Logging East Tennessee on the C&S RR

Sawdust

Member
Hey thanks for the reply Doctor G. I will look forward to your pics.I will also check out the Bar Mills kit as well. I know what that is like getting a scratch built item started & finding a whole lot easier method later.That is what's so great about this hobby, there is no wrong way just some are better than others. Thanks!
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Classic Train in a tunnel shot.

Now its time to leave the fast paced world of the trains in Caseyville and get back out in the rustic wilds of the C&S RR. In other words its back to pure logging RR action on the C&S mainline as we travel further East.
Our energetic photographer got through the tunnel at the "Three Bridges" site just in time to shoot the classic "light at the end of the tunnel" picture of a Shay shoving a flat out of the tunnel. Later on a three trucker Shay was making its way up grade (2% ruling grade on the mailine) and it too was captured for posterity just outside the tunnel.
Doc Tom:mrgreen:
 

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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Doc...You don't want to mention a light at the end of the tunnel here.....Take a look at this mess....
http://www.zealot.com/forum/showthread.php?t=163170 :mrgreen:

BTW...Why does that flat car have rails on the platform..?
Hi Steamhead,
That is a hilarious thread!!!!sign1sign1sign1 You all got a wicked sense of humor. Sounds like we will open up something with that light at the end of the tunnel picture. At least it wasn't jokes referring to colonoscopies!!!!!:twisted::twisted::twisted:
The rails on the flat car are for the barnhart log loader. Here is an eplanation taken from the Steam in the Woods website:
"The Barnhart loaders rode on either permanently affixed, or temporary tracks on top of the flatcars or log cars. Where permanent tracks were used, the rails were laid only the length of the car bed, so as to prevent binding in sharp curves; the loader moved across/between cars via the use of of a transfer rail, or a "shoe fly" (an inverted "U" shaped piece of steel), placed across the space between cars. Temporary tracks where used, were built in three equal sections; where the loader rested on one, the second spanned the gap between cars, and the third sat on the following empty car. As the loader proceeded down the train, it moved to the piece on the following car, then lifted the two pieces in front, and places them behind...again, one spanning the gap between cars, and the other resting on the following empty.

When loading, the loader was initially positioned on the second to last car, or second car behind the locomotive, and then began by loading either the first, or last, car respectively; then working it's way down the string of empties. The loader moved itself along the train by the use of a drum mounted cable, which is attached via a hook to a car behind it, and then winched itself back."
I have included a picture of a model Barnhart "blown up" so you can see it sitting on the rails of the flat car.
Doc Tom:wave:
 

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steamhead

Active Member
Hey Doc...Thanks for the explanation....Those logging "roads" were an operation all their own....Really neat..!!
BTW...Did the loader use hooks or jaws to lift the logs..?
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Cable tongs

Hey Doc...Thanks for the explanation....Those logging "roads" were an operation all their own....Really neat..!!
BTW...Did the loader use hooks or jaws to lift the logs..?
Hi Steamhead,
Thanks for the interest. THe logs were picked up using "cable tongs" attached to the end of the cable. As the cable is hauled back the tongs would close on the log gripping it tightly.
Interestingly the tools and techniques in use almost 100 years ago are still used today. Here is a picture of modern day cable tongs. Except for the very trendy blue color it is the same device as used on the old logging outfits.
Doc Tom:thumb:
 

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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Bridges Three

Moving further East on the C&S mainline we come to "Bridges Three". This is were the logging Railroad literally goes up a creek bed to gain altitude. It crosses the creek on three bridges in succession, hence the name "Bridges Three."
In doing "field research" at the Cass West Virginia living logging railroad museum and riding behind real Shays up in the mountains I learned many things. One of the tidbits of logging RR's is modeled here at Bridges Three.
Steam locomotives with high "revving engines" like geared locomotives (sounds like its going 80 MPH yet travelling at 5MPH) burn out their smokestacks fairly quickly. The shops were making new ones on a fairly regular basis. The old ones at Cass were thrown down a mountain side. I modeled this on the C&S with a smoke stack graveyard under one of the Bridges three. I have included a picture of the stack graveyard.
Doc Tom:wave:
 

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sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
The screen spark arrestor on the stack of your three truck shay, could not be left covering the stack, at the end of the day. Soot would build up quickly overnight, and would suffocate the fire, requiring a "cold start" the next morning. by loosening the fasteners and providing a bigger opening for the draft, the "fire" would still be able to ignite new coal in the morning, and the loco was more quickly ready for service.
Here, the Fireman of Cass #5 is clearing the stack, by moving the spark arrestor;
 

