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Roadbed for Small Logging Railroad
Wayne asks readers:
“I am starting a small HO logging railroad, of the 1920’s-40’s era. The first section will be the sawmill and accompanying trackage, along with the engine house/yard area. I am planning on using 1/2″ plywood and then covering the flat and the slightly inclined portions with 1/2″ homosote. Do I actually need a typical style of raised roadbed, or is just the flat homosote OK? From pictures in books I have looked at, these areas seem pretty flat if there is even a raised roadbed underneath. Thanks.”
2 Responses to Roadbed for Small Logging Railroad
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Sometimes logging railroads merely laid their tracks on the ground and did not use a ¨typical¨ roadbed. If you have photos of a prototype logging railroad which looks flat, then they (the railroad) probably laid the tracks on the ground. I have found old logging railroad tracks in the woods (an abandoned track) which were laid on the ground. To be typical of the period, I would use some small rail like code 70 to represent light rail that logging railroads used.
As Rusty commented,,,
The Logging rails were only laid temporarily so all they did was leveled the ground out only what they had to,,, to lay the track right on the ground. which made for uneven bumpy rails. that is why you had the slow “usually” geared locos because if they went more than 10 or 15 MPH they would jump off of the tracks. :>]