Hi I'm Dave Brigham, I live in Fort Smith, Ar. I'm relatively new to all this model railroading. I am interested in modeling the Fort Smith Sub Division and a simplified mainline to Van Buren, Ar. and on to Winslow, Ar. I am currently starting to collect track and I do have a couple of nice Locomotives. The reason I am getting in to this is health, I had Kidney Failure and needed a new hobby. My Grandfather was a Trackman on this line for many years, This is where my login name comes from Bert B. Tyler. He also worked Joplin, Mo., Lamar, and on up to St. Louis.. I am still looking for an F7a and F7b set of locomotives in Frisco. I am a Scratch and Kitbasher and have built model wooden ships. I have also built several large Christmas villes for people. I am also looking for a picture of the Smith Yard late fourties to fifties. What did the roundhouse look like, was there any special buildings. Lastly, I am having a little problem navigating around this site so, I would appreciate a little guidance or help with it I just keep finding new features and more stuff ,but half the time i don't even know how i got there. Dave
Dave, Welcome Aboard! If you are having a little trouble navigating, do not be hesitant to ask. There are a lot of fine folks here that will help. When you first enter the website from www.frisco.org, notice the links in the box at the left. The Frisco Library link will get you into the highest level of the organizational structure of the website. You will notice that other than the Announcements section, there are two major sections; The Real Frisco, and Modeling the Frisco. So if your quest involves the Real Frisco dig into that part of the structure. Generally though, you can click on the Search link above and search for any key word or phrase.
Welcome, Thats cool that we have similar layout ideas. I live in Van Buren,AR right across the river. My layout(which is mostly still on paper. ran outta room.) will be Fort Smith to Winslow. I will have the MP yard in VB for stageing trains. Hope you find all the information here. There is alot of good history on our area. Ship it on the Frisco!!! Murphy Jenkins
Welcome Dave. Please keep us posted on your progress on the Central Division. I rode it last fall on the A&M and it is a neat location.
Dave: Welcome aboard and thanks for being so forthright about your health issues. Like you, I have health issues albiet of a different nature and have found that through the generosity of several people on this forum I am able to keep forcused on creating my dream layout. This is truly a great bunch of supportive and helpful people that will make sure that you too will get the most out of this wonderful hobby. When I am having a bad day all I have to do is go downstairs and turn on the lights in my train room and I instantly feel better and my mind goes to a better place. As others have already said, and by the way some of them are who I referred to above, welcome aboard and have fun!
Welcome from another NWArkie. There is an album of images on the site which are the Fort Smith track charts, date somewhat uncertain, but the yard structure is there. The Frisco was dieselized by that time, but roundhouse remained quite a while. You will also find lots of FS info on condrenrails.com. Last weekend I was sketching on a Frisco layout for a friend in Rogers. Proposal is fairly prototypical lower level with Fayetteville and Springdale. Upper level would be more whimsical. Using the wye at Fayette Junction, line would go through Injunction to Argument where trains must turn to get to Justice. Retired judge is the builder, and I think we got enough stuff of interest that he may tear out what he's started to do this. Lots of us willing to help, so keep asking.
Murphy, I was at the Union Pacific yard in Van Buren today getting some ideas. I also went and took some photos of the girder bridge and the depot. The last two structures will be about all I model of Van Buren. The building that I will be using for my setup is 18' x 12'. I plan a 5" x 12' island/peninsula to start later I will add a point to point for part of the Pendergrass Mine. Dave
I would like to thank everyone that has posted me a welcome. I am going to the Presbyterian Hospital in OKC this week, so you won't here much from me till I'm out. I am taking lots of reading material about HO layouts, and there is a store in OKC "The Whistle Stop" that I hope to get to visit Monday before I'm admitted. This for a pancreas surgury to correct a cyst. Looking forward to getting to know this community a lot better as I recover from this. Dave
Hi guys, Well I survived the Presbyterian Hospital (barely) Had to come back to Fort Smith to have a surgury here to fix what the OKC hospital messed up. Anyway I still need help with my layout. I have questions about Prodigy or Digitrax I am leaning toward the Digitrax, because if I understand right you can control two engines at the same time. Also, to SteveM, I haven't found the Fort Smith Track plans and yard he mentioned I'm ready to start building my table this week so I will be ready for my winter project of the Frisco. Hope, to hear from some help soon. Dave
Click "All Albums" in the bar above. Search for "Fort Smith" which is probably easier than my pasting in the link. I need to scratch or kitbash the Van Buren depot eventually, and at least represent the girder bridge, seen down the street past the bank building. Getting anywhere near the photo from the A&M calendar will be a challenge.
