Large Scale Central

Need advice on bridge piers

Track and Trestles
#1

From the “I wish I planned ahead department”. I built a trestle a couple years ago, and just recently decided to add a water feature under some of it. So the problem is that the trestle bents are not long enough and need some support. Structurally the bridge is strong enough, but visually they need some support. Not wanting to tear the trestle apart and make longer bents, I was thinking of casting some concrete piers under the bents. Not sure if that would be prototypical to have concrete piers holding up wooden bents, but it’s better than seeing them hanging there! I just returned from my snowbird summer to Florida for the winter, and started the water feature as soon as I cleaned up the dead leaves and weeds.

I’m looking for advice, ideas, suggestions on the easiest way to fix this. I was thinking of building forms around the bottom of the bents and pouring concrete piers. Anybody have any other suggestions? Easy fix? Here is a photo. The pond is done, the stream has only the first fabric/concrete layer done.

The water will be pumped from the trestle pond to a grist mill water wheel I built, then follow the tracks in a stream back to the pond. This is the future site of the mill, just carved the final layer of concrete. The hose is sticking up near the tree.

And below is the mill where the water will be pumped to come out in the sluice.

Thanks!
Mike

#2

Mike,

Welcome back home! That water feature is going to look great.

Here is a picture I found that has a trestle with what looks like brick and mortar supports under the bents. I think this is your prototype.

(http://smallmodelrailroads.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/no1-mill-trestle-work.jpg)

#3

Mike, I would suggest piers in the water that the bents rest on. Finish the outside of the piers with something like field stone. I have seen field stone piers in Pennsylvania that had trestle bents on them that were destroyed by fire. So it would be prototypical to do that.

Now I’m thinking what would the railroad do if they realized they put a bridge in that was not high enough? They would build up the pier.

Good luck.

Lou

#4

Thanks guys, I’m not a rivet counter, but glad to hear that there is a prototype for my mistake, LOL!

#5

Here’s a poured concrete footing in the middle of a stream/river in Ophir Colorado.

It was poured to have a trestle replace a Howe Truss Bridge in the middle of RGS bridge 45A. Poured circa 1914.

https://picasaweb.google.com/116851198948919943557/RGSExplore07Ophir#5209877084821400146

Another view of above

Text:
Having climbed down into the canyon at the edge of the reclaimed area, I was delighted to find footings from 45-A. The Howard Fork stream is another 15’ or so below where I’m standing. This was the highest section of 45-A, and the footings are huge. The rails were 96’ above this stream.

Both from a web page link: http://rgsrr.home.comcast.net/~rgsrr/rgs/remains.html

Bob Hyman, a member here has some pics on Flickr.

Here’s one of bridge 44A with very similar construction to what went up over the footings, above, for bridge 45A. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/rgs/photos/albums/677225885/lightbox/223723206?orderBy=ordinal&sortOrder=asc&photoFilter=ALL#zax/223723206

Check out the purple outlines on this bridge 44A drawing: http://www.ghostdepot.com/

#6

Thanks for the links Don!

#7

#8

#9

Yea, piers would be used to hold a trestle where it crosses water. The piers could be cast concrete, stone, or for the really backwoods kinda look, they could be a cluster of wooden piles driven into the stream bead, and banded together with iron straps.

#10

Thanks for the photos and ideas all y’all!

I’m glad to see that it is common, I originally thought that the bents should go into the water, but I can see now it will look good sitting on piers.

Currently, I’m torn between making forms and pouring concrete, or using a double-bullnose brick standing on edge as the pier.

brick

#11

Use the brick. KISS.

#12

I’m doubting you’re lucky enough that your bents will fit these perfectly, but Bridge-Masters makes piers for exactly what you are looking to do:

Piers/Footings

(https://www.bridge-masters.com/photos/36.jpg)

#13

That brick looks suspiciously like a trestle pier.

#14

The only reservation I have with the brick is that it may have to be cut to conform to the bottom/side slope. Again, if I’d been thinking ahead, this would have been a lot easier!

#15

Mike McLaughlin said:

The only reservation I have with the brick is that it may have to be cut to conform to the bottom/side slope. Again, if I’d been thinking ahead, this would have been a lot easier!

That’s what a shove is for. Its a lot easier to cut dirt.

Edit: I see that you are beyond that. Never mind. Give it a try, you might surprise yourself. Don’t over-think this.

#16

Try breaking a brick to conform and cement in place, shimmed up to the bent.

#17

Mike McLaughlin said:

The only reservation I have with the brick is that it may have to be cut to conform to the bottom/side slope. Again, if I’d been thinking ahead, this would have been a lot easier!

Your area is not that big. Knock the bottom concrete out, install the bricks, and re-concrete around them.

When I set up my trestle on these, I used a long piece of TREX and spaced, then Gooped the bricks to the TREX. This keeps the heights level, or at least at the same angle. Then I leveled the TRX and formed the bottom of the lake over the TREX right up to the bricks. I get about 1/4" - 1/2" variation from one side of the trestle to the other (~14 feet) as evidenced by the waterline along the bricks.

#18

2nd thought, take a couple of bricks to a wet saw* and have slices cut. Thick enough to go deep, but not touching and glue them to the bents, add water. Your trestle looks rigid enough to hold itself up.

  • wet saw; handy man/store willing to make cuts for you, diamond saw. Tool rental? Tile saw…
#19

I just get a blade for cement/rock, and put that blade in my skill saw… It’s an old saw, with a worm-gear drive… Has no problem cutting bricks/concrete/rock…

#20

Yeah, I’m sure it won’t be much of a problem. I actually only need 3 bricks to support 3 bents. I can build out the cliff for the 4th. The trestle will support itself and the trains without any piers, but looks goofy.

I do like the look of your piers Todd, thanks for the suggestion!