Logger's ingenuity...

[Rusty_Old_F250]

The logging crummy in the story mode teaser video (at 0:53) got me thinking about other things the loggers have rolled out of their shop's over the years, Those guys built mad max rigs before it was cool, and the best part is, they worked!

 

This is one of my favorites, they literally used whatever they had laying around. That caddilac engine is most likely out of a sherman tank or a small landing craft from WWII.

 

Sam

[TheRealNFK]

Mad Max meets Lumber Jacks, very cool stuff!

[Rusty_Old_F250]

Another favorite of mine:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_and_Nehalem_Valley_Railroad#/media/File:Crib_trestle_bridge_of_the_Columbia_and_Nehalem_Valley_Railroad_at_the_McBride_Creek.jpg

Sam

[exeexe]

9 hours ago, Rusty_Old_F250 said:

Another favorite of mine:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_and_Nehalem_Valley_Railroad#/media/File:Crib_trestle_bridge_of_the_Columbia_and_Nehalem_Valley_Railroad_at_the_McBride_Creek.jpg

Sam

What glue did they use for this one?

[hauteecolerider]

7 hours ago, exeexe said:

What glue did they use for this one?

That is a beautiful trestle, isn't it? Reminds me of the set of Lincoln Logs I had as a child. That was one of my favorite toys - these predated Lego blocks a little bit. I had LL's, my brother had the Legos, and we had a lot of fun building stuff with both of them. 

If I recall my railroading history correctly, these crib trestles were built as temporary structures to allow the logging railroad access to more remote mountain areas. It was popular because it involved stacking logs and poles on top of each other, as you can see so clearly in that photo, and those materials were actually harvested right there. Because wood does rot over time, these were not permanent structures and were usually used on temporary lines (those lines that were taken up after an area was logged out) or replaced by permanent structures once the track leading up to it could handle heavier loads (heavier rail, deeper, more stable ballast, etc.). 

@Rusty_Old_F250 How nice to see another train/rail fan on this site!

[Rusty_Old_F250]

Heh heh, no glue, and a bare minimum of spikes and steel I'm sure!

Your right, these were temporary lines, when they logged out the area they pulled up the tracks and laid them in a new area. Bridges like this usually got disassembled and sent to the sawmill! The old boys didn't waste much.

@hauteecolerider Trains are great, I've always been a fan, been kinda distracted the last few years (old ford pickups will fit in the driveway, a three truck shay, not so much) But the rail line in mystery lake and the trestle in the transition area was a big part of what initially hooked me into the game.

Sam

[hauteecolerider]

Same for me, though I have yet to explore the Ravine . . .

But I love the tracks in the maps, and they were very helpful in the beginning when I was first getting my bearings. When you don't have a map, those tracks sure were helpful!

I feel the same way, having grown up with a Dad who worked for the railroad in his youth and whose library consisted of Casey Jones, Maine logging railroads, and Trains and Model Railroader magazines. I still subscribe to Trains, myself. 

[exeexe]

2 hours ago, hauteecolerider said:

That is a beautiful trestle, isn't it?

Thats not a trestle. This is a trestle

Notice how they have lumber going opwards. Thats because the basic of a trestle is like this

4 A-frames connected horizontally with 3 pieces.. 2 going from A frame to A frame the last one is the big piece on top.

I know you can build houses like that, but bridges is something else. Even if its just temporary. The train rider must have been brave

[hauteecolerider]

@exeexe you are right, that is one of the definitions of a trestle. But all the references to the type of bridge call it a "crib trestle" or a "crib trestle bridge."

Merriam Webster has several definitions, and the first one is the one you pointed out. Quite correct. But there is also a second definition, that simply states that a trestle is a complex structure used especially for supporting railroad tracks over a valley, river or other geological features. If that ain't complex, I don't know what is!! 

Railroaders have always been a contrary lot when it comes to definitions. None of them have ever read a dictionary, and many of them took up terms that meant something completely different and used them their own way in the railroad context. 

Hogger is one word that comes to mind. The standard definition is "a greedy person." In railroading, it's the engineer that drives the locomotive. 

Considering the handling characteristics of some of these old steamers, I'm not surprised, though!

[piddy3825]

On 4/6/2016 at 0:21 AM, exeexe said:

What glue did they use for this one?

OMG, that is sheer tinker toy stacking at it's finest.  Imagine the ingenuity that built that.  OSHA would field day if we attempted to build something like that today.