Large Scale Central

Cheap and easy bridges

Track and Trestles
#1

Ive just written an article on a bridge buiding method, you might find this useful

Ok here we go. THe girderwork is from 25mm Facia trim. Its available in 5 metre length from facia and UVPC window suppliers for only £5. I used just over 2 bits for this bridge. I went looking for an alternative to styrene products like plastitruct and Evergreen cos it’s expensive once you start using a lot of it, also this is stronger than styrene. The real boon is that this stuff is designed to be stuck together with Cyano. In this case I used the very low viscoucity “pink” flash glue. It sticks in about 30 secs and after 5 mins or so I tried to part two test pieces and the plastic broke and the joint held. So its quick and easy, in short this is all you need.

I got the Mesh from an aquatic shop, its used to seperate big an baby fish so the latter dont get yummed. The top bit is left at 25mm angle, the bottom bit is cut lengthways so its about 13 by 13mm. You can use a par of compassess pressed against the edge of the angle to score a line along it. Do this 3 times and them cut with a Stanley or similar. Use this method to make the uprights also. The 12mm flat strip you can then score in half lengthways, 3 times should do it. Take care not to go right through though.These will form the diagonal braces,cut them to the desired length and then fold them to a right angle and glue from top corner to opposite corner of the uprights Lastly cut some of the 12mm flat strip in half to make trim for the edge of the deck. http://www.smegworld.org.uk/spaf/gb/gb6405.jpg/ Spray the whole lot with a rattle can of matt black or pink or what ever you want and add the track. Knock up a couple of abutments out of the same stuff with some brass contacts and you are there.

A very quick and easy alternative to welding steel and alloy and so cheap.

The first one is about 4ft long and this next one is 6ft. THe first one is def strong and rigid enough, we shall see about the arch …

It will replace this rubbish bit of 3 by 3 which is my steam up area.

later

#2

Great idea Rod. We’'l have to see if the same kind of materials are made here in the States. Having a small bit of trouble decoding your brand of English. Is a “Stanley” the razor knife?

Stanley Tools are originally from my neck of the woods in Connecticut. They make quite a variety, so a Stanley could be anything from a screwdriver to wood plane.

In took a minute for “get yummed” too. I’m a bit slow you know. Heck, it took me looking at pictures for 15 minutes to figure out what the heck a Large Halt was :smiley:

#3

Sorry Jon, the Stanley is the big craft knife next to the snips up there, to the right of the X-ACTO

#4
Rod Hayward said:
Sorry Jon, the Stanley is the big craft knife next to the snips up there, to the right of the X-ACTO
That would be the utility knife with the retractable razor blade, as you thought Jon. Ralph
#5

Neat idea, if anyone finds all the stuff here in the US, please post it.

#6

Rod,
Please put your Bridge article in the “Articles” section of this site so it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. This is really great work.

#7

I ve tried a couple of times but it just hangs…

#8

OH Man…OK guys,the scavenger hunt is on…who can find US equivilants? I need to approx 5 foot long spans this fall…

And yes Fred…we know…guardrails!!!

#9

I’ve see lattice in Lowe’s, which is similar to the fascia, but maybe thicker. It was in the TrimPlank section, probably 1/2"x 1 1/2"…as for the other stuff, next time I’m there I’ll check in the windows dept…

#10

That and the square PVC that was used in the bridge article in GR a few issues back. Anyone?

#11

No luck on the angle stuff but I did find out that the square downspout is a pretty standard item at the DO IT BEST Hardware chains…I stumbled onto it at my local place while looking for something else!

#12

Yes, such beautiful bridges, but spoiled by the lack of proper bridge ties, and guard rails…such trivial things, but it makes all the difference in the world between a finished bridge, and a half done bridge…

Keep up the good work guys, but do look at finishing them up well…

#13

Neat! It will be interesting to see how the CA holds up over time. Keep us posted. BTW, I love the lift-out pocket! That’s excellent! Fred, you make a valid point, but (with no disrespect meant towards Rod) the track itself is hardly done to “scale,” either. The track is laid on 1-by, with little to no ballast. A realistic trackbed is most likely not the intent in this instance. One could reasonably argue that scale bridge ties and guard rails might look conspicuously out of place in that particular instance.

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/openhouse08/open21.jpg)

Contrast that against this scene, which serves to illustrate your point quite clearly. I would wholeheartedly agree with you–this bride definitely needs proper ties and guard rails. They definitely will go a long way towards completing the scene. (As will replacing the 1x2 scraps holding up the cribbing and bridge. Really, it’s on the “to do” list.) Later, K

#14

The reason I did nt put the check rails on as Kevin correctly guesed is that the over scale rail IMO looks worse when one adds clunky overscale rails to the inside. It is as I said a proof of concept project.

If indeed the CA holds up, then I can think about some finishing touches. I dont intend doing a lot of work that would prove nugatory if the thing falls apart. The most likely weak point would be differential expansion and contraction if differing materials were use. Since it it is all made from the same stuff that wont be a problem. Eventually some longitudinal timber and rails using code 250 might appear.

There is ballast on the layout, but not at this point, the wx has got at it a bit. When I started the 1 by was covered, it needs addressing.

Since this facia trim is glued by the industry as standard practice I should think its going to hold up, I mean can you imagine if a year after a punter had his house worked on it all started to come away?

Cheers

#15

Ok Rod…lemme ask…is the stuff your using actually a J channel shape to start with and your trimming one side or the other off to vary the size? That I can find, but nothing that is a simple right angle bit…

#16

Its just a simple right angle Bart. 25mm by 25mm by 5000.

#17

Hmmmmm well shoot…nothing that simple on this side of the pond…so far…The Search Continues…

#18

I looked today at the HD on this side of the country. No joy here, either.

#19

I work in the construction industry. I checked the catalogs I have for vinyl windows and siding and there is nothing even close.

#20

Maybe Rod has a ready-made cottage business, bridge kits.

I’ll take only 20% of the gross for the idea. :smiley: