Doors?

What is behind those doors you are planning to block?

pqe

Looking Forward to seeing more

This looks like it could be interesting, narrow gauge in TT. I always thought that TT was a nice size to work in. The pictures on that website don't look particularly mountainous, I wonder why they chose to go with narrow gauge?

You could us with another spur track in the logging area, maybe with a really tight curve you could fit something in and it would look appropriate for a logging operation.

Another Russian Modeler!

Yippy! I'm the moderator of a Russian modeling group on Facebook and model the 1520mm myself in HO scale. The narrow guage peat and logging railroads of the Soviet Union are just fascinating. I look forward to seeing this develop. 

Deep in the forest

pqe:

Most of the rooms in my house have at least two doors in them. It is a three bedroom house, and this is the side bedroom, and the door on the left leads to the back bedroom which also has a second door into the laundry area and back right around the house. like a donut of interconnected rooms. The back bedroom is my sons bedroom when he is home from uni, so I could potentially block that door off indefinitely.

The cupboard has boxes of stuff stored in it, some hanging items and also a couple of high shelves, so I will have to make sure I leave enough space to get things in and out when needed. I am a fairly thin bloke at present, but access there could be an issue.

Brent:

The line was developed as a logging line across a river and deep into unpopulated forest. No interchange on the existing line. The towns were logging towns and Lyzhma (on the plan) and Cesa beyond had no road access. It was all served by rail. I think narrow gauge was used because it didn't need as much work as broad gauge and the loading was so much lighter in often swampy area. It was also easier to lay and lift.You see many photos of the forestry areas with track lain on fresh cut logs maybe 6" diameter.

I will be hand laying track and will do something similar in that area. Toothpicks or small dowel should work. It is hard to work out track arrangements from photos but I wanted a run around and some extra sidings a bit deeper into the forest. The passing sidings will allow an engine and three articulated skeleton logging cars (around 630mm/25"). Logging ops ceased over the winter, so other trains that run with a snow plow (passenger/other freight) will be shorter. The loop from Lyzhma to Cesa will allow a longer run on passenger services, but the logging trains wont use the loop.

Matt:

Yes, (to me) Russian narrow gauge is very interesting! Many lines are in slow decline, with struggling communities in isolated locations. One of the keywords I brainstormed while considering the 'essence' (a term I picked up from Jim Spavins and his books on Minimalist Model Railroading) of the railway was regrowth; the forest encroaching along the edges of the line and reclaiming old buildings and the debris of civilisation. Not quite a line in it's prime.

Here is a a

Steve

Community growing

Welcome to another TT scale modeler! Also nice to see the Russian prototype modeling community growing here on MRH.

Joern

Minimalist model railroading

Thanks for the tip on Jim Spavins. Neat website. Yes, a model railroad should have an essence. 

Joern, I really enjoy the

Joern, I really enjoy the composite images you post, keep up the good work!

Steve

Layout update

Hi all, thought I'd better post an update. I have completed track work on the first module, and here is a pic of it in the position that it will end up in (albeit a lot higher up the wall!):

Unfortunately the curve off the trestle bridge into the set of points is too sharp, so will have to move it... All part of the learning process

I have also spent a lot of time thinking about the track plan and have made significant changes. More spread out taking over the cupboard space with simplified town trackage. Still got long ways to go with the top main town, but at the pace I am traveling, there is no rush.

More work on the module coming up in the near future!

Narrow gauge logging railroads

Steve, this looks like an interesting layout for those, like me, who prefer a very laid-back approach to operations.  Your post reminded me of this great YouTube video on a Hungarian narrow gauge logging railroad at 

Is anything moved on lines such as this besides logs?  My only real concern with such a prototype would be preventing operations from becoming too monotonous.

Nice link to that Hungarian

Nice link to that Hungarian logging railway Joe. Very atmospheric with the little (very little!) engines running in the mist and though tunnels of trees.

Besides the logs, the main thing moved along the Lipakovo line was people. What else to move is certainly in my mind as I think about spotting locations and the whole arrangement of what I have termed 'Big town' along the top. Remember that there was no interconnection with the rest of the world via rail, neither were the townships along the line connected by road. So everything needed was transported by rail.

One thing I have tried to find out (via photos) is the various types of rolling stock used along the line, which would give hints as to what was transported. Lots of logging cars and platform cars are seen, a few boxcars, ballast hoppers and tamper, crane, snow ploughs, tankers mounted on flat cars, mobile workshop wagon sets, transporter cars for logging tractors etc. On the back of platform cars are seen some fluid tankers and also a bread container. The list goes on!

Maintenance/non revenue rolling stock I find very interesting, so they will feature heavily.  But how to fit it all in a sensible operating scheme will be the thing, with enough variety. I have a list beside me at present of all the rolling stock types that I think I will make, and possible quantities. And a list of facilities that I think I will need.

Hmm, Lyzhma does look quite light on for car spots. Thanks for bringing this up. It will be a while before the Lyzhma module is built, but it will be the next one built, so more thinking.As Treebeard would say, let's not be hasty (on finalising track arrangements).

I did find track pans for the line on a Russian site here if anyone wants to take a look. Lyzhma station (Станция Лужма) is shown on the second schematic at the top. More thoughts or comments most welcome

Checking back in

Steve,

Great work! This is exciting. I've been away from an easy way to view MRH for several months so had forgotten about this thread.

Then and now

Hi all,

Just realised it has been a year since posting an update! This last weekend with a bit of help I have  'built' the layout room and installed the first (one and only) module. I have a spare room that was designated the layout room and with some planning and prep it is now up and running.

On Friday it looked like:

And Sunday afternoon was:

In the next week I shall start a blog about how it was done and the problems encountered. But it is great to finally put something on the wall!

Nice to see there is some

Nice to see there is some progress!

Joern