Cass Scenic / Mower Lumber

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hello,

I’m interested in modeling the Cass Scenic RR / Mower Lumber RR in West Virgina. I’ve got an area of about 11ft x 14ft and am going to be using HO scale. I’ve searched the internet, and while I can find plenty of info on Cass/Mower, I’m not able to find any track maps. I even tried google satelite maps, but it doesn’t go down far enough in that area. Does anyone know where I might find a track layout, or examples of layouts modeling the area? I’ve tried searching here and all I find is a few people that have taken the trip on the Cass RR, and info on the Bachmann Shay. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks…Robert

2

Here is a search at The Model Train Magazine Index…

http://index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&sort=A&output=3&cmdtext=CSR

It looks like there are a half dozen back issues with articles.

3

Hi! Alltough from Norway in Europe I visited the Cass Scenic last summer and they have quite a good layout on display that might give you some ideas of a track plan. If you haven’t beehn there yet I would recommend a trip. Have you talked to the community offcials? I’d guess they have old maps in their archives that hopefully also shows the rr tracks…

4

“The Cass Collection”, soft-cover book that I bought at Cass, has a map of the entire road. It looks like a portion of a USGS 7.5 topographic map. If you can’t find the book (which also has beaucoup pictures), you should be able to find the topo map.

5

Try going to a Mapsco and get them to order the USCG maps of the area. You can get a referance mape that will tell you what maps you will need. The referance map is free and may help some also.

6

I operated a layout this weekend with a Mower Lumber. It was located in Durbin.

The layout was featured in Model Railroad Planning 2006 if you want to take a look.

7

Hello-

I’m actually a modeler of the Cass Scenic Railroad, and I focus on their equipment.

There are quite a few modeling possibilities avaiable for the CSRR. These include…

Peach Creek Shops-Cass Doctor’s House Kit

Keystone Loco Works- Sawmill, Planning Shed (similar to the mill that used to stand at Cass), Cass Company Houses

Walthers-C&O Style Caboose, in CSRR paint

Bachmann-CSRR Shay 5, CSRR Excursion Cars (due in May), WVP&P AC&F 40’ Log Cars

Rivarossi-CSRR Heisler 6 (not prototype to a 3tk Heisler, but it serves the same purpose…)

Proto 2000-Western Maryland BL2 #82, that was at Cass until 1990’s, and then sold/transfered to West Virginia Central

Atlas-Army S1 #7135 (was at Cass from 1976-1977, to SBVR, then to Kiski Junction)

Walthers-N&W/PRR baggage car, as the “Frendon” or #300

MSR&LHA-Old Cass Engine Shop, paper kit to be built on black foam board (I persuaded the MSR&LHA to produce this, and I have the 3rd ever made)

Athearn-40’ Box cars, CSRR has several of these, from the Army

Atlas-Virginian Caboose #311, with modificaations, can be exact for the VGN prototype owned by MSR&LHA at Cass.

I have the feeling in my mind that I’m missing something, so if I remember, I’ll post it

Phil

8

Hello everyone,

I’ve been off the net for a few days, (i’ve got 4 month old twins), but I wanted to thank everyone for thier help. I was able to track dow a few old NMRA Bulletins with a lot of info on Cass, even how to model the switchbacks, so that helps alot. Space mouse I’ll have to check out the MRP 2006 issue, I think I’ve got it some place.

Phil, thanks for the wealth of info that you provided. Do you have a trackplan of your layout that I could get ideas from??? How about some photos, I’d love to see them!!! I do have the Hiesler and a couple of Backmann shays, also bought the Climax, I know Cass is restoring one.

I’ve been to Cass, but that was in about 1971 or 1972. Great place, and I do want to get back there some time.

Again thanks to all…Robert

9

If you were in Cass in 1971-1972, you would be dissapointed when you go there today. When you were there, the old shop was still standing, the original depot was still there, and the mill was mostly intact. East Cass would have not been destroyed by the 1985 flood, and the C&O would still be operating. All of the above are gone. I wish I was there to see it. 1969 was probably the best year.

