"Realistic" log loads.....?

GAP said:
I'm lucky downunder we have plants known as cordylines (sometimes sold as "Chinese Happy Plant" the have flax like top grow with straight textured bark "trunks".
When cut and left to dry they weight less than a similar piece of balsa but keep the bark.
I have some ranging in scale feet from 15" down to 3' in diameter which reminds me I should check on the latest batch.
Click to expand...
Cordylines are very prolific in south western England - maybe other parts as well. The are known locally as Torbay Palms. I have one in my back yard.
Logs I have made in the past were from a cherry tree. They do have a nice looking bark. Painting Bachmann plastic logs , as Beavercreek has done, it a good choice for those with little or no access to suitable trees. But care needs to be taken to ensure a decent appearance.
 
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Henri your outdoor railway is maturing nicely and your rail stock has expanded since i last looked.

Have you developed a new light industrial/logging camp theme whilst i was away?

We have no shortage of extraneous timber in our locality, so much so that I was reduced to the recent purchase of a second hand LGB 45770 disconnect logging set, complete with artificial logs!

acer-with-logs.jpg

I remember being impressed by their realism when they came out many years ago, The logs appear to be a very dense resin based material that are extremely well detailed and painted to represent freshly felled large tree trunks. I would think that they would be more readily available 2nd hand where you live. I think their was also a set of three disconnect trucks without loads that came out sometime in the late 90's that you would also enjoy..

Would recommend them for you expanded logging operations - along with the esoteric and very British Michael Palin's "Lumberjack" song ;)..
 
Henri and other log enthusiasts, these EMEK log lorries go with you log trains. As far as I remember you could also but additional packs of logs to enhance the load,

Only just remembered I still had them, my son played with them some time ago and was reminded when I responded to a question another thread..

EMEK-log-lorry.jpg

Sorry about repeat image but it seems to go well on this thread.
 
Not sure if the Emek trucks are available anymore? haven't seen them in a while.

I brought a Scania with rear mounted Hiab from a mate recently for log trains.

I have also brought a couple of DR log bogie wagons from RhB Paul lately, which will go with another I have along with a couple of 2 axle wagons to make my log train.

I've used branch offcuts for my logs? They look realistic, and saves me shredding them for the green bin. I use black ty-wraps to hold them together, as these look close enough to the webbing straps used on loose log loads....
 
My little offering to this thread.image.jpeg
My first image shows a similar type of log loading to that Henry has used in his short log wagons. I made this up may years ago, probably when I lived in Leagrave. Originally they were glued but over time that failed so I hammered small mains wire flat and wrapped it round the load to simulate a Strap. This has worked reasonably well, the logs can be removed for Loads one way empties the other. I have around 6 of the bundles so 3 can be loaded into this type of open and perhaps 4 or 5 in a bogie open. Note that at some time some sort of insect has taken a fancy to the inside of some of the sticks. Below you can see where I have crudely wrapped the wire at the bottom of the load. This was done in a simple U shaped Jig made out of wood with the sticks placed inside and the wire wrapped on.
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image.jpeg
The next load is somewhat similar and in fact a bit big for the wagon shown, normally they get loaded to Swiss Stype Log Wagons with just a couple of Stakes on them. These logs came loose with the Swiss Wagons (Bought from a very nice gentleman of this site) and I subsequently secured them with my now normal method, which is to use Pike Wire Fishing Line and Crimps to hold the complete thing firm. In the picture below you should just be able to make out the Crimps which are an easy squeeze to make all secure. Needless to say the wire is pretty strong. As each of the 3 Wagons I bought had a good load the sticks have all been dealt with in a similar way.
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The next load is similar to the one above and is an earlier one made for my Bogie Wagon. This has a hole drilled through each of the bottom logs with some brazing wire nailed through to keep a good secure bottom load. The rest were then placed in declining heaps on top with the fishing wire crimped on. I used this wagon as a Jig in this case. I have 3 or 4 of these loads.
image.jpeg
My methods of securing the sticks though different have all been succesful,in allowing trains to be properly replicated with Loads one way and Empties the other. For me a very important thing to do.

I have used varying types of wood in these loads, but found that Elder Cuttings work very well. Relatively new growth say a season or two tends to chuck out quite long straight sticks.

I have written some of this before but it was in the old Central days and the pics have been lost so thought it worth repeating.
JonD
 
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I used cedar closet poles, sand blasted them ( it removes the soft grain and leaves the hard grain, and then colored with acrylic paints. Shortened the LGB log car, original log is in foreground
2e6a6eafa46b9ffd5b70c34bbfb619bc.jpg
, Bill
 
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