The Styx River Lumber Company

[chessie system fan]

Right now, this is all theoretical and just a fun track planning exercise.  It remains to be seen if this will get built.  But for a number of years, I've had the desire to build a small logging railroad that I can display at shows.  So here is the plan for the The Styx River Lumber Company!



The setting is Appalachia in the mid 1930s.  I wanted the name to be something that was fictional and evoked something backwoods Primitive Baptist, sort of like the "Brimstone Railroad." The Styx River is a Greek mythological place that brings to mind how hard life was back then in those subsistence farming days. It's also the name of a real river in my area of Alabama!  I own a spike from an some old logging railroad that logged that area 100 years ago, too.

The plan is a smidge over 2x4 feet.  At the top is a log dump track and a log pond.  Below that will be where outbound lumber is loaded. There will be stacks of lumber there.  The mill will be assumed to be off the layout in that corner. 

At the bottom right is a small station.  That track there will go to the edge for future expansion. For now, it will be an interchange track.  I haven't decided what the other two sidings on that side of the layout will be, only that one of them will be where logs are loaded to take to the mill pond.

I used Kato Unitrack in Anyrail to design this, but the real track will be hand-laid code 25 rail. The curves have a 9.8" radius.

The backdrop is designed to be thick to hide interior supports that will hold a lighted valence.  And between the valence and the backdrop, you won't be able to see all of the layout at the same time.  You'd have to walk around to see everything which, I hope, will make the layout feel larger in spite of its small size.

So that's what I have so far!  Any comments, suggestions, or ideas are welcome.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

If you're thinking about expansion you'll probably want two access points.

But I also wouldn't worry about it.

I wrote about this many years ago: https://conrail1285.com/its-a-door-not-a-domino/

[chessie system fan]

The original goal was to make the bottom right a wye, but that took up too much room.  If I do expand at all, it will be a little engine terminal or a staging yard.

[nkalanaga]

Where do you get code 25 rail? 

[wm3798]

I like it.
You should build it just as is, and tote it to shows (in or out of the hobby... it's fun when you aren't "preaching to the choir")

Looks like a nice, bite sized project that can be seen through to completion, with the assistance of a deadline provided by the upcoming train show (wherever, whenever that might be).

Just do it.
Lee

[chessie system fan]

Where do you get code 25 rail?

My plan is to use embedded Kato code 80 rail in a 3D printed tie base.   We'll see if it works!

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=58196.0

[randgust]

I was going to kind of bust on you about that rail size until I saw what you were trying.   Should work.   But switches will get interesting.

I've now got a portable 2-module layout for shows, and seven T-trak modules.   I've been hauling the portable layout around since the 70's.  All that was available then was C80.  But buried up to the tie-tops in dirt and cinders and weeds and painted, never once have I felt bad about the rail size.  I do Peco C55 now as a standard, same thing.  I tried C40, it worked for a while anyway, tore it out. 

What does happen is that any module on the road gets subjected to heat, expansion and contraction, humidity changes, rough handling, other people  handling stuff.   That's a nice, workable track plan.  If you have to compromise on switches to keep your sanity, just do it.   Even though I go 'all Peco C55' when it comes to special track like the two 60-degree crossings on my one Ttrak module, comp up to Atlas C80 and back down again.  The way you are doing it you can get away with regular switches if you have to, just paint and bury them.   Do a test early and often on mounting your rail in the tie strip - the adhesive approach I I usd on the tie strip deteriorated and embrittled it so bad the rail crumbled the ties right under it.  Took two years.  Your base threading is a better approach as long as the tie strip doesn't deteriorate or embrittle. 

One of my favorite saying in N is that you can really appreciate the fine detail better if it is stalled, derailed and isn't moving.   

[Chris333]

Where can you buy Kato rail?

[chessie system fan]

Kato sells unitrack flex track!  I'd only need a handful of pieces for a layout this size. 

Randy, in my test pieces, I found that individual ties (using regular resin) were fragile and broke easily in the thin area underneath the rails.  But with a solid base, they are very sturdy.  And I can make the subroadbed as thick as I want.  I plan to add screw holes here and there to attach the track.  There won't be a need for glue anywhere. I also plan to use a tougher, flexible resin for the final design. 

I've spent the evening looking at turnout ideas.  I'm borrowing a Fast Tracks jig, and it appears that Kato track fits in all the slots and jigs.  A hybrid Fast Tracks/3D printed might be the solution. It would give me #6s instead of #4s, too.  And if that fails, I'll use commercial #4s.