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Ideas for a 4x8 layout set in 1890/1900s with logging operations?
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First off, welcome to the world of period railroading. You'll find it's an interesting area, with a lot of great modelers who are also a very helpful bunch.<br />Since you seem to be getting a lot of good advice on layouts, I'll try to throw something else into the conversation.<br /> First off, which section of the country did your people settle in? Unless it was the relatively treeless high plains or desert, chances are that there was a local logging industry. You might try contacting state and local historical societies which will usually be a good soucre of information. Many of them have outstanding photo collections.<br /> As was mentioned above, many areas of the US had extensive logging operations, not just the western part of the country. The SW Missouri Ozarks where I live had one of the largest, if not the largest timber industries in the US at the time you are thinking about modeling. The Missouri Department of Conservation has an excellent video tape on the subject.<br /> Yes, there were a lot of small mills in the woods. These were usually pretty simple, a rip and cut off saw and not much else. Power was provided by a small "donkey" steam engine which was designed to be skidded behind an ox or horse team. Power was tramited to the saws thru a central jackshaft and belts. Power might also be supplied by a steam traction engine. Buildings were crude in the extreme, usualy an open pole structure with roofing made of random width planks sawn on site. Many of them cut only one product. Railroad ties were a common product of small mills, and might make an interesting model.<br /> A lot of the motive power for these outfits was provided by older rod type locomotives that were bought cheap as Class I and II lines replaced them with more modern power. ( If your interested in what these engines looked like, check out the old Buster Keaton silent movie, "The General". Thesae engines were bought from logging lines in the '20s or the movie. They been backdated a bit to fit the Civil War period, but they're still te real deal.) Geared locos were used on really steep grades and very flimsy temporary track. Where the grades were less steep and track was better locomotives were changed, the faster rod engines taking over. A junction like this might be an intersting scene to model and could justify a lot of equipment and engine facilities on your realtively small layout.<br /> Almost anything that could haul logs was used as rolling stock, from flat cars (usually truss rod in your era) to purpose built log cars. Much of this equipment was home made, and a lot of it was in heavily used, if not held together by baling wire condition.<br /> Some good reference material is available on the web. Try looking for the various Car and Locomotive Dictonaries from your period. You might also try looking at the EarlyRail discussion group on Yahoo. There are some pretty knowlegable folks there.<br />Hope this helps,<br />JBB <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
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