Diesel Logging

[jwb]

I've finished a couple of projects, and I'm looking at various other areas on my layout that need work. One is a diesel logging operation (late steam is OK, too) where I have a lot of scenery work left to do. Here is the area where it meets the main line:     The silver tank will go on supports made from logs. It came from a cheapo Life-Like oil and gas dealer kit. I need to add a roof to the skid shack and do more work with stumps and ground cover in this area, and in the lower right, I need to add a lumber company office from a plan in MR that will cover a switch machine. Stay tuned!

[Steamtrains]

Looking forward to your progress...

It's "micro-scenes" like that, that make a layout come to life..!!

[jwb]

Here's some rolling stock. First is a BN log car converted from a boxcar, that's coincidentally the prototype of the Accurail double-door box, so I cut it down from that:     It's waiting for lettering.

Next is a more or less freelance car, but several late loggers had cars like it. I cut the sides off an old Varney gon and put an extra Athearn boxcar frame underneath, with Details West log bunks (all the cars here have those, a big boon for modern logging models):        

An OC&E style car done from a Tyco flat found at a swap meet:     This style was also very common with diesel loggers in the northwest.

Finally a BN car converted from a flat:     The BN had both 40 foot and 50 foot versions, and you can see them in photos and videos, but it's hard to get info.

Reinhard's St Maries GP9s would certainly be good locos to run with these!

[jwb]

I added the roof and a set of skids to the skid shack:     The skids are made from the kind of long matchsticks that you use for barbeques and fireplaces, and I've saved up a good stock of used ones. (My wife will be happy I'm actually using some.) The corrugated iron roof is from Paper Creek. Sad they're gone, but at least I have several projects' worth of material left.

And the skid shack came out so well that I started looking for similar items in a logging plan book I have. There's a Weyerhaeuser sand house that I think will fit in the area here:     It's basically another skid shack, supported on skids, logs, stilts, and so forth on the same sort of sloping ground. I probably already have all, or nearly all, the parts and materials I need.