Eastern Tn logging on the DG CC & W RR 1928

[Bill Nelson]

I have been having so much fun with the loop on level 5 I have decided to try to fit one on level 4 too. I have been thinking about this for a while, but I actually drew on some plywood today.

This is a 17 inch radius, I'll see if the extra inch is helpful for my Hon3 NWSL/Keystone shay and my Keystone skeleton log cars.

studying this I will need to make a cut out, or it will be impossible to reach the back side of Georgia staging., to put those pesky Marietta and North Georgia cars back on the track


Bill Nelson

 

[Bill Nelson]

ore Bin

I have started work on the iron ore mine @ Gegoukayoosa NC. I have an ore bin that is made out of a very cheap plasticville coaling tower. I cut the roof off of it, cut the elevator off of it, and narrowed it so it would fit between the tracks on the very narrow shelf.


I gave it the mixed spray paint can treatment. but will need to re paint it. The dark gray spray can was empty, and the light gray can was low. and splattered to much to get the desired effect.


Bill Nelson

 

[Bill Nelson]

test fit om ore mine elements

I am test fitting elements of the ore mine @ Gegokayoosa NC. Besides the ore bin cobbled together from the plasticville coaling tower; I have a grant line ore bin; a small truck fed ore bin, a beat up Campbell's ore bin built back in the 60's by one of my partners in the first DG, CC, & W RR, and elements of a Cambell's (?) Red Mountain mine, which was on the infamous Bumpass modules. Fitting these elements on the narrow shelf, hanging on the sloped ceiling is a big challenge, in some cases requiring cutting the back and top side at the right angle to fit, so I want to be sure what is going where, cause once it is cut it might not fit elsewhere.

The black foam core behind the ore bins will be covered with cribbing. The downward view shows toms bend down on the third level. the fourth level is eclipsed for now at this location. once the second return loop is in for the narrow gauge on the fourth level. it will show.

Bill Nelson

 

[Doctor G]

Bill,

The iron ore mine is coming in nicely. I like the multiple angles of the buildings.

Looking forward to seeing your next "return loop" as well.

doc Tom:thumb:

 

[Bill Nelson]

Bill,

The iron ore mine is coming in nicely. I like the multiple angles of the buildings.

Looking forward to seeing your next "return loop" as well.

doc Tom:thumb:

Thanks tom, fitting the narrow gauge between the back standard gauge staging track and the ceiling will be very tight, but I think I can do it without digging some clearance in the sheetrock. I'm going to lay that track first, before I add the subroadbed for the loop, as I'll have a lot easier access.


Coming home from work this morning I went by Lowes and got some lumber to do some benchwork for that loop, as well as making some benchwork modifications to allow spectacular bridges and scenery on the part of the upper loop that is over the cabinet.

I also got some spray paint, so once I figure what is going where with the mine buildings I can do a better job of getting the color right on them. I think there will be elevated mine tracks over some of the ore bins before I'm done.

I'm going to go up there right now and try to do something, before I get too tired and have to go to bed. My nap was shorter than usual last night due to playoff hockey on the radio. Nashville Vs Chicago in Chicago. It was worth it Predators 4 Blackhawks 1. In 5 trips to the post season, this was the Predator's first road win. Game 2 in this best of seven series , also in Chicago is on Sunday night.


Bill Nelson

 

[Bill Nelson]

A diversion

I diverted my self from my work on the mine in Gegkayoosa NC. and the next return loop @ Georgia staging, near StateLine , and went way down the moutain into the Gizzard. The other day @ Autozone, hunting for stuff for my truck, I came across Led lights for folks to customize their car interiors. Set up for 12 volt systems I figured it would be an alternative to grain of wheat/rice bulbs for lighting the interior of buildings. the tiny light bulbs seem to burn out often and are a hassle to replace.

here is the first use, replacing the burnt out light bulbs @ St. Joseph's, in Perry's Gizzard. the Saw mill there is next!

These led's come in strips of six, that can be cut down to three. I put three in the church. the softer yellower light from the incandescent bul was more pleasing, but it wasn't pleasing to crack this building open way to often to replace light bulbs. the way my RR is set up the as of yet tiny building lighting circuit is on whenever the track power is.

while this lighting is a little too strong for this small building, it will be very useful for larger structures.

