well,i been tinkering around and came up with this.it uses alot more switch backs on the logging side still with two loading areas at the topmost spurs.the other side will be the town with a small yard engine house and mill.hope ya like it.TIA--josh
need a small logging plan please
- Thread starter bigsteel
- Start date
heres basically the same plan with variations mostly to the yard to make it look more "rural".well her it is,comments welcomed.--josh
Excellent! Can I suggest shifting the backdrop a bit in the lower left hand corner, curving it from the 0/0 point in towards the 1' mark along the bottom. One of Iain Rice's favorite design tools is the 'proscenium arch' effect with full fascia above and below the scene. You could "cove-in" the backdrop on both sides at the ends of the backdrop to allow for this and frame each scene.
Also, I've never been fond of turnout points inside tunnel portals, but that's just me. I have yet to see a prototype for it, (not that that's necessary for some folks) but it would irk me to no end unless there was...well, maybe even if there was, but at least I could mentally justify its existance on a layout a little better.
Also, I've never been fond of turnout points inside tunnel portals, but that's just me. I have yet to see a prototype for it, (not that that's necessary for some folks) but it would irk me to no end unless there was...well, maybe even if there was, but at least I could mentally justify its existance on a layout a little better.
thanks for responding OC,so you like the nwer plan better? i think it works together a little better.and the coved backdrop is an idea that sounds easy enough.framing the scene does sound a little better than just a flat backdrop.as for the switch im thinking of removing the tunnel and have a wood "overpass" sorta thing as a veiw block.
on a side note,do you know a place that has a tutorial on making large rock canyons? for the life of me i cant find one.--josh
cool!
:thumb: Really nice alternative plans there! One thing the LL and other small plans do is try to cram a lot in because, well, we want a bunch of stuff on our layout! However, your focus is good -- Big operation in small space.
I do miss the winding travel that was part of the LL, as well as that cool yard design, but you created some great alternatives!
Well, I do have just a couple suggestions, for a bit more operation. Perhaps I'll number your trackplan and repost it...
First, where the 3 way switch is... instead of leading to a switch, what about having a cross over, leading to a a log dump to that cool little pond you have there? I've always had a soft spot for cool and creative trackage, and I liked the LL for the cross over that was in the yard. So, you could cross over there, and have something that paralells the track, going out onto a logdump that is on a trestle of some sort (I'll try to find a pic of this... I've seen it before...) I should probably mark up your layout and post it, the more I think about it.
The advantage of this is that you could make the parallel track to the mill a loading area for either rough cut timber that will be shipped to other mills, or really anything.... Different kinds of flats with different types of loads, etc. That way, you can increase the number of interesting looking rolling stock on your layout.
Second, in conjunction with this, what about an interchange of some sort? Probably on the opposite side of the mill, could even share a common tunnel or something. That way, you have an entrance and exit from the layout. Somewhere for all that wood to go. Somewhere that supplies, etc. would come in. I guess you could use that tunnel just before the switchbacks, which is interesting. Just a thought.
Third, If you put the mill flush with the backdrop, like the first plan, you will be able to have a bit more operating space. I do like the track of the second better, but there's that big 'dead' spot, that would be great for the sawmill and a big pond or something. You could have a longer trestle on the main track and making something like coming across a bay or lake.
Re: canyons: the book how to build a model railroad with personality (I think that's the title) has a whole section on building a big Canyon. He does this on one end of the layout, and it's quite striking.
:thumb: Really nice alternative plans there! One thing the LL and other small plans do is try to cram a lot in because, well, we want a bunch of stuff on our layout! However, your focus is good -- Big operation in small space.
I do miss the winding travel that was part of the LL, as well as that cool yard design, but you created some great alternatives!
Well, I do have just a couple suggestions, for a bit more operation. Perhaps I'll number your trackplan and repost it...
First, where the 3 way switch is... instead of leading to a switch, what about having a cross over, leading to a a log dump to that cool little pond you have there? I've always had a soft spot for cool and creative trackage, and I liked the LL for the cross over that was in the yard. So, you could cross over there, and have something that paralells the track, going out onto a logdump that is on a trestle of some sort (I'll try to find a pic of this... I've seen it before...) I should probably mark up your layout and post it, the more I think about it.
The advantage of this is that you could make the parallel track to the mill a loading area for either rough cut timber that will be shipped to other mills, or really anything.... Different kinds of flats with different types of loads, etc. That way, you can increase the number of interesting looking rolling stock on your layout.
