New Direction for Zalma Branch (photos)

Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo)

I already have the plow horse kit.

 

Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo)

This evening I will begin building a coal bin for the depot. I'm using photos of other period depots with the coal bins and one shows a men and women's outhouse with a latticework view block shielding it from the depot direction. Time to get busy!

 

Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch ( photo )

Jim, it is a shame that you are in Cape instead of KC. You could teach your techniques to a raft of people here, and immortalize yourself on a number of railroads that need scenery work. When I get to the point of adding scenery, I will have to host you up here for a week (if you could spare it and would want to) to help with scenery on my layout. I could probably get you into at least one laid back operating session on the Frisco Northern Divison to boot!

 

Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo)

Oh, come on now. But seriously, I have thought about bringing it to the next annual maybe. I have a trailer that would work if I could cover it. Of course there might not be room for people to be bringing their layouts with them. Keith, thanks for the compliment.

 

Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo)

Here's a couple of overall views of the layout so far. The Castor River bridge will be located where the roadbed is missing on Zalma side and will be in full Autumn colors. You can just see where the fall colors start on the curve. Also you can see most of the tools and supplies I'm using as they're spread out on the unscenicked section.

 

Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo)

Tom, I totally agree with you. My work space is very cluttered but it's an organized mess. Manny, there wasn't even a water tank at Zalma. The simplicity of my track plan is prototypical for this 8 mile dead end branch. I like it like that. Perfect for a lazy man's 4x8.

 

Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo)

As I look at your work, you have, perhaps unintentionally, created a layout that can be divided in two and placed on a shelf along two walls around an outside corner at a later date. One end of the Brownwood side could go to a staging track "off layout". The other end would connect to Zalma around the outside corner. The opposite end of the Zalma line would end in a wye to allow the locomotive to turn for the return trip to Brownwood - just some thinking out loud....

 

Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo)

Keith, that thought crossed my mind and like you said, this is basically two modules back to back. With the foam bench work and fake fur scenery it would be very easy to modify. I've planned on eventually modeling Brownwood and incorporating it. If I had operations on the top of my list it would have been the first thing modeled. Great observation. By the way, the trains always backed up to Zalma from Brownwood.

 

Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo)

Sorry, Manny. I thought everyone knew all about the history of the world famous Zalma Branch, the subject of so many movies and books (weak attempt at humor). Just kidding. Here's a brief history.
In the 1880s, Louis Houck built a railroad called the Cape Girardeau and Southwestern Railway which tapped into the lumber opportunities between Cape and the Mingo Swamp area on through to Poplar Bluff. There were many branches of this line eventually snaking their way through the fields, swamps and hollers to reach even deeper into the vast virgin timber stands. This 1887 built Zalma branch, which leaves the main line at Brownwood, was built by Houck as the Brownwood and Northwestern Railroad. The town of Bollinger Mill had its name changed to Zalma, named after a friend of Louis Houck's. In 1916 the Frisco took over. My Granpa Cato, who was born in 1915, grew up along the Zalma Branch near Greenbrier and shared some memories of it with me. During WW I Zalma is said to have produced more cross ties than anywhere else. The mills at Zalma also produced lumber and barrel staves. Uncut logs were also shipped out to Cape and elsewhere. There were other logging camps and sawmills along the eight mile line providing plenty of traffic. When the timber industry died down the line was no longer profitable and in about 1934 or 1935 the Frisco abandoned many small lines probably due to the depression, decreased timber and automobiles. The line was removed in about 1935 and I've been struggling to find any remnants of it and I'm trying to recreate it in memory of my Granpa. There's many nuances to the story but this has been long winded enough.

 

Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo)

Yes to all questions. The bare area will include the Castor River and it's bridge and a sawmill and logging activity across the tracks from the depot including the Moss Lumber office building. There will be stacks of cross ties at Zalma and Greenbrier and the swamp scene will be between Zalma and Greenbrier with a Jordan Products steamshovel at the end of the Diversion Channel which really does end at Greenbrier. I have tons of modeling yet to do. If this layout was any larger I would never get to finish it. Each scene will be as historically accurate as possible. I have many details, vehicles and people already bought and many more yet to buy. It's almost overwhelming but I'm making progress. I'm never offended and I always enjoy all comments, questions and suggestions. You guys are my ONLY model railroad friends.

 

Re: New Direction for Zalma Branch (photo)

I'll be using my old Woodland Scenics rural sawmill kit and everything thing else will be rough lumber sheds and such. Very scratchbuilt so to say. I have no photo of any actual Zalma mills but will use period photos to imagineer things. Things will reflect years of hard winters, hot summers and frugal ways. Should be a real hoot!
Yes, something along the lines of your FSM ad. I think he's still in business with a new release advertised in this months Model Railroader. It's his first brick building kit with hydrocal walls.