Animated objects (ie: logs and sawmills)

[RonP]

Being a carpenter, i want to build a logging line on my layout. I'm looking for limits to my plans.

I am wondering if anyone knows of some functional looking layouts. by functional i mean a working (looking) enviroment with turning blades, moving logs, cranes etc... I want to start with some realistic plans before i started getting experimental.

 

[Jim Krause]

There was an article on an animated sawmill in a recent magazine. I'll look it up and let you know.

 

[shaygetz]

In Sept '77 issue of MR, there was a model railroad known as the Port Caribou RR & Western Navigation Co. He had a working pile driver, sawmill, jib crane, bascule bridge and car ferry among other things. The car ferry rode on modified O scale trolley trucks on an underwater rail system. The river water was colored and amounted to about 400 gallons. Pretty wild stuff

 

[RonP]

sounds like exactly what im running for. I don't have any trains or track yet, i have started the layout objects such as buildings and trees.

BTW in you opinion what magazine is best to subscribe too ?

 

[jasbourre]

If you try looking at some of the christmas displays, at places like Hallmark, they have animated ornaments that may help you think of your own.

 

[pgandw]

I've seen pictures of working (animated) jill pokes at the log dump, and working inclines (log cars lowered by cable down 40%+ grades). But how well these worked in actual practice over a period of time is an unknown.

The other issue that comes up with animation of any functional process is replenishment and removal - very similar to the old loads and empties of open top freight cars. How do you keep a fresh supply of logs going into your saw mill? And what do you do with the lumber that has been "sawn" from those logs?

Lionel, the master of toy train animation, often used unrealistic continuous loops to solve this problem. The conveyor belt log loader, various coal loaders, horse and cattle ramps, and barrel loader were examples of this method. A car would unload into the accessory, and the accessory would reload the car at the other end (sometimes not as successfully as one would expect!)

Or the operating accessory required manual reloading. The milk cars, reefer icing, and saw mill were examples of this scenario.

On my HOn3 line, I don't expect to do any animation of the loading of the lumber from the mill onto the dog hole schooner. Just too complicated, and will likely require too much manual reaching in to reload or extract loads. What is in my "someday" plans is to set up a method to occasionally generate fog, play sounds, and possibly a shot or two of the aromas that might be typical of the scene.

My favorite magazines as of right now are Model Railroader and Short Line and Narrow Gauge Gazette. Railroad Model Craftsman may eventually substitute for Model Railroader. Model Railroader serves as my general model railroading news source, and keeps my up-to-date on what the mainstream elements of the hobby are doing. SL&NGG does the same for the narrow gauge world but adds the prototype info and plans that MR used to have. But as I have developed in the hobby, I have found that I need the more specialized books and special issues to learn more about my interests (1870-1900 era short line, narrow gauge, and Western logging). The Gauge, trains.com forums, and select Yahoo Groups have also become a regular part of my reading, and help me with my withdrawal symptons of not having my trains or tools available to me right now.

my thoughts, your choices

 

[RonP]

to pgandw

I intend to use a rolling hopper system for the logs, when they run out they run out. Also the lumber mill will be on a slow run while the bigger loading system will be somewhat faster. The loading system will load one car only and would basically have to be a manual remote fun thing. I dont have a prob with the technicals its just i need the details of whats best to use (i don't want to reinvent anything already perfected).

Thank for the info on the mags i think i will subscribe to both you mentioned.

 

[fsm1000]

Best mag for what you want is [in my opinion]
http://www.ngslgazette.com/issue.htm

Hope that helps

 

[RonP]

Best mag for what you want is [in my opinion]
http://www.ngslgazette.com/issue.htm

Hope that helps

thats the one i like thanks for the tip.

 

[sumpter250]

NG&SL is excellent, for logging specific also check out Timber Times

There is a lot of good info in both of these not only for loggers, but for those who wish to freelance. Necessity, is the mother of invention.......and, therefore, the bread and butter of freelancing.

 

[fsm1000]

Ron, on my site I have some links to logging stuff you might find helpful too.

 

[Dansco]

In my other hobby I discovered the magic of servos. Those little widgets used in RC stuff. They come in many sizes and different features. To use servos, though you need some type of Microcontroler that will take input of some kind and translate that into movment of the servos. I use the OOPIC-R board. This lets me add add buttons etc, and allows me to hook up serverl servos without any further electronics. Using servos for actuators is akin to using tortise switch machines, but much more flexible. Using a microcontoler allows for basicaly unlimiated programibility, create simple switches to check for a car in the right spot etc. Unlimited potential. FYI: Iv not used this for anything in RR yet, though my robot was prety cool, my vague plan is to use it to unload logs in my simple modern logging yard.

 

[Triplex]

In Sept '77 issue of MR, there was a model railroad known as the Port Caribou RR & Western Navigation Co. He had a working pile driver, sawmill, jib crane, bascule bridge and car ferry among other things. The car ferry rode on modified O scale trolley trucks on an underwater rail system. The river water was colored and amounted to about 400 gallons. Pretty wild stuff

Wasn't there another article on that layout about 20 years later?