Large Scale Central

Looking for Some Sympathy - Long Tale of Woe

Track and Trestles
#1

Maybe 10 years ago I purchased a simply beautiful 4’-long, wooden, 1:20.3 scale Howe truss bridge. It was the pearl on my outdoor layout for maybe 10 years, but beneath an orange tree which dropped big navel oranges on it, so that periodic repairs were required. Eventually the outdoor weather and orange bombs necessitated some major repairs in spite of the plank I put on top of the bridge to protect it. I worked on the repairs slowly and carefully since around Thanksgiving, replacing broken and lost members. I finished the repairs last Saturday and decided that I would not put it back out into the layout except when I’d be running trains, which hasn’t been very often lately. It was never really supposed to be an outdoor bridge anyway - too delicate - but it was so beautiful out there. I decided I would hang it from bicycle hooks screwed into rafters in the garage. All went well with the hanging, then an hour or so later while I was indoors watching UCLA beat Colorado in basketball, my wife innocently opened the garage door. OH NO!! I had placed the hooks too far forward and the door smashed into the first one foot of the bridge. When we closed the door to retrieve the bridge, it fell to the concrete floor, doing even more damage. Broken pieces flew everywhere. Now I have two choices: throw the bridge into the trash can and build some kind of a much simplified bridge, or slowly work through repair of the broken one over the next many weeks. Oh my!

Some of you will say “show us a picture!” Maybe later when I can get over the disappointment at wrecking a perfectly beautiful bridge and can bring myself to recording the wreckage. I will repair it, however, as soon as I can get the wood stock. Much of the wood stock I have been using I have made myself from redwood fencing. I suppose eventually I can post some before, during, and after repairs pictures to expiate my embarrassment that I confess here to you all. In the meantime, a 4’ two-by-four carries the mainline beneath the orange tree. Oh golly and Amen.

#2

Tragic. And kind of ironic. I think many of us have had similar episodes when we tried (maybe over-tried) to protect a treasure and it got ruined or messed up. Sad, but we all work through it … sort of …

#3

So sorry to hear about this. It worries me too, as I’ve got RR under an orange tree and have seen the damage scale megaton orange bombs can do to track. So far, nothing’s fallen on bridges/buildings! Keeping my fingers crossed.

This may be the opportunity to build a new bridge which is resistant to falling oranges. Perhaps a “snow shed” type to shel oranges?

#4

That’s really a shame Art. I think we all learned a lesson from you though. Note to self: When hanging items from the garage ceiling - do it with the door open.

If you have the ability to repair it I say go for it. It may take a lot of time, but it will be a labor of love.

#5

When in doubt, throw it out. Just kidding. That’s a real shame. But as we all know, experience can be the best teacher. No oranges caused this one

http://youtu.be/CMdv2wRaqo4

#6

Re-Build says I. It’s winter, and what else do you have to work on? If you need some Redwood strips cut to size, let me know, I have a saw that cuts really good small strips, and a number of Ol fence pickets just a waiting. Let me know what sizes you would need. Glad to help ya keep it running.

#7

Go buy a 2x6 cut it to length and use it as a temporary bridge. Take the old bridge, crunch it up and set it on fire. Preferably in the back yard. Dance around it like a crazy man. Have a cold one. Then start making a new bridge. If you can, design it to take a shot from an orange.

T

#8

Thanks Dave and the rest of you for your sympathy and encouragement to rebuild, and I shall. But Dave, you ask what else do I have to do this winter? If you were experiencing the absolutely glorious weather we’re having in this the 4th year of our southern California drought, you, like I, would sure find a lot to do outdoors. And that is probably where I’ll do the repairs - on a table on the patio in bright, warm, day after day sunshine - instead of my dark, dreary garage. I may take you up on that offer for some redwood strips. I need to take an inventory of the damage first and make a stepwise plan of how I can repair it. I do have a Proxxon mini table saw that works well for cutting thin strips to length.

#9

The gem of my railroad was a through truss bridge I built. One winter we had several feet of snow. the snow melted under the bridge, but the snow on top didn’t melt. Come spring I had a severely swayback bridge. So I built a new bridge, modifying the plans from the original bridge. If you bridge is salvageable, then I say repair it. But if it would be easier to build a new one, then copy it. Either way, you like the bridge, so you should have it.

