You must be the fella that sold the "land" on Russell Island in our Moreton Bay (Off Brisbane)
The history of our railroads
- Thread starter azdiane
- Start date
You must be the fella that sold the "land" on Russell Island in our Moreton Bay (Off Brisbane)
My railroad is the Lancaster Central. I have really started to enjoy shortline operations the past few years. It's era is 1925~
It was chartered during railroad fever in 1870 to haul limestone from the quarry 4 miles north to Lancaster City. Then in 1875 it expanded south to reach the town of Quarryville and its limestone deposits. A line was soon surveyed north to Reading to provide a second Interchange. In 1881 this line was built. Within 3 years the railroad was able to pay off its construction debts. The railroad soon built south again, from Quarryville to the town of Fulton House to a connection with the 3' gauge Lancaster, Oxford and Southern railroad. Around this time the PRR bought the railroad that it had shared use of with the B&O. This left the B&O looking for a route into Philadelphia. Eventually a deal was worked out the owner of the LCRR. The B&O built the mile long bridge over the Susquehanna river at Perryville and was given trackage rights over the LCRR to reach Reading, PA and the Reading railroad. Meanwhile the LCRR chartered the Lancaster & Maryland railroad to build from Fulton House to Perryville, MD. The LCRR received trackage rights to reach Baltimore making a third city and railroad connection. With a route soon built the B&O was able to stay solvent while building the line into Wilmington and Philadelphia, (Google disagrees for some reason and says the B&O filed for bankruptcy). In 1905 the B&O returned its trains to there own tracks with the completion of the Philadelphia line. The LCRR is now a bridge route between the B&O and Reading railroads. Interchange with the PRR has fallen off for some reason. The LCRR provides competition in its area otherwise served by the PRR . The sprawling Armstrong Cork factory is one of the major shippers.
There is also the Martic Forge Railway, a line to the foundry town of Martic Forge. This line was built originally as a horse hauled industrial line to haul lime in for the charge banks of the iron works and finished products out in boxcars. It also handles cattle, corn, and local freight at Rawlinsville and Martic Forge. Because of its light construction it can't handle steam locomotives and can only be serviced by the LCRR Plymouth.
I have interwoven real facts and three fictional railroads to build a railroad that could have happened in slightly alternate universe. Only the LCRR, Lancaster & Maryland and Martic Forge railway are not real.
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It was chartered during railroad fever in 1870 to haul limestone from the quarry 4 miles north to Lancaster City. Then in 1875 it expanded south to reach the town of Quarryville and its limestone deposits. A line was soon surveyed north to Reading to provide a second Interchange. In 1881 this line was built. Within 3 years the railroad was able to pay off its construction debts. The railroad soon built south again, from Quarryville to the town of Fulton House to a connection with the 3' gauge Lancaster, Oxford and Southern railroad. Around this time the PRR bought the railroad that it had shared use of with the B&O. This left the B&O looking for a route into Philadelphia. Eventually a deal was worked out the owner of the LCRR. The B&O built the mile long bridge over the Susquehanna river at Perryville and was given trackage rights over the LCRR to reach Reading, PA and the Reading railroad. Meanwhile the LCRR chartered the Lancaster & Maryland railroad to build from Fulton House to Perryville, MD. The LCRR received trackage rights to reach Baltimore making a third city and railroad connection. With a route soon built the B&O was able to stay solvent while building the line into Wilmington and Philadelphia, (Google disagrees for some reason and says the B&O filed for bankruptcy). In 1905 the B&O returned its trains to there own tracks with the completion of the Philadelphia line. The LCRR is now a bridge route between the B&O and Reading railroads. Interchange with the PRR has fallen off for some reason. The LCRR provides competition in its area otherwise served by the PRR . The sprawling Armstrong Cork factory is one of the major shippers.
There is also the Martic Forge Railway, a line to the foundry town of Martic Forge. This line was built originally as a horse hauled industrial line to haul lime in for the charge banks of the iron works and finished products out in boxcars. It also handles cattle, corn, and local freight at Rawlinsville and Martic Forge. Because of its light construction it can't handle steam locomotives and can only be serviced by the LCRR Plymouth.
I have interwoven real facts and three fictional railroads to build a railroad that could have happened in slightly alternate universe. Only the LCRR, Lancaster & Maryland and Martic Forge railway are not real.
Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
logandsawman
Well-Known Member
A hard working and industrious logger moved into Northern Minnesota in the early 1900's. He put together a logging crew of fellow Swedes, and through the generosity of others assembled a oddball mixture of horses, oxen, and tools necessary to harvest and transport timber. When the trees along the major rivers were harvested, the new problem was how to get the timber from the interior to major markets in St. Paul and Chicago.
The existing rail network was heavily dependant on unscrupulous fat cats that would unexpectedly raise rates and provide unreliable service. He decided to build his own mill and process the wood to rough lumber, therefore decreasing the shipping volume. After the nearby timber was harvested, he salvaged old track and his loyal crew put in the track across swamps and over the hills to get the wood to his mill. This was the inception of the SLCR. His crew lovingly called him the Sawmaster, as he loved to work and was an expert at keeping his cobbled together mill running.
