The Little River Rail Road in Doc Tom's Back Yard

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
I always liked this shot of a passenger train heading over a bridge in the Little River Gorge. Taken in the early 20th century it is a good representation of the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains and Baldwin steam locomotives.



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So, with a little more work done on the scratch built 1:20.3 model of the combine passenger car I was able to set up this photo trying to recreate the image of LRRR#110 moving a passenger train in the gorge in the 1920's.



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Here are some more full color shots of the model's construction to this point.



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Thanks for looking.



Doc Tom



Doc Tom and the Little River RR guys in East Tennessee.
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Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
looking good Tom; it is scenes like this that lead me to set my RR in Eastern TN. two and a half years before I landed on the Cumberlanmd Plateau myself!
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Thanks Bill. I do enjoy the proto-research (if such a word?) that goes in to building a model RR.



I am going up to Little River RR country in the Great Smoky mountains this week. Kit and I will hike the Little River trail which follows the old roadbed above Elkmont.



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Let's call it "field research" and a chance at more inspiration for the RR in the back yard.



Doc Tom
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Hopefully this will be the smash hit of summer 2014.






I had a lot of fun putting this together using all the goodies iMovie has and my trusty iPhone. I hope you enjoy a smile or two from this action packed trailer.





Dr Tom



Doc Tom and the Little River RR guys in East Tennessee.
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Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Have a great trip, liked your trailer, but can you sustain that level of suspence for a feature film. the old railroad grade makes a pretty stout trail, have a safe trip, and lots of fun in the mountains.
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
The fifth video from Little River RR productions and Choo Choo Films is a tribute to the 8 and 16 mm films made by railfans and company men toward the end of logging by rail in the mountains of East Tennessee. A deliberate attempt to portray old film and a herky jerky hand held camera effect is attempted.



Actual footage of loggers and Shays are interspersed with models of the Little River RR out in the back yard.



Thanks for looking.



Doc Tom



https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=Uo3Hek4J6cI



Doc Tom and the Little River RR guys in East Tennessee.
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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
I spent my Summer Vacation in Little River RR country high up in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park of East Tennessee. I hiked the Little River RR trail and drove the Little River road that was laid over the Little River RR road bed.



I just had to buy this post card.



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Don't you know I was so inspired by it all that I had to try this shot out on the Little River RR in the backyard:



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THEN.........AGAIN



Doc Tom



Doc Tom and the Little River RR guys in East Tennessee.
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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
With the cooler fall weather I was in the mood to further expand the Little River Rail Road in the backyard.


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Here is an overall shot of the layout so far. In the corner of the photo where the Mazda CX 5 is parked is where the spur tracks to the Townsend Mill have been laid recently.



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Here is a close-up view of the new trackage.



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Wilfred, a new hire firemen, is on board for the maiden test run over the new bridge and trackage. He is a bit nervous.



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A film crew got in on the action filming the movement of Little River Rail Road number one with a work train out on the new tracks to the Townsend Mill.






Hope you like the progress report.

Doc Tom



Doc Tom and the Little River RR guys in East Tennessee.
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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
"Little Black Train A Coming" is the latest video release from Choo Choo Films and Little River Productions.

It is a film of trains with a message.

The song 'Little Black Train' is done in a Blue Grass style by IIIrd Tyme Out . The song has its roots in Southern and Appalachian Gospel music dating back to the 1880's. It was popularized by Gospel preachers in the 1920's. It was later sung by the famous Gospel group, the Carter family, who recorded it on one of their records.

This little movie stars Little River Rail Road Engine #1. She is a little 0-4-0 Porter by Bachmann in 1:20.3 scale. Power is supplied in a trailing battery box car. The combination baggage/passenger car is scratch built in 1:20.3 scale as well.

Hope you enjoy the film.

Doc Tom

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Doc Tom and the Little River RR guys in East Tennessee.
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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
The Little River R R Shops has been hard at work to build Rail Bus #2 to transport passengers in the beauty of the Smoky Mountains. Recently completed the crew stopped for builder's photos. Electrical components are being installed and the Bus will be battery powered. Hope to have it running soon for an early Spring Test ride.

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Thanks for looking. Doc Tom
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Like the new critter! with a deal un the works for a lake hose will need to work on one of my RC boats, may investigate possibilities for goose #2 at same time, if I haven't speet all my cash on my RR rebuild, and or the American's I'm working on over in the narrow gauge section, under ON3 locomotive shops. been trying to clean off my work bench, that seldom works as planned.
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
The bashed rail bus was weathered and went out in the weather on the layout. Looks like it is ready to deliver the mail to all the logging camps on the line.



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Doc Tom
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
  • Study in Green on the Little River RR

    Little River Rail Bus #2 is stepping out over Nelson's Gap trestle with a bunch of dog tired loggers and railroad workers. So much snoozing going on only the motorman is enjoying the green on green color display. Well I think he is still awake????



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    Doc Tom
 
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