Large Scale Central

Little River Rail Road in Doc Tom's back yard

General Discussion
#121

Dave Marconi said:
Another fine update Doc. Looks like a slight adjustment is in order to line up with the distant trestle. :slight_smile:

Thanks Dave. You are observant about the line across the Little River valley and watershed. The track the surveying team is working on is descending at a 1.5% grade, while the trestle across the valley is ascending gently at a 1.5% grade. If I did my math correctly the “upper” line will cross over the “lower line” with 12"-13" in clearance. The classic “folded dog bone” crossover. Reusing geometry lessons from years ago has really been interesting and entertaining. Here is the track plan I am following from Garden Railroad magazine. The angle of the picture across the valley is the same as “GR’s camera 3” on the track plan. Doc Tom

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

#122

Nice plan.

#123

I remember that plan in GR. Its a great plan especially for a logging RR. If I were to start over I would have chosen that plan as well. Love the updated pictures.

#124

Shawn said:
I remember that plan in GR. Its a great plan especially for a logging RR. If I were to start over I would have chosen that plan as well. Love the updated pictures.

Thanks Shawn. Glad you like the plan. It is Bruce Longwell’s “Miller Creek and Moss Rock Railway” from the 2/09 issue of GR. Here is a photo from the same general area that I did the pictures of the survey crew at work.

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

Bruce did his layout in 1:24. I am doing mine in 1:20.3 and widened out the diameter to 20 feet in the big curves. The yard to the left will be were I will have the Townsend sawmill complex and log pond. I have also started a spur to Altamont (my storage shed) where the logging operations are. Basically I am constructing a layout that is point to loop to point. I hope to have some operations like I did on my old HO logging outfit and use the loop for continuous running on nice days when visitors and kids come over. Doc Tom

#125
Tom Grabenstein said:
I hope to have some operations like I did on my old HO logging outfit and use the loop for continuous running on nice days when visitors and kids come over.
Sounds like a plan.
#126

Hey Doc Tom, thanks for sharing. Your photos, plans, descriptions and enthusiasm are appreciated.

#127

You are making great progress Doc. I could use that engineer’s explanation of making curves line up with bridges! I almost solved that problem by installing the bridges after I installed the track. But I have one that’s still not quite where it should be!

#128

This week the Smoky Mountains have looked like this and not much has been done on the Little River Rail Road.

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/Fishing1.jpg)

Yet, the boys remember when it was springtime and Little Jimmie Smith showed off his catch of Little River Trout to the crew of 2147. Little Jimmie also wondered when the heck were they going to move that locomotive so he could go back to fishing from his favorite river bridge over the Little River.

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/Fishing2.jpg)

Well it seems El Greco ,the brakeman, was worried about a dragging brake line and just had to fix things right at Jimmie’s favorite spot. Brakes are very important in a loaded logging train coming down grade from Elkmont to the mill at Townsend. Jimmie must learn patience.

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/Fishing3.jpg)

Doc Tom

#129

A new meaning to HOG WASH.

Tom Grabenstein said:

Doug Arnold said:
Keep that crew working! They do a nice job!

Thanks Doug. Well, the Little River has frozen over!!! There is snow in the Tennessee Mountains and the Little River has frozen over. The freeze has prompted “goofy” new hire Timmie to test out a hypothesis he has been thinking about for some time. Can pigs walk on ice??? So he got down in the valley with his pet pig “Jupiter” to find out. Despite all the noise from the protesting ham on the hoof a good time was had and a photograph made to record the scientific evidence of Timmie’s discovery.

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/Pig1.jpg)

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/pig2.jpg)

“Goofy” Timmie is a Woodland Scenics creation and the poor suffering pig is a discounted Hobby Lobby “diorama” figure I got while my wife was doing last minute Christmas shopping. While corny, I hope you like the pics. Doc Tom

#130

Trestles are looking great especially with a little snow cover. Been wondering were you went.