I am in the building stages of the railroad right now, which isn’t necesarly based upon Cass, but it does have the infulence. I’m 15, so I want to collect all of the Cass stuff I can, so when I’m older and have a job, I can make my dream layout.

I have a Yahoo Group if you are interiested. It hasn’t been updated in months, because there isn’t much layout progress, and I’m building a web site to go along with it. It’s called martin_consolidated_railroad_co. The MCR is my company who owns MCRX (a leasing company, and how my larger diesels make it’s way onto the tourist railroad part of MCR), the Waukesha & Menomonee Valley Railroad & Navigation Company (It’s where all of my Wisconsin railroad stuff goes), and the Martin Lumber Company (all of my passenger cars, geared steam, ect). (Why do I always have fun writing that line??? Check my signiture for a run down…)

Anywho, It looks like you have a good roster. I have 2 Roundhouse Shays (one stuffed and mounted as a park engine. It was a kit), a Bachmann Shay, Bachmann Climax, and a 2 and a 3tk Rivarossi Heisler. I also have about 20 diesels, ranging from a 20t Plymouth, to RSD-15’s and SD40T-2’s, and a few rod locos (even Cass has one :slight_smile:

I model a tourist railroad, so there is a bit of main-line action, but I probably could whip up a track plan of how the M.Lb.Co would look on my railroad. Give me till tomorrow.

Are you mainly trying to model the CSRR, or more of the Mower Lumber Company?

Thanks!

Phil

10

Phil,

Sounds like you’ve done quite a bit of research on Cass, I was about 8 when I was there on a family vacation, my mother and grandfater were from Cass. My grandfather worked for the lumber company in the 1920’ 30’s. He even lost 3 fingers in the mill.

Anyway I’m not sure what I want to model, but I would like at least a portion of the layout to have a Cass feeling. I could very well be freelanced. I was thinking of a 2 deck layout with Cass/logging on the lower deck to run my Shays etc, and some type of industries on an upper deck to run my bigger stuff, and have someplace for the lumber to go.

There are a couple of MR mags that have Cass worked into the layout. One was December 1985 Model RailRoader Harry Clark’s Indian Creek Valley RR. This has the Cass Depot, and a great model of the General Store. There is also a later one with the Saw mill , but I’m at work now and I don’t have the date. I’ll post it for you when I get home. I’m right now fooling with The Ironhead Timber Co., Model Railroader, October 1985 by Bob CLARKE as a basis for the logging part of the layout as it fits my room size.

Also here is a site with a Cass micro HO layout and some Cass info.

http://www.carendt.us/articles/secrets/index.html

I’ll check out your Yahoo group, and would like to see your track plan. Maybe we can help each other out a little.

Robert

11

A friend of mine knew Herry Clark, and ran a kit-bashed PFM Pacific Coast Shay, modeled as Shay 4, on it one time. I do have 2 pictures of that layout. It is amazing! I especially love the excursion cars that he made.

The most accessible model railroad that is modeled after Cass is the Cass Showcase, which is located in the old hay barn (for the horses on the mountain) in Cass, behind the depot. The original layout was built in the late 70’s, early 80’s, and was recently restored by Bruce Elliot, the curator. He re-laid 75% of the track, re-painted the buildings, re-built some buildings, and put in new scenery. Bruce has a huge B&O layout in the top story of the Company Store (I wonder how many people wondered what was really up there…). I’ve only been in the Showcase once, for 10 minutes, so I have never seen the full show, but from what I saw it was excellent.

I’ll send you a few pictures of what I have, and a track plan a little later.

Phil

12

Phil,

I don’t remember seeing the layout when I was there. I may not have been on display then. I would have loved to see Harry Clarke’s layout in person. That must have been quite an experience for you.

I’d love to see the pics that you have. You can either post them here for others that may also be interested, or you can e-mail them to me at mars_cydonia@hotmail.com

Thanks…

Robert