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Sequoyah Falls Timber Co.

Attached are several pictures of my Sequoyah Falls Timber Co. diorama that features the SWSM sawmill, logging and tractor repair shed, tool shed, and rigging shed, plus cook and bunk houses. The diorama is 4' x 6', and features a large waterfalls behind a trestle. There is no more room in the diorama for any more structures, except for a small water tank, etc.IMG_0230
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Comments

  • Lot's of work there great job.
    Carl
  • Awesome work! You dont see many O scale builds...and when you do, they dont look very good. You on the other hand nailed all of the various structures. The Best One of course is The Mill which looks absolutely stunning.

    Thanks for sharing!
    Alan

  • Wonderful modeling. Love the overall feel. How about a couple overall shots so we can get an idea of the dio layout...
  • Now that's some seriously nice work. It has a really nice backwoods feel to it which is reflection of your terrific scenic work and structure detail. Great stuff...Ken
  • Thanks to all of you for your compliments on my diorama. I've attached some photos of the entire diorama. I have a Bachmann On30 two truck Shay locomotive that I am going to weather and put on the diorama. Since there is not much track on the diorama, I will just run the engine once in awhile to enjoy that aspect of model railroading. IMG_0239
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  • Great Pictures keep them coming it is a pleasure to look them over.
    Carl
  • Below is the story of my layout. Sequoyah Falls and the Sequoyah Falls Timber Co. are fictitious. However, much of the rest of the story is historically accurate. I forgot to mention that the sawmill has lights and sound. In case, your wondering, I live in Eureka, MT, which is located in northwest Montana, 8 miles from the Canadian border. I am familiar with the areas mentioned in the story. In fact, some of the scenery material for the diorama was obtained near Essex, MT and along highway 2 next to the BNSF line (formerly Great Northern Railway line) that runs along the east side of Glacier National Park. I'm not entirely satisfied with the lighting, but my options are limited because the layout is in the loft of my log cabin.

    History of Sequoyah Falls Timber Co.

    In early 1889, the same year Montana became a state, the Great Northern Railway (GNR) announced plans to build the Pacific Extension from Havre, Montana over Marias Pass (elevation 5,214 feet) to the Pacific Coast. Construction of the Pacific Extension created a large demand for manufactured wood products, including crossties (2,500 per mile), bridges, pilings, telegraph poles, snow fences, fuelwood for railroad camps, cribbing, tunnel timbers, fuel, corduroy roads, and railroad buildings. Most cross ties for the GNR line in northwest Montana were made of Douglas fir or western larch and either hewn in the woods adjacent to the rail line or manufactured by sawmills near the GNR line. In addition, the GNR used several million feet of dimension lumber to construct railroad bridges and tunnels. In the Summit and Bear Creek areas, over 100 wood buildings were constructed for the grading camps. Building the tote road paralleling the rail line required constructing 122 bridges and numerous corduroy roads.

    In anticipation of GNR demand for wood products, the Sequoyah Falls Timber Co. (SFTC) was established in 1888. SFTC’s sawmill and supporting facilities were completed in 1889, just prior to construction of the GNR line over Marias Pass. The mill was located immediately south of Sequoyah Falls on Essex Creek about one-half mile west of Essex, Montana, a small town along the GNR line located about 16 miles south of Marias Pass and 58 miles west of Kalispell. Advantages of this location were its proximity to heavily-forested areas, the GNR line, and Flathead Valley.

    Initially, the sawmill manufactured crossties, timbers, and dimension lumber for the section of the GNR line through northwest Montana. During construction of the GNR line, wood products manufactured by the sawmill were made from logs cut along the right-of-way and tote road for the GNR line and forests surrounding the mill. Logs felled closer to the mill were skidded to the mill via horse-drawn wagons. Logs felled in areas farther away from the mill were skidded by horse to landings along a narrow gage line, loaded onto log disconnects, and transported to the mill. Crossties and dimension lumber purchased by GNR were transported to the right-of-way and other building sites between Essex and Marias Pass by horse-drawn wagons via the GNR tote road. After the GNR line was completed to Essex, wood products were transported to GNR construction sites via a spur.

  • Great looking dio and I love the topography.
  • One word "AWESOME"

    Jerry
  • I agree your diorama is awesome. Wonderful modeling. It must have been a great pleasure to build those wonderful SWSM kits. Very, very nice!

    Bill
  • That is a very rare to have the history of the logging mill that you are building quite a reference.
    Carl
  • Very impressive.
  • This is fantastic. Thanks for sharing it with us.
  • Wow! Really well done, Tony!
    Keep the pictures coming for us. Can we see some more of your sawmill? I'd like to get a peek at the interior with all the machines.

  • What a great way to display fine modeling along with the SWSM kits. Great attention to detail.
  • A few days ago I was in my loft where my diorama is located. The sun was shining through my gable windows illuminating the diorama. I took this picture. I think it looks neat because it is all natural morning light.

    Resized cropped picture of sawmill
  • Very, Very nice! Sure do like it. I would love to have that kit.

    Geezerbill
  • That picture and a cup of coffee is all I'd need to wake up in morning! Great looking scene!
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