#10

Winter in Goleta is about the best time of year! In summer the fog rolls in on the California coast. So yes, rebuilding outdoors IS a winter project.

#11

Art Sylvester said:

Thanks Dave and the rest of you for your sympathy and encouragement to rebuild, and I shall. But Dave, you ask what else do I have to do this winter? If you were experiencing the absolutely glorious weather we’re having in this the 4th year of our southern California drought, you, like I, would sure find a lot to do outdoors. And that is probably where I’ll do the repairs - on a table on the patio in bright, warm, day after day sunshine - instead of my dark, dreary garage. I may take you up on that offer for some redwood strips. I need to take an inventory of the damage first and make a stepwise plan of how I can repair it. I do have a Proxxon mini table saw that works well for cutting thin strips to length.

Well Art,

Sorry about the bridge, real bummer.

OTOH, mentioning that fine California weather borders on “cruel and unusual punishment” for those who are up to their knees, or higher, in snow. With six to eight weeks of winter remaining. InnocentLaughingLaughingThe other day in Kelowna I drove past the mobile display sign of a church. It read: “To those who are praying for snow, PLEASE stop!”

PS Tomorrow is a XC skiing day. Wink

#12

Hans,

For some reason I thought you were in Europe until I read this. I know Kelowna, I might even have been to Coldstream when I was a kid.

Art,

That is a tragic story. I say rebuild it if you can. Or make a tribute to it by posting a tombstone/memorial marker by the new wonderful bridge you make.

#13

Oh no!

I often find it’s easier to build a fresh one from scratch than make serious repairs to something. But then, I DO still run Madam Mallet who was smashed in the car wreck.

#14

Well, Art, it seems to me that you have a great opportunity here. Put the damaged bridge next to where the tracks run with a back story of the big storm that destroyed it. Then build a covered bridge that had to replace the damaged one. A covered bridge should be orange drop resistant!

Covered bridges were built to protect the lumber that was used to construct the trusses and such.

#15

Hans-Joerg Mueller said:

Art Sylvester said:

Thanks Dave and the rest of you for your sympathy and encouragement to rebuild, and I shall. But Dave, you ask what else do I have to do this winter? If you were experiencing the absolutely glorious weather we’re having in this the 4th year of our southern California drought, you, like I, would sure find a lot to do outdoors. And that is probably where I’ll do the repairs - on a table on the patio in bright, warm, day after day sunshine - instead of my dark, dreary garage. I may take you up on that offer for some redwood strips. I need to take an inventory of the damage first and make a stepwise plan of how I can repair it. I do have a Proxxon mini table saw that works well for cutting thin strips to length.

Well Art,

Sorry about the bridge, real bummer.

OTOH, mentioning that fine California weather borders on “cruel and unusual punishment” for those who are up to their knees, or higher, in snow. With six to eight weeks of winter remaining. InnocentLaughingLaughingThe other day in Kelowna I drove past the mobile display sign of a church. It read: “To those who are praying for snow, PLEASE stop!”

PS Tomorrow is a XC skiing day. Wink

Yea, rub it in, Art. CryLaughingI spent some time in California when I was in the Navy, 1967, Port Hueneme. Traveled all over the state. Had a grand time.

#16

Well, guys, I decided to repair my damaged Howe truss bridge rather than throw it in the trash and buy a new one, which I couldn’t afford anyway. It took 6 weeks of off and on work - mostly off. The image shows the extent of damage better than if I showed the damage itself. The dark wood is the old wood, the new is the white and red, clean wood.

From now on, I’ll store the bridge from a rafter in the garage, well back from the door when it opens, instead of putting it back outdoors under the orange tree, where a sprinkler would hit from one direction, and big oranges falling on it from above.

#17

You probably gained enough experience rebuilding that bridge to build another one if you have too. Looks good as new to me!

#18

Fine bridge Art. Well worth the effort to repair in my view.

#19

Great job Art (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#20

A lot of work, but an excellent result!