Thanks SteveM, You got me going again. I've been thinking that instead of going to Van Buren and Winslow on my set up I will go to Greenwood and Bonanza, where I can add the Pendergrass coal mine. This saves me the worry of the Frisco bridge across the Arkansas River and repeating what you are doing. I'll miss doing the tunnel, but the mine and some narrow guage will more than make up for it and puts my Walthers (9 so far) Frisco Ballast Hoppers to work. I'll be lit bashing the Frisco Depot in Fort Smith from Cornerstones Bailey Savings & Loan and the Whitehall Station kit. Thanks Dave
Dave. Welcome aboard, so for the late reply. I too have some health problems (bad heart), I also use Model railways as an escape from the weekly grind of doctors and hospital. On the matter of DCC, I would go with Digitrax, have been using them for years and only had one problem, I sent the unit back for repair. The MRC system is OK but I found that it suffers from a lack of short circuit protection. Also Digitrax has, all what you need plus there is a very helpful chat group on Yahoo. StuartM Australia
Glad you found the track charts. Have you explored the maps and photos on Mike Condren's site? I have a print of aerial of FS yard hanging on the wall above my representation, garnered from his site. It's closer to your period if you are running F units. I just rediscovered the 7/06 issue of Mainline Modeler with the FS depot drawings in it. Gotta do a real, real quick mockup for now. You need to plan a visit up here to see my Fort Smith attempt. It would be great if you could bring Murphy, whom few if any of us have ever seen in person. I can send contact info in a PM, if you have them figured out. I also need to get down there for more research before the last peninsula plan is finalized. Right now I need to get up in the room and clean track. Klrwhiz and four others, including Frisco-to-the-bone Ron Williams will be here next Friday to operate. Ron is who I got the charts from originally.
Do a google search for Mike Condren RR web site. He has a whole section on FT. Smith, AR I think he lived there for a number of years. He has many great photos of the FT. Smith Roundhouse, etc. Richard
Okay, Back out of the hospital again, and back to work on the Frisco. I was really happy to have some great post. Thanks to kirwhizkid, renapper, Stuart Mitchell (I hope your feeling alright, It's good to hear from another person on the mend), and once again Steve M. I can't get out much yet, but I am making progress on my model. I have purchased the Digitrax Empire Builder System and have laid out a pretty unique track plan. Because I am working on a 5' x 12' foot table you start at the FRISCO depot if you straightened the track move thru the North yard,(scaled down of course) and on out into the country. I am also modeling a portion of the Fort Smith downtown and Bell Point Neighborhood. I Gave upon Winslow Tunnel And the Trestles for now (as so many seem to have already done it or doing it), And instead will model the Bell Point Ranch And on to Greenwood as I want part of the Pendergrass Mine which gives me a different view of things. I have always liked the mining theme. Any way I have a camera and will hopefully soon post the early pictures of progress. Lastly, SteveM will still be a while before I get to travel( I had a 1/3 of my pancreas removed and every thing is healing, but I'm so darned weak, Lost About 50 pounds). I would like to meet some of these people like Murphy, when I'm healed up. The CondrenRails Link is great Stuff! Thanks to everybody again. P.S. I blew it on my coal tower Bought and built a beautiful 150 ton concrete tower, Fort Smith had a small 30 ton concrete tower. So does anybody need to buy or swap tower, It's a Cornerstne Kit looks great!! DGB
Dave, glad to hear you are making progress, railroadwise and healthwise. As an operations person, I can understand changing your focus away from the mainline north of Van Buren to an area with more switching possibilities. I am sketching benchwork for the last phase of my layout, part of which is currently planned as the newer industrial area out Greenwood Highway. I have a kit for part of the steel mill, etc. but suspect lots of the stuff out there is really too new for my period. This leads me thinking about the Paris branch (sorry everyone, but it's MP) but I don't have any information on the Chaffee, Barling and Paris traffic. Perhaps you could help some on that? You might contact me off-site at steve503@cox.net if you could. As I understand the various threads on frisco.org, the only Frisco traffic south of the Whirlpool area would be a little coal and maybe the explosives plant by 1980. And interchange with the RI was minimal even when it was running, I would imagine. Hope you are well enough by end of February to make it our big show in Bentonville on the 26th. I'll try to arrange a Frisco get-together, maybe a tour if I can get away.
SteveM, First, the Steel plant is Gerdau/MacSteel And the kits that are out there are northern plants. One of my best friends, and a railroad modeler is actually the Maintenance Supervisor. A tour could be provided if you have interest. They utilize scrap that arrives on barges at Port of Fort Smith, and local sources. They manufacture specialized round bar in different hardnesses. The plant is ultra-modern and will soon the getting upgrades. Next, the line thru Barling, Ar. where I live by the way, was for the most part removed prior to 1997 when I returned from the military. They are currently rebuilding the line that comes from Port of Fort Smith to Chaffee Crossing (Fort Chaffee). Chaffee has some very interesting rail yard features, and would be fun to model the military periods. There is also a museum and another friend off mine has a lot of pictures of the base during active periods. All Central City and Lavaca train associated features are pretty much gone. Paris still a intact town for the most part has some track, and I believe the station still exist. I will be happy to help you if you need some information that I can get. Also, if you had a desire to see the Chaffee yards this is no problem. David