Even through tough times, and when money was lean, his crews remained loyal and gradually a settlement grew up around a spring fed pond. A Native American tale of a grizzly being sighted there led to the town being called Grizzly Flats. A church, general goods, ice, and small station were among the first buildings to go up.
As production increased, even through the 30's, expansion continued. Since everyone called the mill the "sawmasters" mill, the name stuck. Sawmaster Lumber Company was incorporated in 1933 and as word spread about the fair and generous labor practices, many more workers were attracted to the area. Eventually, Grizzly Flats filled up and an industry hub began a few miles away; first to provide support to the mill and railroad and evolved to process local beef stock with the Swift meat processing. The gravel and rip rap at the base of the big hill provided other opportunities for extraction, and a spur was added with a very small settlement of Pit, located on the opposite of the spring pond and gully. The fictituous layout is set in the 50's, the sawmaster now 90 years old, still spends time at the mill and walking the regrown hills and uncut areas around the original settlement.
The existing rail network was heavily dependant on unscrupulous fat cats that would unexpectedly raise rates and provide unreliable service. He decided to build his own mill and process the wood to rough lumber, therefore decreasing the shipping volume. After the nearby timber was harvested, he salvaged old track and his loyal crew put in the track across swamps and over the hills to get the wood to his mill. This was the inception of the SLCR. His crew lovingly called him the Sawmaster, as he loved to work and was an expert at keeping his cobbled together mill running.
Even through tough times, and when money was lean, his crews remained loyal and gradually a settlement grew up around a spring fed pond. A Native American tale of a grizzly being sighted there led to the town being called Grizzly Flats. A church, general goods, ice, and small station were among the first buildings to go up.
As production increased, even through the 30's, expansion continued. Since everyone called the mill the "sawmasters" mill, the name stuck. Sawmaster Lumber Company was incorporated in 1933 and as word spread about the fair and generous labor practices, many more workers were attracted to the area. Eventually, Grizzly Flats filled up and an industry hub began a few miles away; first to provide support to the mill and railroad and evolved to process local beef stock with the Swift meat processing. The gravel and rip rap at the base of the big hill provided other opportunities for extraction, and a spur was added with a very small settlement of Pit, located on the opposite of the spring pond and gully. The fictituous layout is set in the 50's, the sawmaster now 90 years old, still spends time at the mill and walking the regrown hills and uncut areas around the original settlement.
new guy
Active Member
I'm still dealing with the future of my railroad. I have the insulation done, now I'm building 4 walls, then it's on to drywall, then finally the railroad construction. It's going to be a while before I have any history.
LOL! I'm only a few steps ahead of where you are now, STAY at it and keep the 'end game' in sight!
I'm just starting to lay track and a 'history' is a fine idea!
I'll contribute it when it happens!
josephbw
Active Member
As an update, the insulation is up, the walls are up, the drywall is up, the mudding and painting is done, the ceiling is up, the doors are hung and the trim is almost finished. And then the bottom fell out. I wound up having to take a stress test, flunked that, they said I needed to have a heart cath and possibly one stent, flunked that, and 2 days later I was in the hospital undergoing a 4 hour operation for 5 bypasses on my heart. That was exactly 3 months ago. I've been doing pretty good and yesterday was my last day of cardio therapy. I finally had the carpet installed Tuesday, and as soon as I get a few more things done I'll be able to start using some of the lumber I bought the other day for construction of the layout. It really sucked having to put everything on hold while I healed up, but I have clearance to go at it again.
You'll probably get a bit tired, if you do, take a break. Don't overdo it too early.
goscrewyourselves
I'm the one
None of my layouts really have a formal history to them, they are just what they are, although, putting together a "history" for them is an interesting idea.
new guy
Active Member
As an update, the insulation is up, the walls are up, the drywall is up, the mudding and painting is done, the ceiling is up, the doors are hung and the trim is almost finished. And then the bottom fell out. I wound up having to take a stress test, flunked that, they said I needed to have a heart cath and possibly one stent, flunked that, and 2 days later I was in the hospital undergoing a 4 hour operation for 5 bypasses on my heart. That was exactly 3 months ago. I've been doing pretty good and yesterday was my last day of cardio therapy. I finally had the carpet installed Tuesday, and as soon as I get a few more things done I'll be able to start using some of the lumber I bought the other day for construction of the layout. It really sucked having to put everything on hold while I healed up, but I have clearance to go at it again.
I have a leaky heart valve and arthritis so I never went too fast on this project! Just chip, chip, chip away at it. My main worry was a heart attack carrying 30 cubic yards of boxes out of the basement! Had to limit myself to 10-15 boxes up the stairs a day! Took months just on the box moving!
"A Successful Man is someone who establishes a goal and works to it's completion no matter WHAT that goal may be!"