 

[Doctor G]

I diverted my self from my work on the mine in Gegkayoosa NC. and the next return loop @ Georgia staging, near StateLine , and went way down the moutain into the Gizzard. The other day @ Autozone, hunting for stuff for my truck, I came across Led lights for folks to customize their car interiors. Set up for 12 volt systems I figured it would be an alternative to grain of wheat/rice bulbs for lighting the interior of buildings. the tiny light bulbs seem to burn out often and are a hassle to replace.

here is the first use, replacing the burnt out light bulbs @ St. Joseph's, in Perry's Gizzard. the Saw mill there is next!

These led's come in strips of six, that can be cut down to three. I put three in the church. the softer yellower light from the incandescent bul was more pleasing, but it wasn't pleasing to crack this building open way to often to replace light bulbs. the way my RR is set up the as of yet tiny building lighting circuit is on whenever the track power is.

while this lighting is a little too strong for this small building, it will be very useful for larger structures.

Hi Bill,

We could say that the Holy Spirit is really at work in that Church!!! I think it looks good.

Tom:thumb:

 

[Bill Nelson]

I've hooked up wires to the three led strip I cut off of this one, and am installing it into the sawmill. I am also studying routes for electrifying other portions of the layout. I'm thinking two strips of six would illuminate the new enginehouse well. I need to work on the rafters more. If the city classics factory windows ever come in I'll be inspired to go to work on the roof framing, but I don't want to touch it without planning for the skylights early.

 

[Bill Nelson]

toned down LED's

I put yellow highlighter over the led's and used a black magic marker to partly obscure them, and this toned them down so they are not quite as overpowering.

besides working on the lighting , I have been locating the narrow gauge behind the rearward standard gauge track. it is very tight back there, I had left just enough room for fingers for getting a standard gauge cars on the track. it will be nearly impossible to get a narrow gauge car on the track that close to the ceiling.

 

[Bill Nelson]

Hi Bill,

We could say that the Holy Spirit is really at work in that Church!!! I think it looks good.

Tom:thumb:

I thought they had put some of Bubba Smith's shine in the kerosene lamps again!

 

[Bill Nelson]

News from Clarksville!

The Cumberland River used to be a very dangerous river before the TVA system of dams was put in place back in the 1940's. That system has been adequate, up until this week . We had 13.5 inches of rain one day, and 14 inches the next, which gave us almost three months worth of rainfall in two days. It looked like average high water here until the water over-topped the Cheatam Dam in Nashville. hey had to open the floodgates all the way to prevent damage to the dam itself. That resulted in the biggest flood in Clarksville and Nashville since the flood of 1937, before the dams were built.

Here is a picture taken from my front yard before the river crested. I was stuck on the other side during the crest, and was not able to photograph the high water mark The Cumberland river was in my front yard for just the third time in the 30 years I have lived here, and it was three times deeper than it was the last time. Here is a picture of the approach to the Cumberland River swing bridge on the old L&N Memphis line, a remnant of which is operated as a shortline by the R J Corman RR . I'm guessing the trestle is 45 ft. tall, so that gives you an idea of how much water is out there. My house was high and dry, but my wife and I both were stuck on the other side of the river for 38 hours, when the approaches to both the road bridges were flooded.

Next is a photo taken when the river was at it's normal levels. That is a lot of water. In the 1937 flood the water got up to within six inches of the rails on the railroad bridge.


Bill Nelson

 

[Doctor G]

That resulted in the biggest flood in Clarksville and Nashville since the flood of 1937, before the dams were built.

That is a lot of water. In the 1937 flood the water got up to within six inches of the rails on the railroad bridge.


Bill Nelson

Hi,
Here are some pics from the opposite bank of the Cumberland River, now"lake". You can see the trestle with very deep water and how high up on the bridge the water rose. The stop sign in the 2nd picture is at the very flooded 4 lane Riverside drive.

How do they restart train traffic on flooded trestles like this??? Is the ground so soft that the bents might collapse under the weight of a train??? Bill have you seen any trains run by your house "post Flood."
Dr Tom

 

[Bill Nelson]

Thanks for posting that picture of the swing bridge. I had meant to take some photographs from downtown at or near high water. I had my camera ready to go when I went in for work Tuesday night, but forgot to take the camera. I was the last person out of Cumberland heights, they closed the road bridge behind me.

the bridges were closed for about 38 hours, So I couldn't photograph the crest.

