Early 1900 mountain logging, equipment, buildings.

[Anonymous]

I am going to build an early 1900-30 mountain railroad. I need information on the equipment railroads used, the buildings railroads commonly used, (water tower, log mills, holding ponds, sand towers, ash pits, and any other buildings that may have been overlooked) layouts of small yards etc. I don't have much information on this yet but am very determined to set up a very real looking set. I think the old trains are so incredible, all the things they did and the places they went. If any one has interesting pictures or links that would help in my research that would be great.
Also I am looking for information dealing with creating real looking water and how to make very detailed water falls, rushing rapids, small ponds, rivers. What brands of supplies are good or other ways to create the effects I am looking for.. Also any reference pictures or links.

[ARTHILL]

There are some nice books on the subject. I only have a few. They are pricey but a few are necesary. MR also had had some good articles, If you have access to old issues you will find what you need. I spent two months reading and now have some ideas. One probem is most of the nice models at Walthers and elsewhere are out of stock. If you need more specific info, ask. Sometimes that stirs our old memories.

Art

[orsonroy]

The internet is becoming a fantastic place to find antique photo reference material. I've been digging around for the better part of two years, and have come up with several gig's worth of freight car photos alone.

Do a Google (NOT Froogle, Ebay's photo search: it sucks) search on "digital photo collections", "historical photos online", or any of the dozen or so combinations. You'll come up with thousands of photo sites, many of which are pure gold. Don't ignore seemingly incongruous sites, like the New York City Public Library for ATSF data, or the Denver Public Library for Boston & Albany RR photos. In terms of what you're looking for, over the past 2-3 months, I've mined several fantastic Kentucky and West Virginia history websites for photos, passing up the logging info (it's not my bag). Several Pacific Northwest websites have thousands of online logging photos, as do a few Canadian sites and at least one from Alaska.

[DSchmitt]

Heres a book with loads of information:

http://home.att.net/~lassen.logger/terms.htm

[Anonymous]

There are some cool kit manufacturers out there with the stuff you are looking for:

My favorite is Rio Grande Models. Here is there site:

http://www.riograndemodels.com/

Heres a shot of some of their kits in this train from my old layout::






All of their stuff is craftsman kits, but they sure are nice. Other companies include:

Evergreen models - detail parts
Sierra West Designs - logging camps etc rolling stock
BTS - detail parts, sawmill
SS LTD - detail parts
Campbell - structures/figures
Magnuson (OOP) - logging shacks
Musket Miniatures - figures
Lytler and Lytler - figures
Banta Model Works - structure
Kaydee - log skeleton cars
Rivarossi - log skeleton cars

Check out the Shortline and narrow Gauge Gazette for lots of this type of railroading. You may find yourself scratchbuilding and being drawn towards narrow guage,,

[SpaceMouse]

Guy, you left out my favorite when it comes to logging and mining operations: Muir.

IF you want ta good selection of turn of the century Logging Buildings do the following search on eBay. "Muir HO"

Saw Mill


Gang Saw Shed


Logging Water Dual Tower


Sawdust Storage Building

[jrbarney]

Chuckstergau,
Welcome to the MR Forums !
Two other brands you might look for are KMP Models:
http://www.loggingmodels.com/ (The site appears to be down today.)
and Keystone Locomotive Works, which I don't believe has a Web site, but should be in the Walther's online catalogue.
Also, if you visit national parks look for books in their gift shops. The National Park Service shop at Gatlinburg, TN, had at least two good softbound books.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[dehusman]

There is a Yahoo group called EarlyRail that specializes in pre WW1 modeling. You might want to narrow your time frame a bit, the difference between 1900 and 1930 is huge (at least in the standard gauge world). In 1900 most coal was carried in wooden gondolas with hopper bottoms or drop bottom gons. In 1930 most coal was carried in steel twin hoppers. In 1900 the two most common boxcar lengths were 34 ft and 36 ft. In 1930 the most common was 40 ft with some 50 ft cars. In 1900 a large number of cars still used link and pin couplers, had no air brakes, and there was no standard regarding grabiron and ladder placement. In 1930 all the cars had steel underframes, standardized grabirons, air brakes and standard design knuckle couplers.

There is an excellent series of softcover books on logging in Pennsylvania. They sometimes show up on Ebay. Looks of pictures, sketches and maps of towns, lumber mills, cars and engines for every logging and lumber operation in Pennsylvania.

Dave H.