OTHER BC&G Models and Layouts
Tony Eagle, a BC&G fan and member of the BC&G Co-Op since its founding, has built models of several pieces of BC&G and ERC&L rolling stock in HO gauge. The locomotives are by Bachman, the wreck crane is a Tichy kit and the American log loader and logging caboose were scratchbuilt. Tony took the photos
Tony Eagle
From Dundon looking toward Avoca
Here is how Larry Smith describes his CLINCH RIVER RAILROAD:
"Currently under construction in my garage is my BC&G inspired layout, the Clinch River RR. There is a twist to this as the railroad is narrow gauge and contains elements of not only the BC&G but the Manns Creek and East Broad Top as well. All three of these railroads were similar as to the nature of ther operations, being built to serve the coal and lumber industries. The towns on the layout will be Selkirk (Dundon), Stewart's Gap (Cressmont), Oak Crest (Swandale) and Adams (Widen).
The Buffalo Creek and Gauley provides some of the structures for the layout and one section in particular, Oak Crest. While the mill is freelance, with certain elements from the the Swandale mill, the rest of the town will be built exactly like Swandale, as it is a perfect modeling situation. Other BC&G structures will be the Cressmont dairy and barn at Stewart's Gap and Widen town structures along with the power house will be used with the Jack Work tipple at Adams.
The East Broad Top will contribute structures at Selkirk with the installation of Mine No. 5. The Robertsdale company store, station and post office will all be a part of this section. Two other EBT tipples are planned for the future but as of right now there is no room for the expansion.
The Mann's Creek provides the logging equipment and the logging camp. This operation is meant to cause havoc on the Clinch River much the same way the Elk Rive did for the BC&G. The only difference is that the log crews and their families will stay in the woods. The log trains will run daily to and from the camp like the Elk River. All of the logging equipment is Sewell/Babcock Lumber Company designs.
The track will be hand-laid code 55 on wooden ties. Control is by Digitrax Genesis system with walk around throttles.
The layout will be 10' X 10' with a minimum radius of !5" and #4, 5 and 6 turnouts.
The layout will be constructed in sections. Each section is 3' x 5' with a center opening when assembled of 4' x 4'. Level 1 will hold staging and reverse loops representing loads in - empties out, storage for additional cars and facilitate continuous running.
Larry has promised to send photos as the layout progresses.
Larry Smith, MMR
Peter Weller-Lewis
Peter was born in England and moved to Australia in 1969 where he currently lives on the South Coast of New South Wales. With a longtime interest in American railroads, particularly eastern roads, Peter constructed the HO scale layout pictured here representing the BC&G. He modeled with relative little information available and by his own admission took liberties, as we all do with our layouts. Working with his wife, Jenice, they built the 12' X 7' display layout over a period of about a year. They demonstrated it at shows and conventions over a four year period in the late 1990's. The layout was awarded Best Of Show in 1996 and 1998 at the Canberra Model Railway Exhibition. Peter earned his NMRA Scenery Certificate based on the modeling on the layout. Peter and Jenice's fine piece of modeling no longer exists, but it is a thrill to include these photos on this website. All photos by Peter.
To the right is Peter's rendition of the Dundon engine house and open-air maintenance shed. The grey building in the backgroud stands in for the Dundon store that Peter found a bit uninteresting visually. The rear of the Dundon store is visible in the photo below along with some of the action in the Dundon yard.
An overview of the left-hand end of the visible portion of the layout. Notice the wonderfully rendered distant mountains in the view below.
The track diagram above shows the 3' x 12' visible portion of the layout along the bottom with staging tracks in the 4' x 12' section at the top. The layout consisted of a total of 6 modules. Lighting was hidden behind a valence and all electrical connections between the segments were accomplished with automotive-type connectors.
The photo to the left shows the right-hand portion of the visible part of the layout.
Peter points out that the C&O Alco in the photo above was part of a prank he played on a fellow modeler to test his knowledge of American railroads!
Peter has provided these additional photos of two engines and a caboose he built as part of his BC&G layout. He points out that at the time he built these pieces he had little information about the prototype and so had to 'imagine' what the paint schemes might have been.
Al Crowley
Al Crowley who lives in Florida is building a modest sized layout of the BC&G and the ERC&L logging branch. He has created a website to share his progress on the project. The address of the website is:
Be sure and check it out!
Glenn Holland
PHOTO ALBUM of MODEL:
ARTICLE GLENN WROTE ABOUT THE MODEL:
Here are perhaps the most unusual models of BC&G motive power and rolling stock to ever come along! Glenn Holland, co-founder of Brick Model Railroader, a company that designs LEGO models of railroad subjects, has designed and built a model of BC&G #13 in LEGOS. The photos are of the finished model. It is fully motorized and is sound equipped. Because it runs on LEGO plastic track, it is powered by a battery located in the tender.
Glenn also built this model of a BC&G hopper from LEGOS and is in the process of designing other BC&G rolling stock including caboose C-1.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE FASCINATING MODELS GO TO:
For more information contact Glenn at 6widebricks@gmail.com