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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
The screen spark arrestor on the stack of your three truck shay, could not be left covering the stack, at the end of the day. Soot would build up quickly overnight, and would suffocate the fire, requiring a "cold start" the next morning. by loosening the fasteners and providing a bigger opening for the draft, the "fire" would still be able to ignite new coal in the morning, and the loco was more quickly ready for service.
Here, the Fireman of Cass #5 is clearing the stack, by moving the spark arrestor;

Hi Sumpter,
The "science" of running a steam locomotive has always been intriguing to me. I did not know this little piece of steam science. It certainly makes sense. Thank you for passing this on to me. Also I am glad you got a chance to make a pilgrimage to Cass. That is such a wonderful place!!! I have used several ideas I picked up on my one visit to Shay Nirvana on my layout.
Doc Tom:rolleyes:
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Hurricane Creek Bridge

As the C&S mainline continues to gain altitude it jumps over several mountain creeks. Here is the passage over Hurricane Creek on a log crib with one trestle bent for good measure. Included is a prototype picture from which inspiration sprang.
Doc Tom:p
 

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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
:thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:

I like the little wood door on the Heisler, and the chain is a nice touch :)
Thanks ytter_man. I got the idea for the wooden door from a photo of a really decrepit Heisler that "I just had to model."
I have been hounded by members of my RR club for how large the logging chains are....been told it would break my little HO people's back when they lifted it. But, Hobby Lobby is the only local hobby shop and this is their smallest size chain in the craft section. So..... an attempt at realism was made using those chains.
Doc Tom:wave:
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Thirsty Beasts at Stanleyville Tank.

After climbing 15 miles of mountainous terrain the geared locomotives are thirsty by the time they reach Stanleyville Tank.
The crews water down the locomotive and fill the tender with fresh coal for the upcoming slugfest with the rest of the Great Smokey Mountain Range.
High in the mountains the steam powered skidders and donkey loaders frequently need trucked in water and the crew fills the tank on a flat for the logging equipment.
Behind the tank and coal bin is the logging spur track leading to camp#4,#5 and #6.
Notice how old sloped back tenders and an old Shay tank are used to hold and carry water. The Stanleyville Tank is stream fed from the mountain above through a meandering pipe.
Doc Tom:rolleyes:
 

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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Hi DocG :wave:
Enjoying the fine pics of your C&S RR. I can't wait till I get my layout started once again. The last year or so I have been just building structures.I came across this website for the Wonderland Hotel & thought you might enjoy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderland_Hotel.
Jim
Hi Jim,
That is a very well written article!!! I was glad to read something in depth about this nice Hotel. I stayed there in 1992 just before it closed and the Wikipedia article brought back many memories.
I was surprised that "Historical Presevationists" didn't get much of a say in keeping the Hotel. I vaguely remember that the great Smoky Mountain Park Super. wanted the land to revert back to a natural state. I think they could have had both.
I just finished two more Bar Mills cottages to put out back of the modeled Wonderland on my C&S pike. I will post some pictures a little later on when the ground they will inhabit is a little more presentable.
Good luck on your layout. Do you think you could post some pics of your structures so far????
Doc Tom:wave:
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
The House on the Hill

Whose house is that in the background?
Hey there MM,
That is the home of Mr James Joseph. Jimmy Joe is the self appointed mayor of Stanleyville and lives in the grandest structure on a hill outside of town overlooking the town.
Jimmy Joe made his money by selling land to the Kittom Lumber Company and the C&S RR for logging and placement of the Railroad. The rest of Stanleyville is not doing so well and more pictures will follow.
Doc Tom:wave:
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
That is the home of Mr James Joseph. Jimmy Joe is the self appointed mayor of Stanleyville and lives in the grandest structure on a hill outside of town overlooking the town.
Jimmy Joe made his money by selling land to the Kittom Lumber Company and the C&S RR for logging and placement of the Railroad. The rest of Stanleyville is not doing so well.

The owner of the Sag Harbor Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. had a long standing "difference" with his mayor.
The end result was, the shipyard could not get the property needed to ease a curve, and the Baldwin outside frame 2-8-0, had to become an outside frame 2-4-4-2.
The "mayor" is long gone, the shipyard, and the 2-4-4-2 are doing fine.
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
The owner of the Sag Harbor Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. had a long standing "difference" with his mayor.
The end result was, the shipyard could not get the property needed to ease a curve, and the Baldwin outside frame 2-8-0, had to become an outside frame 2-4-4-2.
The "mayor" is long gone, the shipyard, and the 2-4-4-2 are doing fine.
Hi
Politicians come and go but our trains live on!!! I agree.
Doc Tom
 
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