Second, in conjunction with this, what about an interchange of some sort? Probably on the opposite side of the mill, could even share a common tunnel or something. That way, you have an entrance and exit from the layout. Somewhere for all that wood to go. Somewhere that supplies, etc. would come in. I guess you could use that tunnel just before the switchbacks, which is interesting. Just a thought.
Third, If you put the mill flush with the backdrop, like the first plan, you will be able to have a bit more operating space. I do like the track of the second better, but there's that big 'dead' spot, that would be great for the sawmill and a big pond or something. You could have a longer trestle on the main track and making something like coming across a bay or lake.
Re: canyons: the book how to build a model railroad with personality (I think that's the title) has a whole section on building a big Canyon. He does this on one end of the layout, and it's quite striking.
also, here's some inspiring photos...
Check out this site:
::: UW Libraries Digital Collections :::
It is the univeristy of washington's digital archives. Here's a search for log dump:
CONTENTdm Collection : Search Results
And a few cool looking pics that hopefully will give you some ideas...
The first couple are some log dump photos from steam in the woods and the digital archives. The last is a picture of the BTS log dump, part of the mccabe mill (I think that's what it all is...).
The last is an interesting skid I saw on one of the sites...
Check out this site:
::: UW Libraries Digital Collections :::
It is the univeristy of washington's digital archives. Here's a search for log dump:
CONTENTdm Collection : Search Results
And a few cool looking pics that hopefully will give you some ideas...
The first couple are some log dump photos from steam in the woods and the digital archives. The last is a picture of the BTS log dump, part of the mccabe mill (I think that's what it all is...).
The last is an interesting skid I saw on one of the sites...
Attachments
I think you have a winner with that last plan:thumb: Looks real good with that backdrop there.
Loren
Loren
N
nachoman
I like the new plan, too. It offers some interesting operational situations that could keep one or two operators busy for awhile. I only have one concern - the tail end of the first switchback may only be long enough for an engine and one or two cars, especially if said engine was a 3 truck shay. Now if you were using a small rod tank engine, or a 2 truck shay...
Kevin
Kevin
i too miss the winding travel,but i also like the switchbacks about as much,so it evens out for me :mrgreen:.
i like the cross over idea for the lgging pond and short trestle bridge,il add that in.
the mill being like this is jst one possibility,i have another variation of this plan ill post tonight.but in this plan the big "dead spot" was going to be some sort of town,or skid row.--josh
i like the variations and ill probably use the lower track for unloading logs as it leaves more spce for logs in the pond itself.ill post a plan tonight.--josh
i thought so too,the angled backdrop is not often used and it provides some deep veiws on the logging side.thanks.--josh
thanks for the complement,the first switchback actually continous into a tunnel so in reality its about 4ft long.so moving up the switchbacks wont be a problem,even if it is a whopping 6%
.thanks.--josh
Not to steal the thread, but does anybody know why that piece of rail is sticking out on the right side?
Loren
MAN,thats one serious grade
.thats gotta be huge! and could that peice of rail be a re-railer of some sort? maybe the MOW crew just got lazy and didnt feel like working that day! sign1.--joshheres yet another change to long line of revisions for the plan.i got rid of the icehouse,since it wouldnt be very prototypical for a logging RR and i just left the dock house.so in its place i added in more dock with a fishing vessel.i added in the crossover and added in the log dump,to save space ill use a jill poke to unload the logs.and instead of a true interchange for the lumber,i replace the original fishing vessel with a lumber schooner.i turned the mill back to the backdrop and finally added engine servicing.but i still need to find out what to do with the upper blank spot though...anyway,heres what i've got so far.
Looks good!
Cool! Looks good! You'll get some good operation out of that, for sure. I like the longer switchbacks. re: your observations; perhaps moove the mill more towards the end of the layout? You could put some logging shanties or something, kinda like this, , up on a little hill by the tracks...
Cool! Looks good! You'll get some good operation out of that, for sure. I like the longer switchbacks. re: your observations; perhaps moove the mill more towards the end of the layout? You could put some logging shanties or something, kinda like this, , up on a little hill by the tracks...
Attachments
thanks inqiztr,i like it so far too.and what do you mean by put the mill at the "end" of the layout,ill post a revision later tonight.thanks for everyones help.--josh