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

[Doctor G]

More Bridge work

I was able to get a little more work done on the bridge over the Little River. I am trying to recreate this style of bridge.

After much thought I decided to paint the steel structure black as all the prototype pictures I could fine showed the steel members were black. I also decided to lightly weather the bridge as it was in the late 1920's about 20 years after it was constructed.

I positioned the two 40 foot spans over Nelson's Gap on the Little River using a very temporary center pier and temporary attachments at both ends. I was thrilled It was strong enough to hold the first train over the chasm.

I think this picture looks a little like the prototype one above.

Next step as the weather warms is to build a concrete or concrete like pier similar to those above in the prototype. Ideas and comments are welcomed as the Little River RR advances a few more feet.

Thanks for looking.
Doc Tom


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

 

[Bill Nelson]

Tom,


Are you going to build a form, and cast the pier in place? if you do, get some re-bar considerably longer that the pier is tall, and drive it way down in the ground, before pouring the concrete, so the pier is firmly connected to the ground, as it would cause a multitude of unpleasant problems should it shift any. also you may want to paint or otherwise treat the rebar before installing it, as if it rusts later, the expansion can bust up concrete. that is some great work on the bridge sections, the best I've seen you do.


Nelson

 

[Doctor G]

Concrete figuring.

Tom,


Are you going to build a form, and cast the pier in place? if you do, get some re-bar considerably longer that the pier is tall, and drive it way down in the ground, before pouring the concrete, so the pier is firmly connected to the ground, as it would cause a multitude of unpleasant problems should it shift any. also you may want to paint or otherwise treat the rebar before installing it, as if it rusts later, the expansion can bust up concrete. that is some great work on the bridge sections, the best I've seen you do.


Nelson

Hi Bill,

Glad you liked the bridge. I am cogitating and ruminating what to do about the pier. Your ideas are good.

On the net I have been seeing mostly cast piers in trapezoid shapes. The prototype pictures show a more rectangular shape with triangles on the ends facing the flow of the river to avoid snags hanging up on the piers.

To cast this might be a bit tricky. I wondered about plastic lumber like on decks etc.??? If you got any ideas about this shape I am all ears.

Here is another choo choo pictured on the steel bridge at Nelson's Gap.
Thanks for all your encouragement. Tom

 

[Doctor G]

A concrete pier is installed.

Mr "Dandy" Dan, chief design engineer of the Tennessee Bridge Co., from over in Nashville, can talk for hours to anyone who will listen on the benefits of deck truss bridge construction.

Boss Crumb and Col. Townsend try to feign interest as the concrete cures on the new bridge pier for the steel bridge.

The crew of #2147 are just glad the bridge remains perpendicular to the Little River below and they are dry.

Here's the "back story":

After much thought I elected to go with a trapezoid shaped concrete pier. I got the dimensions from the internet and built up a form using foam board secured with Titebond III glue and sheet rock screws.

Rapid set concrete mix from Lowes was mixed with water and poured in to the mold after trying to get it as plumb and level and attached to the rocks on the river's edge.

The foam mold was removed and the pier remained standing.

After a bit of time the bridge was reinstalled and "Dandy Dan" could resume his exposition on bridge building.

Doc Tom

 

[Bill Nelson]

Good Job with the concrete bridge piers. I'm glad you got brave enough to do it right, nothing else would have looked right, and got the shape right.



I really like that red truss rod flatcar, lots of detail there. that is looking real good.



Bill

 

[gbwdude]

First ops session?

Jesse and myself came to visit yesterday and operated both of the locomotives on Doc Tom's roster. I know for a fact that I personally liked operating the LRRR 0-4-0 #1 the best as it showed more of a challenge handling the cars up and down the grades. It was truly a great time.

Here's a few pictures of the "operating session".

Tyler

 

[Doctor G]

Great pics. I'm glad you guys liked playing around with BIG trains. Thanks also so much for the great Box Car in WRRY livery. That well made car will get a lot of use as the battery car for more additions to my roster.

Tom

 

[Doctor G]

Spring time on the Little River at Nelson's Gap

Spring time on the Little River RR saw a lot of action at Nelson's Gap. Here is #2147 working the first load of logs this spring from the last cutting before the winter snows.

#1 got in some action too bringing the ballast car out from a work session on a winter damaged section of the line.

Doc Tom


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

 

[Doctor G]

Little River Rail Road- The MOVIE

Here is my first attempt at a video of my garden railroad.

http://youtu.be/GaKrABJn0VI

I had a lot of fun using iMovie to put together the clips of a logging train in the fictitious Smoky Mountains in my backyard. I used an iPhone and iPad as cameras. I hope you all enjoy the movie.

Tom




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

 

[Bill Nelson]

nice video

I liked the video, I'll have to remember to send a link to my sisters, so they can see where most of Dad's large scale stuff landed.


Bill

 

[Doctor G]

Thanks Bill.

Hi Bill,

A thank you to you and your family for all the help on the garden railroad. I could not have built this without all the track that you so generously donated to me.

I hope your family enjoys the pictures and video.

Dr. Tom

 

[Doctor G]

Another #110 at Nelson's Gap

Beautiful sunshine here in Tennessee. I just had to shoot some pics.

