One of my long-term goals is to build a through truss bridge here:
Until I can build the permanent bridge, I decided to put in a temporary bridge that looks better than that old plank:
I also finally made some signs for the rock shop:
You need a beer in that empty right hand Ray!
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/RockSm.jpg)
Ray, These store fronts are excellent. Great photo. Ralph
Ok Ray, I’m still up for adoption, are ya interested??? We could play trains all day, and you could treat me like yer son!! LOL AS Always excellent wish I had yer talent. Regal
Nice temporary bridge. I have one just like that - base made from exterior ply and sides made from luaun ply with several coats of paint that has been outside for 6 years. So much for temporary 
Thanks. I don’t know when I will get around to building the permanent bridge, and the through-truss design presents some challenges that need to be worked out. So I expect this temporary bridge will be there for a few years. I used poplar for both the bottom and sides.
These were taken a long time ago. No plantings in place and before the retaining wall was cut to relieve the grade and a concrete abutments were poured. I realize now that I never rounded the ends. Yours looks better 
What…all those bridges and no guard rails…!!!
Very similar to THIS one on the IPP&W
(http://jbrr.com/Pics/Events/AmericanInvasion/Invasion2006/IMG_2053.JPG)
Great work, Ray. Do you leave your figures out?
HA HA!
But dont worry, real railroads ALWAYS put guard rails on.
(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1315/1110186485_affb92f787.jpg)
Bruce Chandler said:Some of them. The three in the photo of the rock shop have been out for about a year now. The only problem I've had is with the first few that I made, including the "self-portrait". I had sprayed them with Krylon clear, and it reacted with either the paints, or the clay, or both. The finish had a gummy feel that never went away, and after a few rainstorms, they mildewed.
Do you leave your figures out?
The other figures were painted only with Apple Barrel flat acrylics and have not had any problems so far. However, recently I have been covering the buildings, including the figures, whenever we get rain.
Fred, I’ve gone as far as getting water barrels for my wood bridges but haven’t figured put how to retrofit walkways, platforms for the barrels and railings!
Bob McCown said:
But dont worry, real railroads ALWAYS put guard rails on.(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1315/1110186485_affb92f787.jpg)
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Ruth008Small.jpg)
Ray Dunakin said:Interesting. I have a resin figure I got from Bob at ECLSTS. Once I finished trimming the mold flash and filling holes with putty, I sprayed it with Krylon gray primer to see where I was at. I got the same odd gummy feeling once the paint dried. Must be the lacquer thinner reacting with the resin and/or whatever your sculpture clay is mace from.
[i][/i] I had sprayed them with Krylon clear, and it reacted with either the paints, or the clay, or both. The finish had a gummy feel that never went away, [i][/i]
Hum. Interesting. Ive never used an oil based paint on figures, even the primer. Ill have to experiment and see what it does to the resin.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure it was reacting with the clay. You’re only supposed to use water-based paints on it. At the time, I was using artist’s acrylics to paint the figures but it was too glossy. I thought that a spray of Krylon over the acrylic paints would be ok but that turned out not to be the case.
Oil based enamels don’t work on figures from Lionel either. They’re not clay or resin…but “sticky” a year later 
Ralph
Use Artist’s Clear Matte Medium from Michael’s. It is water based. Basically like Krylon’s but water based. A water based satin or flat polyurethane works well, too.