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Twin Mills my way



Intro : I'm attempting to build a layout based on the real logging railroad in southern NM that ran from Alamorgodo to Cloudcroft NM. The real RR was built late in the 19th century and actuallu operated well into the 20th. My version is loosely based on the Sacramento Mountain Lumber Co that logged from about 1918 to about 1924. Wierdly enough it was never a narrow gague operation so all the track was standard gague and obtained ( I think ) from the SP and its predasessors. Anyway it was a logging railroad through beautiful country with some unique features and is only about a hundred miles from my home in El Paso. Soooooo..... I needed a sawmill.
This might have little to do with the real Twin Mills cause I didn't build the whole thing as a sawmill. I had been waiting for Bret to resize the O scale Sebastapol mill but I figured I wouldn't live that long so the Twin Mills ended up as a single mill and a whole bunch of other large to small structures, The object of this whole exercise was to get a saw mill so the " new mill " became my sawmill. A few scratch built and kit bashed parts from other kits ended up in my mill but basically it's a portion of SWSM twin mills. I don't have a log pond so I built a giant gantry crane for logs and a small platform so the mill owners could do some planning and sizing for special orders but most of the rough cut lumber is shipped to a planning mill in Alamogordo. The pictures start with the log dump side with the gantry crane and chip burner then switch to the opposite side with the loading docks and the boiler and steam engine. I still have lots of interior detailing to do. BBTW I'm 71 and visually handicapped so don't be too hard on me ........ oh what the hell criticize away.
Anyway here's some shots of the mostly finished sawmill
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Comments

  • As you can see I'm not much of a photographer.
  • I like the coloration....and the gantry crane is kool....nice work!
  • Dwight, what a treat! Love the layout so much. I really like what you have done. Thank you for sharing with us here.
  • Thanks guys , I'll have some more of my trashing Brets instructions soon.
  • Dwight blazed his own trail with the kits layout so he did not follow my instructions...
  • Hmmmm....next project .... how about turning the "Old Mill " into an old barn that's been converted to a furnature factory ?

    Actually I did follow Brett's' instructions to a point. Just didn't lay out everything like he did. The main reasons were that I don't have the room and the Cloudcroft area is pretty dry. The only water big enough for a log pond didn't exist till the late 70's ( 1970's ).
  • A couple more. How about the dwanamite shack growing a Dinered


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  • Or maybe the boat shed acting as a handcar shedIMG_0154
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  • edited June 2017
    I've had an 'explosive' experience from a curry in my time, even had a bad Mexican meal once or twice that have caused some eruptions, however, I'm thinking that a "dynamite diner" is not a good idea...
  • Dwight, unique perspective on a classic SWSM Kit. Thanks for posting your progress and despite your visual impairment, you've done some very nice detail work here!
  • I will say again how much I like what you have done with the sawmill proper... the layout is very interesting and unique. Very well done.

    Just to be clear here, Dwight has added a diner kit from an unknown manufacturer to the dynamite shack. Knowing that Dwight is an intelligent dude, I will suggest he is not using the shack to store dynamite next to a Diner! (Funny stuff though Karl.) A diner kit just isn't my style, won't ever make one...

    Now the hand car shed is a nice way to repurpose the log pond boat house. Dwight, you may want to repaint and weather those castings (they are not SierraWest castings) as that would provide an instant improvement. Especially the drums... way too shiny. Chalk and rubbing alcohol Dwight! A swsm modelers best friend...
  • On the diner I actually took an old passenger car from an old build and cut it in half. I still need to add the venting chimneys. I'v restricted their fare to soup and sandwiches. I have eaten Mexican food in a couple places in both Oro Grande and Cloudcroft and it was awful so none of that.
  • A little challenge. How many SWSM kits or parts of kits are in this awful pictureIMG_0160
  • edited June 2017
    6, maybe 7 if you count the crane from the shipyard...

    ed said.... "not enough" , I couldn't agree more.
  • Nice scene Dwight, I see 6 also. Great gathering of the faithful!
  • Karl , the crane came with the skidder repair kit
  • By "skidder repair kit" I'm guessing you mean the "Donkey repair yard" Kit 209... I stand corrected.

    So when do we get the answer ? 5,6. 7. did we miss any?
  • Donkey repair , right. I was raised around horses and mules but never had any donkeys Karl.
    There are actually 7 from 4 different kits. There's a tiny little building behind the water tank which is behind the tree. Photos of the " Old Mill " coming.
  • edited July 2017
    OK , " Old Mill " reduax . I think that's French , anyway I basically followed Brett's instructions but added a floor , loading dock and a landing for the door. I love the original roof but just had to try a new kind of roof. We had a roof like this on one of the feed sheds on our ranch and it was ancient when I was a kid in the 50's sooooo , it fits the time period.
    BTW that's not anywhere near where its gonna be. It's just where it landed when I sat it down to take pics.
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  • edited July 2017
    Red siding looks really good and I do like the roof, aging well but not completely dilapidated (kinda like me)

    the rust variations on the roof are nice as is the non uniformity of the siding, looking good.

    only thing I would suggest is give that nice clean roof ladder some attention to age it to match the structure. (and I don't wanna hear the old ladder was replaced with a new one..ha)

    Karl.A
  • Karl , but it wasn't even there till the furnature people bought it. Neither were the fire barrels.
    Ed , yea Latin. Hell I couldn't even pass Spanish.
  • BTW THANKS for all the nice comments. Really ! I do think some of you need to visit the eye Dr though.
  • Well I havn't given up. Here ( I hope ) is the saw mill in it's " final " home. Enjoy. BTW the little red building on the hill behind the roundhouse represents " High Rolls " which today is famous locally for apples.IMG_0199
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  • edited May 2018
    Well I moved it. Seems good water was found in some deep wells out west of toen in the desert so a small log pond was added making life a little easier for the RR
  • Now I have to figure out how to upload the pics...…...
  • Look forward to seeing it Dwight.... teaser for sure....
  • Karl , I seriously forgot how to upload pics , honestly. I upgraded to Windows 10 and all hell broke loose.
  • Looking great Dwight, love seeing well built SWSMs on layouts!
  • I feel your pain Dwight, but, you'll figure it out, and then... we can enjoy the pics..
    Hopefully soon ;)

    Karl.A
  • OK , I think I've got it. Please pardon the poor photo qualityIMG_0205
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