Logging Locos, Logging Track Plan, Logging Mill, Mainline Pick-up

[bob]

Saw this gorgeous On30 logging railroad at a recent model railroad show. They have used On30 track and it looks good.

 

[beiland]

Yesterday I glued down some of my logging scene trackage. I've worked out how to be able to get the logging locos and log cars from one track to the other via some switches between the 2 tracks that can whole log cars dumping into the log pond (pond is not installed yet).



The saw mill itself has not been built, but it is the Walthers one, and it will have a debarker on the ramp between the pond and the mill.

You can also see where I intend to have that hand operated 'gallows turntable' for the selection of logging locos I have.

I will likely use some smaller gauge track with greater tie spacing on the 2 routes out the peninsula from those 2 open-ended switches

 

[beiland]

I've looked at a number of the A-frame/ Gallows types where the upper structure is built with heavy timbers and steel rod such that the 'bridge structure' can be a relatively flat plane not requiring big support from the perimeter surrounding track, nor a pit of any sort. With the heavy timbers and likely heavy cables and rods they utilized in other ways in logging, I would think this might have been be a real way to construct a relatively cheap, remote turntable that could be moved to another logging location as needed. And naturally hand powered





I'm not 'timber knowledgeable' either, so I wonder how the prototype guys turned their logging locos for the 'return trip'. I suspect it was some sort of 'wye'. But these things eat up 'real estate' also, even if you are just turning the loco and not all the log cars (actually don't see a need to turn all the log cars, they can run either way?)


A wye arrangement at the tip of my peninsula may not be that doable either as its only 18” wide at its best. So that's 'why' I thought of a gallows turntable out at that end.
Besides they look neat, ...and I think I have one that needs TLC, but I can't remember right now.
Addendum 2021: I just discovered this 1962 cut-out I had saved in my pre-computer folders days. It a kit-bashed Atlas turntable with a recessed pit that has a camouflaged....neat idea

Look what I just found recently !!....my gallows turntable, at least a portion of it. I will have to do a little clean up on those support cables,..and likely shorten it a little bit to fit my spot next to the saw mill,..plus add a sub-base rotation mechanism.

 

[beiland]

Help with refining this gallows turntable bridge I found,...interesting rotation addition plus other good ideas,..with photos
http://www.bigriverlines.com/Modelm...ite/BRRR/BRR_Concept/Turntable/Turntable.html

...for instance..

 

[beiland]

A few weeks ago my logging scene was still in its mock-up state,
https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/what-...this-turntable-bridge-12406034?pid=1333088258

I then decided I needed to work on the final location and size of my gallows turntable,
https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/what-...this-turntable-bridge-12406034?pid=1333126809
https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/what-...this-turntable-bridge-12406034?pid=1333152154

One thing lead to another and I had to begin with some modifications and relocation (a little bit) of the saw mill itself,
https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/modifications-to-walthers-lumber-mill-kit-12410504?pid=1333178872

So I've done a fair bit of shuffling around, and even got my existing gallows turntable in there without having to shorten it.

I've even established a new siding track for the turntable. My 'story' for this fairly good size gallows and adjoining storage tracks is my saw mill owner has a particular fascination with logging locos. He has a collection of the different types, and stores a few of them around his saw mill. His latest addition is a siding that adjoins the dbl door access to the mill, and a roll out awning could make this a low-scale maintenance track.





My turntable as offers a straight thru trackage,



I've also filled in those areas that will be paved over for the forklifts to work loading lumber going over to the finishing structure in the corner, or out to the mainline.

 

[beiland]

Here is one brass logging loco I did buy long ago,...its an articulated Toby model that I believe may have been imported by NWSL as it has their name on the bottom as well as the Toby name.





Here is a dilemma I am facing at the moment. Almost all of my logging locos have no decoders in them,...no DCC.
So even while I am providing for a PSX board for the logging district (to be hooked up in the future), I will likely not hook it up right away, and instead run the logging district with plain DC until I can upgrade some of my logging fleet to DCC. I am thinking I will ONLY add a motor decoder to these logging locos, as their small size and compactness makes sound very difficult and questionable.

Does that sound like a reasonable plan,..to start out with DC in that logging district, then upgrade later??

 

[Smudge617]

Here is one brass logging loco I did buy long ago,...its an articulated Toby model that I believe may have been imported by NWSL as it has their name on the bottom as well as the Toby name.





Here is a dilemma I am facing at the moment. Almost all of my logging locos have no decoders in them,...no DCC.
So even while I am providing for a PSX board for the logging district (to be hooked up in the future), I will likely not hook it up right away, and instead run the logging district with plain DC until I can upgrade some of my logging fleet to DCC. I am thinking I will ONLY add a motor decoder to these logging locos, as their small size and compactness makes sound very difficult and questionable.

Does that sound like a reasonable plan,..to start out with DC in that logging district, then upgrade later??

A great plan I admit, but, if your intending to go DCC you might as well do it now as no one knows what the future holds.

Also, I don't know about your experience, but I've noticed a distinct running improvement on the older DC locomotives after fitting a decoder, and that's with nothing fancy or expensive, just the cheap Laisdcc decoders.