#131

Well, the snow finally melted and the crews got outside for some more rail bending and good times. Here is the very first working switch stand built and installed on the Little River Rail Road. It was such an important milestone ,and the weather was so nice, that everyone turned out for pictures…even management.

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/switchstand1.jpg)

The switch stand comes from an old brass kit from Side Street Bannerworks a division of Light Railways out of Denver Colorado. The turnout is used LGB painted and weathered.

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/switchstand2.jpg)

After Timmie was done fooling with the handle repeatedly it was decided to back the Shay on to the new track work and since there was no derailment, everyone celebrated.

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/switchstand4.jpg)

This turnout is mounted fairly high on the layout and hopefully will not be destroyed by errant gardeners or curious kids or ham handed model railroaders…we’ll see.

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/switchstand5.jpg)

Doc Tom

#132

Looks good Doc

#133

Fantastic Doc, you and your team keep up the good work. And may the weather behave!

#134

Those guys do some nice work. How much do you pay them ? :smiley:

#135

Jon Radder said:
Those guys do some nice work. How much do you pay them ? :smiley:

Thanks Jon, Doug, and Dave for the nice comments. You guys have been really supportive as I take on my first Large Scale layout. Jon, as far as paying the hardworking track gangs and the loggers that followed them in to the woods The Little River Lumber Company relied on company issued scrip called “doogaloo.” In each of the main camps the Little River Lumber Co. had company stores providing tobacco, groceries, clothing and other basic necessities. Here is a picture of the Fish Camp Commissary high in the Smokies that I hope to model on the layout in the future.

(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/1311FishCampStore.jpg)

Employees could make purchases at these interesting isolated stores using their “doogaloo.” In the words of one logger most workers, “hardly ever drawed any money,” but instead “took it all up in groceries and overalls.” Doc Tom

#136

Ya gotta watch out for those ham handed modelrailroaders.

BTW, is there going to be something hooked up to that switch, like track? :stuck_out_tongue:

#137
Steve Featherkile said:
Ya gotta watch out for those ham handed modelrailroaders.

BTW, is there going to be something hooked up to that switch, like track? :stuck_out_tongue:


Yeah it is really hard keeping this track gang going as it seems this RR is going nowhere. But there is a plan and the turnout connects to existing trackage to the left and a future open truss bridge is planned to the right of the switch over the Little River valley. Been poking away at this RR for about 1 year now and hope to close the folded dog bone in about one year more. Been learning a whole lot of patience in the mean time.
Doc Tom

#138

Looking good. A way to keep that switch stand safer is to put small a fence along the side or a small building that could be used as a saftey shelter during snowstorms or avalanches. I used an electric box in front of mine faced with wood to look like a shelter. The electric box is how I turn on the power to a siding. Plus its in the middle of a foot path. so it gets kicked often but the switch stand stays safe.
Always love the updates.

#139
Shawn said:
Looking good. A way to keep that switch stand safer is to put small a fence along the side or a small building that could be used as a saftey shelter during snowstorms or avalanches. I used an electric box in front of mine faced with wood to look like a shelter. The electric box is how I turn on the power to a siding. Plus its in the middle of a foot path. so it gets kicked often but the switch stand stays safe. Always love the updates.
Shawn,

Can you flesh out that bit about the electric box/shelter/boot stop idea? Photos would help. Perhaps a different thread so as to not hijack this one.

#140
Steve Featherkile said:
Shawn said:
Looking good. A way to keep that switch stand safer is to put small a fence along the side or a small building that could be used as a saftey shelter during snowstorms or avalanches. I used an electric box in front of mine faced with wood to look like a shelter. The electric box is how I turn on the power to a siding. Plus its in the middle of a foot path. so it gets kicked often but the switch stand stays safe. Always love the updates.
Shawn,

Can you flesh out that bit about the electric box/shelter/boot stop idea? Photos would help. Perhaps a different thread so as to not hijack this one.


Your killing me. Your just like Andy with pictures. LOL Ill have to see if i can dig one up. Its still burried in about a foot of snow.