessee folks have always horsed around with cameras. Here is a “cab view” of one of the LRRR Shays with an engineer’s wife or girlfriend up in the cab and in control of the big engine.

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/LittleRiverShaywithwoman.jpg)

So when I got my new pristine Bachmann Three Trucker about 15 months ago I had to “ham it up” with a cab shot with a guy and his “dawg.”

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/ShayCabnew.jpg)

Later with the engine hard at work on the line and with weathering another cab shot shows Pee Wee, Ernie and Larry up in the cab running the big engine now named “The Miss Kit” in honor of my wife.

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/ShayCabweathered.jpg)

The figures are from Woodland Scenics and appear to be 1:20.3 scale. Hope you like the pics. Doc Tom

#13

Tom,

Did you do the weathering, lettering and battery conversion? It looks good, even in the close up shops.

On our treks to the Smokies, I am always amazed how the self-titled environmentalist have tried to white wash over any trace of the rich railroad history. It is good that there is a dedicated group in Townsend that wants to preserve the rich history. Running those mountain trails, allows you to feel the challenges those early mountain folk faced in scratching a living and taking their products to market. Have you been to the “Cradle of Forestry” museum in NC?

#14

Welcome aboard.

I enjoy seeing the logging railroads because we don’t have trees on the desert.

We have to bring our wood in.I say this while it’s raining outside!

#15

Welcome to the Madhouse… The pictures look great… Nice job weathering the engine…

#16

Welcome aboard Tom, great looking pictures.

#17

Tom,

Great area. I lived in Kodak for about 10 years. Did some research on the KS&E and walked what ROW was not under Boyd’s Creek Road or get shot on.

I have been to the LRRR historical area a couple of times but not in prolly 20 or so years. Went shortly after they got going.

Nice pics, and I am envious of your weathering and lettering :).

Bob C.

#18

Welcome Tom!

#19
Ric Golding said:
Tom,

Did you do the weathering, lettering and battery conversion? It looks good, even in the close up shops.

On our treks to the Smokies, I am always amazed how the self-titled environmentalist have tried to white wash over any trace of the rich railroad history. It is good that there is a dedicated group in Townsend that wants to preserve the rich history. Running those mountain trails, allows you to feel the challenges those early mountain folk faced in scratching a living and taking their products to market. Have you been to the “Cradle of Forestry” museum in NC?


Hi Ric,

Yes I did all the weathering on the locomotive. The RC/Battery conversion was done by Don Sweet of Radio Control Systems of New England. He and his staff did a great job and I finally got a reliable Shay that runs nicely.This was always a problem on my HO logging layouts…it was hard to get a Shay to run well consistently. The battery power also allowed me to paint the rails and ties of the track without fearing electrical conductivity issues. The decals were custom made by Stan Cedarleaf, one of the advertisers here.

I agree not many people know about the history of the RR and logging operations in the Smoky Mountains. In fact most of the trees we see now are second growth forests as these mountains were heavily logged.

Yes I have been to the Cradle of Forestry and loved their static displays out in the woods. I particularly liked the Climax locomotive.

#20
Doug Arnold said:
Welcome aboard.

I enjoy seeing the logging railroads because we don’t have trees on the desert.

We have to bring our wood in.I say this while it’s raining outside!


We have had such a dry summer this year that I thought I should be building a desert layout. I spent many a day out in the garden with a hose keeping my new dwarf Alberta Spruces going. they all made it.
Doc Tom