11-02-2011, 07:43 AM
Just for grins I thought I would post the rational behind my railroad, hope this doesn't bore you to much:
The Southern Railway had a branchline going from Asheville (everything is in N.C.) to Murphy, where it interchanged with the L&N. In my time period (1960's) it also interchanged with the Graham County Railroad Company around Nantahala at Bear Creek junction. Where it comes through the area I'm modeling it followed the Nantahala river around the Nantahala mountain range. While I am rewriting history I also re-routed the Southern's line thru Tellico Gap, a natural pass in the middle of the mountain range. Tellico Gap is a real place but in my time period there is nothing there (see what happens when the railroad by-passes you ) which leaves me free to do what I want. This also disconnects the Southern from the GCRC which now means I can have it interchange at Tellico Gap junction. This is important for the operational reasons but also because the GCRC ran a Shay into the 1980's. One of the few times you can have a GP38 leave the yard and a Shay pull into the yard AND it's prototypical. The Atlas N scale shay is a little on the large size but will normally be in the yard by itself so it shouldn't be a problem. My biggest concern is how well it runs and how well it holds up. If either of those things are a problem the CGRC also had a SW7 and I have Life-Like's SW9/12 I can use. My second biggest concern is finding the $$$$$$$$ to buy the Shay!
In the western N.C. and north Ga. mountains coal is not only not king it is the ugly red-headed stepchild. In these parts wood is what drives the economic engines of industry. When logging played out furniture companies, pallet companies and pulp wood yards kept the Southern's investors smiling. And so it is on the Nantahala Midland. Up in Tellico Gap there will be a furniture company and feed company (today's last freight customer ) and down in the gap at the junction will be a pulpwood yard and a pallet company as well as a team track. The NM's mainline runs from the upper right around and down past the yard and into the tunnel at the lower right where (in theory anyway ) in proceeds to the Graham Co./Macon Co. line where it connects to the GCRC, which has trackage rights into the yard. A grand total of around 12 miles.
There will be staging yards (at some point in time ) at the lower right (east) and far left (west). Furniture and pallets were shipped all over the country so they will be going in both directions. Feed and fuel (GCRC) came from the midwest so that traffic will always come and go from the west. All pulpwood always goes east to the papermill in Canton (Southern). I will need a small fleet of boxcars for slave service between the lumber mill in Robbinsville (GCRC) and the pallet and furniture companies in Tellico Gap. Everything else can go most any directon.
While passenger traffic stopped in the late 40's in real life it will continue here. A passenger train was usually just a loco and a couple of coaches or a baggage and a coach which is what I will have as well. I can use the old timetables from the 40's for scheduling the pass. trains and the timetables from the 60's for the freight. While I have relocated the Southern's line geographically the town of Nanthala is very close in mileage to Tellico Gap for timetable purposes. However if this causes any operational problems times can be adjusted but at least it will give me a realistic starting point.
This means the Southern will have 4 trains a day (2 each freight and passenger) coming thru the junction. Also the GCRC will be coming once a day and the NM will make two trips a day plus have to switch the yard for the Southern and the GCRC. Whew! Wears me out just thinking about it!
Also an overall picture before the land forms where painted showing the temp control panel and a shot of the finished area of the layout which is the far right side.
The Southern Railway had a branchline going from Asheville (everything is in N.C.) to Murphy, where it interchanged with the L&N. In my time period (1960's) it also interchanged with the Graham County Railroad Company around Nantahala at Bear Creek junction. Where it comes through the area I'm modeling it followed the Nantahala river around the Nantahala mountain range. While I am rewriting history I also re-routed the Southern's line thru Tellico Gap, a natural pass in the middle of the mountain range. Tellico Gap is a real place but in my time period there is nothing there (see what happens when the railroad by-passes you ) which leaves me free to do what I want. This also disconnects the Southern from the GCRC which now means I can have it interchange at Tellico Gap junction. This is important for the operational reasons but also because the GCRC ran a Shay into the 1980's. One of the few times you can have a GP38 leave the yard and a Shay pull into the yard AND it's prototypical. The Atlas N scale shay is a little on the large size but will normally be in the yard by itself so it shouldn't be a problem. My biggest concern is how well it runs and how well it holds up. If either of those things are a problem the CGRC also had a SW7 and I have Life-Like's SW9/12 I can use. My second biggest concern is finding the $$$$$$$$ to buy the Shay!
In the western N.C. and north Ga. mountains coal is not only not king it is the ugly red-headed stepchild. In these parts wood is what drives the economic engines of industry. When logging played out furniture companies, pallet companies and pulp wood yards kept the Southern's investors smiling. And so it is on the Nantahala Midland. Up in Tellico Gap there will be a furniture company and feed company (today's last freight customer ) and down in the gap at the junction will be a pulpwood yard and a pallet company as well as a team track. The NM's mainline runs from the upper right around and down past the yard and into the tunnel at the lower right where (in theory anyway ) in proceeds to the Graham Co./Macon Co. line where it connects to the GCRC, which has trackage rights into the yard. A grand total of around 12 miles.
There will be staging yards (at some point in time ) at the lower right (east) and far left (west). Furniture and pallets were shipped all over the country so they will be going in both directions. Feed and fuel (GCRC) came from the midwest so that traffic will always come and go from the west. All pulpwood always goes east to the papermill in Canton (Southern). I will need a small fleet of boxcars for slave service between the lumber mill in Robbinsville (GCRC) and the pallet and furniture companies in Tellico Gap. Everything else can go most any directon.
While passenger traffic stopped in the late 40's in real life it will continue here. A passenger train was usually just a loco and a couple of coaches or a baggage and a coach which is what I will have as well. I can use the old timetables from the 40's for scheduling the pass. trains and the timetables from the 60's for the freight. While I have relocated the Southern's line geographically the town of Nanthala is very close in mileage to Tellico Gap for timetable purposes. However if this causes any operational problems times can be adjusted but at least it will give me a realistic starting point.
This means the Southern will have 4 trains a day (2 each freight and passenger) coming thru the junction. Also the GCRC will be coming once a day and the NM will make two trips a day plus have to switch the yard for the Southern and the GCRC. Whew! Wears me out just thinking about it!
Also an overall picture before the land forms where painted showing the temp control panel and a shot of the finished area of the layout which is the far right side.
Mike
Sent from my pocket calculator using two tin cans and a string
Sent from my pocket calculator using two tin cans and a string