While visiting this home layout tour in the Peachtree Corners area, consider stopping in to see the model train layout (and much, much more!) on display at the Southeastern Railway Museum, 3595 Buford Highway in Duluth, GA. They will be open Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm. (Admission fee required!) For more information, visit their website at the link below
This proto-freelanced layout captures a small segment of the Little River Railroad, depicting a 26-mile stretch of branchline and logging operations located in what is known today as the Great Smoky Mountains. The railroad is served by the Southern Railway, Knoxville and Augusta Division. Current operations will extend the railroad into the early 1940s. The LRR&LC is inspired by the raffle layout of the same name won at the 2004 Piedmont Division's Train Show; the raffled section has been incorporated as the peninsula on the middle level.
As a multi-level design, the lower and middle levels are joined using a double deck peninsula (with reversing loops on each level) at one end with walk around shelves to a helix at the other end. Continuous running of trains is possible between the lower and middle levels. On the upper section of the peninsula, a series of switchbacks connect the middle level of the peninsula to an around-the-wall shelf on the upper level. Three towns will be modeled in detail. On the lower level, the main industry in the town of Walland will include the Schlosser Tannery and the sawmill complex will dominate Townsend. Specifically, the Townsend Sawmill Complex will feature a fully detailed sawmill, power plant, planing shed, transfer shed with a tramway leading to the drying yard, sawdust burner, coaling station, water tower, and machine shop. Logging operations and the town of Elkmont will be modeled on the upper level. Finally, there will be seven bridges traversing the Little River that run throughout the landscape on all three levels.
In addition to the logging operations, the Little River Railroad Company will transport loggers and their families to and from work sites and local towns. Finally, excursion trains will operate between Walland and Elkmont, bringing summer vacationers from Maryville and Knoxville to the cabins and cottages (known as Millionnaires Row) just north of Elkmont.
Scale / Gauge
HO
Size of Layout
17.5' x 13'
Prototype
Little River Railroad and Lumber Company
Location Modeled
Eastern Tennessee (Walland to Townsend to Elkmont)
Era
Late 1930s to early 1940s; Transition steam to first-generation diesel
Style of Track Plan
Point-to-Point
Length of Main Line
215'
Benchwork
Open Grid
Roadbed Material
Cork
Track Manufacturer
Micro Engineering
Turnouts
Walthers
Minimum Main Line Radius
18"
Maximum Grade
2 %
Scenery Techniques
Styrofoam covered with sculptamold painted and covered with ground foam and static grass; use Scenic Express Supertrees as background trees and scratch build trees in the foreground
% Scenery Complete
10 %
Backdrop
Painted Masonite and wall
Control System
DCC - Digitrax
Car Forwarding System
None
Operating Group
NCIOG
Direction Comment
From I-85, take Exit 102 (Beaver Ruin Rd.) and turn right onto Beaver Ruin. Turn right onto Satellite Blvd. Turn left onto Pond Rd. Turn left onto Old Norcross Rd. Turn right onto Simpson Circle. Simpson Circle crosses Buford Hwy. and becomes S. Berkeley Lake Rd. Turn left onto S. Old Peachtree Rd. Turn right onto Lou Ivy Rd. Turn left onto Scotts Mill Run. Take the 6th left onto Millers Trace. The house is located in the cul-de-sac at the end of Millers Trace. From I-285, take Exit 31B (Peachtree Pkwy/GA-141) north, stay left toward Cumming/Dahlonega/GA-400. Turn right onto Medlock Bridge Rd. Turn left onto Bush Rd. Turn right onto Scotts Mill Run. Take the 1st right onto Millers Trace. The house is located in the cul-de-sac at the end of Millers Trace. Parking: Follow the yellow directional signs on Scotts Mill Rd. On Millers Trace, you can park on either side of the road, including the cul-de-sac, but make sure that you do not park in front of the fire hydrant.
