Visitors love the detail on our layout. One of the tricks is to transform the mundane into something “special.” It doesn’t take much. In this case Frank Davis has transformed an ordinary flatcar load of lumber into a flatcar owned by the infamous (?) Slash & Burn Timber Company.
Slash and Burn Company’s Flatcar
Only the California Western Railroad (CWR) and the Caspar Railroad had tunnels. The CWR had two and the Caspar Railroad one. Our layout, the Mendocino Coast Model Railroad & Navigation Co., just like the real world, has three. These two pics were taken at Tunnel #1 and #2.
Diesel 913 exiting Tunnel #1
Consists passing in Tunnel #2
This is one of President Chuck Whitlock’s creations. Nothing gets wasted on the Mendocino Coast Modsel Railroad & Navigation Co. I’m not sure how we, a logging railroad, came to acquire a trolley car. No matter how we got it the question was, “how to use it?”. This was Chuck’s solution.
Defunct trolley used as a load
Chief Operating Officer Frank Davis has put together a MOW (Maintenance of Way) Consist. The consist features two new(ish) items – a tank car and a steam donkey with a canopy. Both these were kitbashed by our President – Chuck Whitlock. Click on the photos to enlarge them.
The MOW tank car
The donkey engine replete with canopy
The MOW consist passing Carlson farm
The Caspar Lumber Company had two articulated 2-6-6-2 locomotives. They were named Trojan and Samson. California Western Railroad also had a 2-6-6-2. She was known as the “Super Skunk”. We have a 2-6-6-2 but she has had troubles from day one so we have been on the look out for an articulated lokie. To fill the void our club secretary offered the club his very nearly new 0-6-6-0 and yesterday she made her maiden appearance on our layout. She’s a real beauty – see below (click on a photo to see full size) ……..
Nearing the end of the Pudding Creek Trestle
New 0-6-6-0 coming in through the east portal with a log consist
Rounding the inside north west corner
She doesn’t have a name yet. A name will come when she returns to the layout battery powered.
We now have a Drovers’ Caboose for the tail end of our cattle train. Drover’s cabooses were over sized to accommodate the drovers who rode with the cattle cars. The drovers saw to the unloading and re-loading of the cattle when the cattle were fed and watered.
Drovers’ caboose
Drovers’ caboose
How do you maintain the roof of a tunnel? With a tunnel maintenance vehicle of course!!!!
Tunnel Maintenance Vehicle – Yes it really works