I have been searching for a template to use to build a trestle bridge, the only thing I have found is references to the cabbage patch railway. The site I keep getting directed to appears to not be there anymore.

Does anybody have or can direct me to a pdf template that I can use, the scale is 1:20.3.

Thanks in advance

http://riograndesouthern.com/RGSTechPages/rgstec1.htm

maybe, this helps a little:

http://kormsen.info/bridges/

(scroll down about half of the page)

Gap,

do you have a prototype you wish to follow? I have drawings for large RGS trestles if you are interested.

Al P.

GAP, years ago I bought a book from Model Railroader, HO Bridges and Trestles.

I simply scaled up the plan I wanted to the scale I wanted it to be.

Found on the web, to be adjusted and modified to fit your needs.

Thank you for the replies

David has given me the information I was looking for which was the the angle of the 2 outside bent posts, the dimensions is an added bonus.

I looked for 2 days and could not find this must have been using the wrong search criteria.

A template that holds the pieces, some glue and a pin nailer makes quick work.

I made a 5 foot one last year, and had never done one.

Greg

Greg Elmassian said:

A template that holds the pieces, some glue and a pin nailer makes quick work.

I made a 5 foot one last year, and had never done one.

Greg

I made one for my last layout but it did not have the correct number of posts I used a template to hold the posts in place but just made it up as I went along as far as angles etc went.

The last one was only about 2" high this one is going to be about 3+’ high and who knows how long, it is intended to be a focal point for the layout.

Next thing to plan is how to squeeze train storage into a 2.6M x 3.5M area that will hold about 6 trains but that is for another thread on another day.

Recommendation - make certain that the glue is easily released from the template’s surface should any squeeze out. I will sometimes just build over waxed paper as it is reasonably transparent when laid over a template. I’ve also used wax paper under the surface of a jig when making a bent or other repetitive frame or somesuch.

This the usual “don’t ask me how I know”!

I used glue and pin nails, and carefully removed each bent after pin nailing, and with the cross braces on one side via my template, it was strong enough to be handled.

I wiped out excess glue that had gotten into the template every so often with a wet rag.

It took me about 2-3 hours to make a simple trestle with bents, it was straight, but similar to the curved one you see

Once you set up the jig you will be surprised how fast it goes, if you want to pin nail. If you want to screw together or nuts and bolts, then of course a lot more time is involved.

I built a jig with plywood and wood strips to hold the parts when building my trestles. I rubbed the jig with a bar of paraffin wax to keep my assembled bents from sticking to the jig.

I bought the paraffin wax in the baking department of the local grocery store.

A candle would probably also work, but candle wax is harder and doesn’t rub off onto the wood jig as well as paraffin will.

This is the N scale trestle jig I made, with a mostly assembled bent it it. The scale ruler was used to help lift the delicate N scale bent out of the jig.

And the bare jig. My large scale jig looks similar, but a bit bigger.

I avoid paraffin out of a woodworking habit as it will often transfer to the wood and can affect the finishing process if not completely removed. I would imagine that might not be as much of an issue with model building so I think that I may try it with my next jig build.

oooops! i’m getting old. confunded truss bridge with trestle bridge.

so, a trestle. here we go:

http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/21015/a-trestle-bridge

in the first pic can be seen the jig i made.

Mark Hadler said:

I avoid paraffin out of a woodworking habit as it will often transfer to the wood and can affect the finishing process if not completely removed. I would imagine that might not be as much of an issue with model building so I think that I may try it with my next jig build.

Yes, but when rubbed into the jig, and leaving no odd clumps behind, it hasn’t been an issue on my trestles.

because of the glue affecting staining, we stained all the wood first… then when you cut to length, you dip those ends in paint/stain.

So you basically assemble with wood already stained so glue won’t affect the stain… I guess the downside is that you have to glue “through” the stain, but with a pin nailer, it seems to work very well.

On my jig, I laid wood on both sides of the posts, so put the cap piece in, pin the posts to the cap, then pin the sills, and the sway braces.

Greg

GAP - Read the first part of my thread on the 6000 series flat car build. It is on how I built a fixture for the framing so I could build multiple cars and have consistency in the structure. Although the details for a trestle bent will differ from that of a car frame, the principal will be similar. Check here https://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/17324/d-rgw-6000-series-flat-car

OK answers to some suggestions and more description

1. Korn could you please shed some more light on this statement “now comes the interesting part. for the trestles to stand straight, when everything is finished, they have to be fixed a 3.5° inclinated to the beams.” is this because the bridge is on a grade?

2. Bob and David I thought I may have been a bit misleading when asking about a template my intention is to draw a plan then use that as a template to make a jig so the bents are all the same.

3. Greg the whole thing will be glued and nailed using “Liquid Nails Landscape glue” which is a rubbery adhesive similar to Liquid Nails/Construction adhesive.

This thing will be made out of hardwood decking timber that was ripped out when the deck was replaced it has been thoroughly well seasoned and the deck builder told me it will outlast me.

The timber is so hard that nails cannot be hammered into it unless it is pre drilled I may even go down the screw path yet if I can find the right screws.

Right so I should never caught that virus as I have spent that last 2 days sitting on my deck drinking tea and thinking about the bridges (my wife says I should never be given time to think) as the layout is double track I was originally going to drop the trestle height 100mm below the inside line(the bridge being on the outside line) but know I am thinking a double trestle which, I think, will look impressive, so planning is going to start on that idea.

I found this on a HO site so will try to scale it up to see if it is doable.

GAP - My purpose was to demonstrate a fixture that will hold your bents consistent, and being coated with polyurethane most glues will not stick to it.

Bob Cope said:

GAP - My purpose was to demonstrate a fixture that will hold your bents consistent, and being coated with polyurethane most glues will not stick to it.

Thanks Bob that is what I thought was meant.