I've tried several searches using "Log Pond" and even a few using "Sawmill" to find some ideas for the pond that will service my Lucas Sawmill. I must be pushing the wrong buttons?? - I suspect there are many of you who have done this? I specifically am looking for ideas for side dump into the pond and conveyors into the mill? Ideas, suggestions?? Thanks -
Try a google search with "lumber mill pond"? Or are you looking for log ponds that people have already modeled?
Like this. Unloader at small mill with a jillpoke to unload cars. The carriage out of the pond is a modified 4-4-0 lead truck from an old Bmann. The sawmill is three kits bashed together to make a multistory waterwheel powered sawmill. I believe I used mine track for the carriage track into the mill. Saw inside is a clock gear. Toward the head of the pond. And water wheels on two levels.
This is typical 1920's eastern practice - this is a white pine mill in PA (Wheeler & Dusenbury, Endeavor PA). Note the density of the pond, steam heat to keep it from freezing, the walkway (and shelter) for employees poling and sorting logs, and the dump area. Here's my model of the mill and pond. It's thin, really thin, just deep enough to float the logs in the two-part clear resin. Bottom is plaster painted from brown shaded to black to get depth. Logs are real twigs. Did this in 1976 and its still looking good today: Little closer shot of the log dump, and you can see the debris floating on the surface:
Here's the second "Hemlock" millpond on the same site (the mill in the distance is the same one as in the top shot), second mill is behind the photographer. This is great because of the clearly visible 'tip' to the dump track and the dumping deck: There's a tendency to forget in modeling that not everything was western (this operation ran through to 1938) and that handling 'smaller' logs made a lot of the western technology of 40' spine cars, spar poles, etc. unnecessary. Here, you just release the chains, crank 'em off with a peavey, and let 'em roll. You can tell this is the Hemlock mill because the logs are all peeled - the bark was peeled off and used for the tanning industry in PA, the wood was considered near-waste and cut up for low-grade industrial and framing lumber. Note some of the details like the railroad ties used to line the banks, and the walkway for sorting.
The jillpoke is only one way to unload a log car. The poke is not powered rather the loco pulls the car up to the point where the crew places the tip which is slightly curved against the now unsecured log load and the loco advances pulling the car through. The poke pivots on the mount pushing the logs off the car. The poke doesn't go under the logs but rather beside them. The poke is then swung back for the next car. Another method uses a twin spar and boom set up that lifts one side of the log car allowing the logs to roll off. A small shed with a steam donkey for power sets between the spars and booms and provides the power for the cables to lift the log car. Other methods simply use gravity with the track raised on one side so that when the restraints are released the logs just roll off assisted by men with long peevees or basically pike poles.
Napagary, Logging, sawmil, and wood products modeling I a major focus of my model railroading. Rand gust and John Moore have pulled out some very nice examples here. Living in western Oregon, a lot of my focus has been on Pacific Northwest history and practices, and I would be happy to find some examples for you along those lines if he'd like. What are the general parameters of Lucas Sawmill? Do you have an approximate geographical area, size of or species of free, or historical era? You might try looking up some specific mills. The Oregon American Lumber Co. had a huge mill in Vernonia, Oregon witha large pond which is today called Vernonia Lake. That ought to give you some hits. Also, please consider joining the Logging Operations Fans and Modelers group (link below in my sig). We'd love to have you! Adam
SteamDonkey and others Thanks for the help and photos, much more than expected and then to find a Logging Ops Group! A Bonanza (pun intended!) - I joined!! My layout is small, 40" X 72" and taken from an Atlas book - It's called the "Scenic and Relaxed". I've schmucked it around to be mountainous but on such a small layout, everything gets compressed. The Lucas Sawmill from JV models was the smallest I could find to fit next to the pond. I was raised in Northern Calif. and remember visits to the great mill at Sterling City which has been closed since forever. There is a museum in town but it's always closed - sorta a volunteer deal. The mill you mentioned at Vernonia - is that the operation you see from Fwy I-5? So for this layout, I don't have a particular mill in mind but 'am trying to get my feet wet ('nuther pun!)on logging - perhaps with the "next" layout, I'll be able to replicate something from our area. Go Niners! Gary
In later years, as rail cars were capable of hauling longer logs and then we had the "long log" trucks, or depending upon the mill's capabilities, that shelter could also house a trim saw to cut lengths of logs to orders. Been there, done that.
Napagary.... My railroad work has taken me all over the US, including northern CA. I was fortunate to get to see the Pacific Lumber mill at Scotia when it was still 'hot'. I have a shot of the original mill there taken from the same angle as the W&D mill, overlooking the pond..hmmm, would be about 2001. I was so STUNNED by how much it looked like my W&D mill, including the corrugated iron overlay. Anyway, I have a couple decent color prints of the scene. Log pond was empty, but the mill was working. That was just quite a place, probably the most remarkable sawmill town I've ever seen firsthand.