Here is my second attempt at Little River RR #110.

My first attempt flew off the rails right here at the incomplete RR bridge at Nelson's Gap. Happened last summer ,in fact, due to operator error and some of my first attempts at radio control.

Worked all winter building the bridge and completely redid #110 this spring using a $35 chassis from B.Mann

The black tubular affair is not a Tennessee black snake, but rather a "soaker" hose as these are all new plants on the north side of Nelson's Gap

Hope you all are enjoying your summer.

Doc Tom


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

 

[gbwdude]

Doc,

I like it! I contemplated building a LRRR #110 for the WRRy but the railroad is at that point in time where it would need bigger power for the heavier cars so motive power this small would be close to outdated. That's why the WRRy only has two 4-4-0's which are on the huskier side and one 2-6-0 that will probably be used for locals and yard switching. If I can find some at a decent price, the next motive power purchases for the WRRy will be either Bachmann 2-8-0's or a United ATSF 2-8-0 or a United B&O 2-8-0. Either way I'd like to have two, either one of each or both, for medium/heavy freight duty.

I also like the fact that my boxcar seems to get the most use since it houses your r/c gear.

 

[Doctor G]

Hi tyler

Hi Tyler.
I am glad you like the pictures.
This locomotive is truly a compromise. It is not as long as the original modeled number 110. The long wheelbase of the original number 110 caused frequent derailments especially with the trailing truck. I also scrapped the original gear train and motor as it was totally unreliable.
I was able to purchase a new chassis including motor and gears for $35 all at a discount at the B.mann parts website.
I've spent about $70 total on this locomotive. it is built entirely of junk parts except for the new chassis and motor.
I am very grateful for your donation of the battery car!!! Because of the battery and the metal wheels it is quite heavy and tracks very nicely. It never never never derails and is the point man on many of my Freight consists.
We miss you at the train club and hope you're doing well and things are going okay for you in Korea.

Dr Tom.​

 

[Doctor G]

Little River #110 stars in a MOVIE

This is my second video done of the Little River Rail Road in the Smoky Mountains of my back yard.

It debuts Locomotive number 110. I built this with a $30 "Big Hauler" from eBay. The chassis and running gear were purchased from Bachmann for $35.

I hope you like the movie.

Tom


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIkq0tSPjFc


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

 

[Bill Nelson]

Nice video

that is a nice video, and I really enjoyed the Brewer & Shiply sound track. it sounded like it looped over on itself in places but that may have been an artifact of my outdated browser; they are no longer updating stuff for the ancient Motorola based Mac's so some wierdness is creeping in.



The only thing that was glaringly wrong was the sound when the train stopps for bears, somehow you got an automobile tire sound, tather than the pure metal on metal sound of train brake squeel, but otherwise great video, thanks for sharing/



Nelson

 

[Doctor G]

that is a nice video, and I really enjoyed the Brewer & Shiply sound track. it sounded like it looped over on itself in places but that may have been an artifact of my outdated browser; they are no longer updating stuff for the ancient Motorola based Mac's so some wierdness is creeping in.



The only thing that was glaringly wrong was the sound when the train stopps for bears, somehow you got an automobile tire sound, tather than the pure metal on metal sound of train brake squeel, but otherwise great video, thanks for sharing/



Nelson

Hi Bill,

You are very observant. There is one splice in the B&S sound track. I took out the lyrics"Who do you love? I hope its me......" Way too schmaltzy for a train video. I liked the beat and reference to trains in the rest of the song.

Yeah there was no steel wheel on steel rail screech in the iMovie sound effects I had access to. So a skidding car tire was used. I am learning how to find sound effects on the net and many times for free. I just couldn't find that special sound.

Thanks for looking.

Tom

 

[Bill Nelson]

there are some decoders that use downloadable sound files, perhaps there is some good brake squeel there you can nab. Seven days a week the RJ Corman trains slow down for the trip across the Cumberland River bridge, so I live with and for brake squeel, not surprising that the lack of it would be blaring.

I knew you had dropped a verse, a shame , as it guts some of the double menaings of the song; playing of the varios meanings of the word love, and walking the tightrope between romatic love and the religious experience. what I was refering to was a doubling of the song, as if you had it playing slightly out of sych on two open browsers, as I say this may be an artifact of my obsolete browser.


Nelson

 

[gbwdude]

Very well done movie, Doc Tom! I like how the #110 came out, it looks pretty close to the real kettle. Keep up the good work!

 

[Doctor G]

Thanks for looking

Hi Tyler,
Yes, I even tried to make this model a 4-6-2 with a simple add on of a trailing truck.

I had tried a year or so ago to lengthen a Big Hauler to the correct length and wheel base of LRRR #110.

While this looked the right size it constantly derailed and its mechanism was worthless (A 3rd generation I think). It thankfully ended its life by flying off an incomplete river crossing where there was no bridge. A lot of its parts went in to this current project. I decided not to mess with the basic engineering of the Big Hauler and did a project that was relatively close to the real #110 and was mechanically reliable.

Thanks for this good discussion.
Tom


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