The ones that I’ve seen that are higher, the pier was more tapered. Wider at the bottom and narrower as it gets higher. That would appear to me to be a bit more stable.
Thanks Dave and Ken. I just did not feel the log tower looked right at all. It certainly is way too high for the prototype pictures I have seen for the Little River RR.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/3495BldgLogPiers-2.jpg)
So, I just exercised a little modeler’s license and raised the bottom of the little creek bed. Now the tower is about 6-8 scale feet tall and looks better to me.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04744.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04745.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04746.jpg)
Doc Tom learning as he goes.
Doc, I think thats a vast improvement. And still a great looking scene
Nice cribbing
I’m not sure about the tapering, I suppose it depends on where it was built. What bothered me about the first photos the most was the absence of notching in the logs. It still bothers me some. The height didn’t bother me at all. I’ve seen photos of them that tall, before.
Steve Featherkile said:They are pinned and adjustable with stainless rod....you just can't see that detail! ;)
I'm not sure about the tapering, I suppose it depends on where it was built. What bothered me about the first photos the most was the absence of notching in the logs. It still bothers me some.
Steve Featherkile said:My buddy at the local RR club had the same concern......about lack of notching. I will probably pull the tower and rebuild using a dremel sanding drum to make the notches. Should make for a more realistic model without the daylight between the logs.
I'm not sure about the tapering, I suppose it depends on where it was built. What bothered me about the first photos the most was the absence of notching in the logs. It still bothers me some. The height didn't bother me at all. I've seen photos of them that tall, before.
Thanks for the constructive advice.
Tom
One note Tom, You don’t have to get rid of all the 'daylight between the tiers. On log piers around here I have seen pics where they just went about half way. But OTOH I have seen where they went all the way on the notches and back-filled with gravel as well. One thing tho as Ken mentioned, when you go higher they always had a taper to them for stability. Great work Tom.
Tom the cribbing looks great. I had done the same on my RR when I expanded. I have since replaced it with trestles. I did like the look and plan on doing it again in a section of my RR.
Shawn said:
Tom the cribbing looks great. I had done the same on my RR when I expanded. I have since replaced it with trestles. I did like the look and plan on doing it again in a section of my RR. [url](http://i39.tinypic.com/2yxmdfl.jpg)
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Amazing similarity. I like the rock fill inside the cribbing. I have just redone the log crib tower for the LRRR. I notched the logs and shortened the tower. I will be posting pictures soon. This (LSC) is a good forum for construction advice and counsel. Doc Tom
Let a Logger do it. Thank you for all the suggestions and advice on log crib towers. This just did not look right:
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04742.jpg)
The logging crew from Tremont agreed and told management, “Let a Logger do it.” So with axe, adze and froe they took apart the tower notched the logs and built a much more sturdy and appropriate structure for the Little River Rail Road. Here is the pride in workmanship of the intrepid loggers.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04749.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04747.jpg)
The loggers worked so quickly that they moved the extra logs from the dismantled tower to the site of a recent washout and shored it up in record time. In fact is was done before the surveying crews could record the fix on company documents of the right of way. These guys love to cut and move timber!!!
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04752.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04757.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04754.jpg)
Doc Tom
Much better and a neat story…
Nice work, Tom. I bet you had a lot of fun “posing” those pictures. They look great.
It certainly does look better now. I like how you recycled the left over timbers
Ralph
With that rebuild done I wouldn’t be as nervous as I would have been when a log train rolled across it!
Nice rebuild/
Moving logs from Elkmont When we bought this place I really liked the shed “out back.” It reminded me of the set off houses on the Little River Rail Road in East Tennessee.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/EarlyLRRRpicture1.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/Scan4.jpg)
So I slapped the LRRR logo on the door and I have been using the shed as the “shops” of the Little River RR in the back yard ever since.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05644.jpg)
Internet research led me to consider using the shed to store rolling stock and locomotives as well. I went to my Large Scale hobby shop…….Lowes and got a doggy door and some latches and a piece of wood.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05646.jpg)
What you see here is the beginning of the Elkmont yard the first indoor track I have placed in several years.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05640.jpg)
Hopefully I can recreate the real Elkmont yard on the Little River Rail Road high in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/ElkmontYard.jpg)
Here is the first load of logs out of Elkmont heading downgrade to the sawmill in Townsend Tennessee.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05635.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05638.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05636.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05639.jpg)
It should be interesting to have ready made trains that I can take out on the layout whenever I wish. Doc Tom
The railroad is sure not going to the dogs! But the dog door looks great and is the right size.
Another good job in progress.
Doug Arnold said:
The railroad is sure not going to the dogs! But the dog door looks great and is the right size. Another good job in progress.
I think I should name this beast poking its head in the doggy door “Snoop Doggy Shay.”
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC05640.jpg)
Doc Tom
Do you also have a dog or cat who’ll appreciate it?Our doxie and cat like ours. Of course it doesn’t have tracks in it!
Doug Arnold said:Hi Doug,
Do you also have a dog or cat who'll appreciate it?Our doxie and cat like ours. Of course it doesn't have tracks in it!
I had all kinds of critters when I lived out in the country. When we moved to town no more four legged friends…just trains in the back yard.
Tom