Building the Pinnacle Creek Mining & Timber Co. RR

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Stoker that Seattle Car and Foundry info is great. Funny to see a 1913 advert referring to old outdated technology. I think the Boeing Company now occupies this land? Jim :)
 
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JPIII, Looks like you have many answers to your questions. I'm under the weather currently and missed a big day it seems. I didn't see anything wrong or incorrect in the answers of others, but I do have a comment or two.

Logging, like most endeavors, has gone through it's own evolution. In the 1800 manual labor was at the top of the list. By 1900 steam donkeys and aerial movement of logs was in vogue. By 1930 trains were on the way out, logging trucks and roads on the way in, and chainsaws were taking over the industry. Clear cutting was on the way out in the 1930s. Active, preplanned reforestation was mostly an after WWII thought that didn't come mandantory until our lifetimes.

Using the above paragraph let see what I can add to the other answers. Because of the fact that the newer growth trees are so uniform we may assume this seen is from about 1950 and later? The wood on the ground is fine, however as previously pointed out it simply is not covered up enough. You mentioned doing some more work on that. My suggestion is to purchased a box of Super Trees from Scenic Express and make your own small shrubs to actually cover most of the 'chum.' Super Trees shrubs and bushes are all over the PCM&T and solve many problems. Especially in the PNWest where regrowth is very fast. We sort of run into a tricky part here in that by the 1960's reforestation also made use of the chum on the grown to help with 'speed of growth' for new trees. Hence partical board came into being.

Bottom line here is that you may be spanning two or more different logging philosophies. This causes an observer to maybe make a opinion that is correct in his mind and not in yours. If you are modeling 1920 then this scene probably would not look like it does in your photo. The new growth is 'reforestation' growth not natural regrowth. Much too crowded and uniform for that.

Also, oldtime logging practices completely ruined the land for the most part. If you drag a 5 ton log through the mud it will leave ruts everywhere. One difficult area overlooked in logging scenes is mud. For the most part it is everywhere and on everything. Mud is not easy to model or modeled enough for realistic modeling. Even after '10 years' your terrain looks a bit too tidy. I don't recall you giving us a time frame for your layout. How's that? Jim:)
 
Steve, Pacar. Good one. I'm assuming that is still the company on this site? Boeing is near the South end of Lake Washington and this photo looks like the same place. Oh well, I've be know to make a mistake before. Jim :D
 
I mentioned that I've been under the weather and virtually missed yesterday. True. Lot's of comments here in my absence and none of you have to offer an appology to me for making them. This site, while primarlly dealing with the building of the PCM&T, has room for thoughts and discussions pertaining to railroading that will help all of us become better modelers.

As long as these discussions are polite and not hurtful I don't have a problem. I like the way this logging discussion went/is going and you're not disrupting the main premise of the thread. Until news of another layout appears you can make this site a better resourse by these discussions. The links alone are fabulous. Keep it up. Maybe I will become redundant?:eek: Jim :rolleyes:
 
HOexplorer said:
Maybe I will become redundant?:eek: Jim :rolleyes:
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I rather doubt that.
Sorry you've unwell and hope you're past that now.

The responses to the subject came as a result of your well developed audience but it feels a bit unfair to be using it thusly. If there is a "next time", I'll ask first.....tho it's easier to get forgiveness than permission.:D
 
1920 +/- 20 years.:D
Don't wanna box myself in too close. Too much good stuff out there to play at.

The owner of my RR is a progressive idividual....on the cutting edge of forest managment.
I know the switchbacks are much too neat & well graded. The owner has a crew tending to the area as this is the only access to the meat of what is above......main line to SCL. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.:D
 
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HOexplorer said:
JPIII, Did you see my Post 1360 which is my answer to your originall query? Jim :)
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Yes. I haven't got to the guts of actual logging. "The Plan" is to use skid roads of whatever types where ever possible....just cause you seldom see em'. This is the first I've built.....more to follow. I plan to use big wheels also.....like I said, lotta stuff out there. I know, too neat.
Part of the learning curve is learning to contour the land realistically.....I'm new at this.


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To wax philosophically for a bit.

The most obviously common link between RR loggers was the fact that were all cheap so....er.....frugal to the extreme.
An ox, horse, steam skidder, loco, mule skinner, 300 Chinese, were used till they no longer put a dollar in the boss's pocket. Consequently no money was spent on equipment that was not absolutely needed. Near as I can figure, the big outfits were 20 years or more ahead, technology wise, of the small gyppo outfits. That makes getting out of or bridging eras with ones model RR pretty safe territory. Some of the stuff, iron/steel spar poles for instance, are later use items......but you can bet that wooden spar poles/steam skidders were used till all the smaller shows closed.
 
GS, Thanks for the photo. I've not seen those cars before. I assume they are Tichy as well?

By the way. Any of you folks that have not 'clicked' Geared Steam in GS's post are missing a treat. He has the best and 'top of the line' model railroad website on the internet. It has been on my "Favorites" list for years. There is even a list of model railroaders best modelers. Spend some time there. I'm not on the list but I'm trying to get on there!:eek:

So do yourself a big favor and visit. Jim:)
 
HOexplorer said:
GS, Thanks for the photo. I've not seen those cars before. I assume they are Tichy as well?

By the way. Any of you folks that have not 'clicked' Geared Steam in GS's post are missing a treat. He has the best and 'top of the line' model railroad website on the internet. It has been on my "Favorites" list for years. There is even a list of model railroaders best modelers. Spend some time there. I'm not on the list but I'm trying to get on there!:eek:

So do yourself a big favor and visit. Jim:)
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Thanks Jim

Those are actually MDC Gravel Cars that they suggested you to bash (3-n-1 kits) into smaller cars.

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They were fun to do btw.

As far as not linking :( :eek: so sorry, that 4 letter word (work) has been sucking my modeling and website time away from me. (it took me 8 months to finish the kit above) :(

Anyway, I did add a link to this thread, it is under the header "Instructional" for your scenery techniques. (linked below)


Thanks for all you do to help modelers Jim :)
 
Thank you for the link GS.

Those cars are beauts. Maybe too big for my little layout. For all my exploring and doing Roundhouse kits I'm not sure how I overlooked these.:eek: Jim :)
 
Steve, The photographer was Darius Kinsey and most of his work after his death went to the University of Washington Library, which houses the largest collection of lumber photos in the world I'm thinking. A visit to UofW library and clicking 'logging photos' is worth the time.

This link has long been on my 'Favorites' list and should be on all modelers list who visit here. Thanks, Jim:)
 
HOexplorer said:
Thank you for the link GS.

Those cars are beauts. Maybe too big for my little layout. For all my exploring and doing Roundhouse kits I'm not sure how I overlooked these.:eek: Jim :)
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Jim
Once they are cut they are the same length as the Tichy ore cars. :D

I prefer short (and light) for my layout (small)
 


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