Yesterday I saw a high rail truck go across the bridge very slowly. My guess is they had a GPS in it and were checking to be sure that the rails were exactly as high as they ought to be, and hadn't shifted to the right or the left. This morning a train ran across on it's normal schedule and speed, so they must have been satisfied that all is well.


My house is high and dry, I had a little washing out on my driveway, it will take some very carefull driving to get the miata out until I patch that up. I have not yet been down in my North Gully to see what my big sinkhole looks like. So much water went down that gully so it might look like the entrance to Mammoth Cave now, no telling .

The last really high water changed the flow of underground water, and my spring, which used to run 95% of the time, only ran about 50% of the time. I'm hoping the high water will reestablish it, no telling. I think the drought is over though!


Bill Nelson

 

[Doctor G]

Thanks for posting that picture of the swing bridge.
Yesterday I saw a high rail truck go across the bridge very slowly. My guess is they had a GPS in it and were checking to be sure that the rails were exactly as high as they ought to be, and hadn't shifted to the right or the left. This morning a train ran across on it's normal schedule and speed, so they must have been satisfied that all is well.


I think the drought is over !


Bill Nelson

Hi Bill et al.
Here are a couple more shots of our famous albeit rusty swing bridge during the big 2010 flood on the Cumberland River.

I noticed when I put these pics up to full size that the RJ Corman high rail truck was on the bridge in photo one and looks like a work crew out on the bridge as well.

In the second photo there is another flood tourist out out on the bridge snapping pictures. I would be scared to deathto try and do that.
Dr Tom

 

[S class]

Tennesse Floods: "who said they do 'em bigger in Texas?"

that's pretty mad though Bill do you have any pics of the sinkhole? you have a house and land package that sounds like my kind of place if you ever want to sell (or if I ever get sent to the US)

 

[Bill Nelson]

parts and pieces!

Last night on my way to work there was a box from Walther's in my mail box. I order a bunch of stuff from them, and inevitably some of it goes to back order, often showing up months later in a kind of back order lottery.

Well I saw the box and was hoping it was the NWSL flea drive to power a Jordan miniatures Mack rail buss for the narrow gauge Marietta and North Georgia. That project will be documented in my Hon3 engine shops thread when the flea drive finally arrives.

This installment of the back order lottery sebt me Grant line porch posts and porch railings for the Union Terminal @ Stateline.

It also sent me the city classics city windows that will make the skylights for my Crooked Creek engine house. perhaps that will give me an incentive to do some more work on the post and beam framework, in order to get ready to do the needed LED lighting and roof framing.

also on que for work up there is the foundation alterations for St Steven's down in downtown Harlow


to increase the likely hood I will go up there and work I have turned on the AC up there.

Bill Nelson

 

[Bill Nelson]

working on the railroad again!

After putting most of my modeling efforts into the sawmill town @ the club, I have finally returned to Crooked Creek, and Harlow for a little work.



In crooked creek I have extended the post and beam frame for the Crooked Creek engine house/Shops building.

Across the aisle in Downtown Harlow, at the other end of the Valley division I have been poking at the foundation for St. Stevens


Bill Nelson

 

[gbwdude]

Absolutely fantastic work. You're like a John Allen of the woods. I see you may have more to teach me than just hand laying track and shooting the bull...

Tyler

 

[Bill Nelson]

Thank you for the massive complement Tyler, The DG, CC, & W RR's history stretches out close to forty years now, and I have picked up some tricks on the way.

Hand laying track and B S ing is a good start. It will be fun to talk with you about your vision for the Whiskey River RR.


Bill Nelson

 

[Doctor G]

Absolutely fantastic work. You're like a John Allen of the woods. I see you may have more to teach me than just hand laying track and shooting the bull...

Tyler

Tyler,

Bill does know his stuff!! He is very talented with locomotive repairs and builds the best bridges I have ever seen.

Take a look at this little brass beauty Bill rehabbed for my old C&S RR. It was a broken basket case before Bill got it running again and did this beautiful paint job.

Bill will teach you many things about Model Railroading.
Dr Tom:thumb: