On30 Proto-lanced Godchaux Sugar

[Philip H]

Yep.  I've fallen off the  N scale bandwagon - well partially anyway.  As the days grow long and warm again, I've decided to indulge my inner large scale child and start a slow walk to building a small On30 switching layout VERY loosely based on sugarcane railroading operations in Louisiana. I'm interpreting history as if the Gochaux-Henderson Sugar plantation hadn't abandoned internal rail service in 1956, and had chosen to trundle on with a small Baldwin diesel and a few ratty cars for cane service.  There's a goodly amount of data on line:

https://hawkinsrails.net/industrials/gsc/gsc.htm

https://www.nola.com/news/business/article_da169c93-6b84-5d72-84e7-41651abfda97.html

You can even still see one of the steam locos down da bayou:



I'll get to do a lot of beat up gondola modeling -

https://louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/hnoc-clf%3A545

https://louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/hnoc-clf%3A9732

So 'chere, come along for dem ride while we go make cane!

[Philip H]

So what am I considering for track plans?

THis for one:

http://www.jomrd.com/index.php?page=ShowRecord&ID=182



Also this, with cane on the right across the less paved road:

http://www.jomrd.com/index.php?page=ShowRecord&ID=79

[Chris333]

The HOn30 2-6-0 I made is based off Godchaux #4 that hit the truck.

[C855B]

Looks like fun. I'm ashamed to say 30 years ago I did the tourist thing of riding the converted sugarcane RR on Maui, but at least there was a glimpse of "the old ways". Besides, it was the only RR action in the state. Beggars can't be choosers. 

I've been fascinated off and on by the current NG sugarcane operations in Australia. Search YouTube for "australian sugar cane railway" and there are lots of great vids.

[Philip H]

I've been fascinated off and on by the current NG sugarcane operations in Australia. Search YouTube for "australian sugar cane railway" and there are lots of great vids.

Indeed there are.  I'm looking at those as the culmination of my what ifs

[p51]

Can't wait to see the progress. These cane lines scream to be modelled in On30.

[Philip H]

Half a year later and I finally have clear right of way and some flex track:

[Hawghead]

Seeing as you're only going to do a very small layout, you really might want to consider hand laying the track.  While HO scale track will work for On30 the tie size and spacing is all wrong for O scale.

Scott

[Philip H]

That's Peco On30 track in the picture. I got a good deal on it.

[Hawghead]

Yeah but I'm pretty sure they recycled their HO ties, maybe just changing the spacing a little.  The ties still look to small and to short to me anyway looking forward to seeing more.

Scott

[p51]

Yeah but I'm pretty sure they recycled their HO ties, maybe just changing the spacing a little.

Peco track is actually a pretty good representation of O scale NG track. These ties are only used in their On30 stuff.