Large Scale Central

New Deck Girder Bridge for Indian Hill

Track and Trestles
#161

Daktah John said:

Well - if the bridge didn’t match Aristo’s almost in gauge track there world be a problem at both ends (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)So far I am 100% Aristo, mostly stainless. If the new expansion ever gets started I will be adding some AML 332. i haven’t compared them for gauge yet.

And regarding the “modern” bridge that will soon have vintage narrow gauge trains trundling across - That is the advantage of running a museum line. I can have old trains running across a bridge built in current times. And the only reason it is a welded plate girder is that I am too lazy to add all the rivets. 100 angles was enough!

Yea, mine is 100% Aristo stainless. And the gauge being a bit off doesn’t seam to cause any issues. And I also run a museum line sometimes. It gives me the freedom to run a C16 and an F3 at the same time.

#162

That looks great Jon. Nice job on weathering the rails. Cant wait to see in place. Going to make a great photos spot.

#163

Looks great, Jon! Are you gonna weather it, so it matches the weathered (rusted) rails?

-Kevin.

#164

Thanks guys…

@Kevin - Probably not. I was going to weather the original one at East Es-cap-e` but never got to it. It has dulled a bit over the years, but no rust (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

Maybe some day I will get back into using the air brush I bought. That would be a good tool to add a little rust to the panel joints.

#165

Those trucks you used to test it sure look nice. . .(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)

The bridge is looking good. I am curious are there going to be legs under it or is it free spanning. Even if only for aesthetics.

#166

Mechanically it is a free span. Cosmetically it will have a pier at the center where the slot is. I need to come up with a way to model simple chairs and I’ll add two per side at the center pier. The way thing go, it might be another year before that happens. In the mean time, I have a carved foam pier that I will use with a couple of pieces of timber for chairs.

EDIT to add: Here is a photo of the location when the wooden version was new. I used two piers then, later reduced it to one…

#167

Once the basic track alignment was spiked in place I attached the deck to the girder using completely out of scale stainless sheet metal screws…

I want to be able to remove the deck when needed for maintenance or painting. Besides, this is the easy way to do it. The screws were later painted flat black so they would blend in a bit…

I ran out of the 1/2" stainless spikes. I can’t imagine where I have used them all, but they are gone :smirk: I did have some 5/16" HO scale spikes and I tried using them, but they are tough to hold in my spiking pliers and seem too short, so I only used a few. I got enough spikes in that it will be safe to run over until I get more. Marilyn was concerned with the wavyness of the track…

I told her that was to make it look more like real narrow gauge track :grin: Devon’s trucks were run over the full length many times to be sure that despite the curves and dips that trains will track smoothly…

I think it’s ready to install for a test run.

#168

Today C.V.S.Ry. track crews lifted the rails from the old Indian Hill Bridge in preparation for the arrival of the new replacement…

The old bridge was lifted by the Corps of Engineers using their new top secret heavy lift helicopter. We were asked not to photograph the helicopter or the lift. The Corps dropped the deck a few hundred yards from the right of way where it will be cut up for scrap…

Meanwhile, our crews cleaned up the abutments and made the adjoining track ready for new rails…

A new section of panel track was set on the Eastern approach while the Corps went to retrieve the new bridge…

I think I hear a really large helicopter off in the distance.

#169

Hey, that helicopter doesn’t happen to like ice cream, does it? (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

Bridge looks great!

-Kevin.

#170

dieseldude . said:

Hey, that helicopter doesn’t happen to like ice cream, does it? (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

Bridge looks great!

-Kevin.

How did you know ??? (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#171

The helicopter arrived with the new bridge and I was pleasantly surprised to find that my measurements were accurate resulting in a perfect fit. I ended up nudging the rails East about 1/8" to even out the gap at both ends, but that was nothing. It dropped right in like it was designed to fit the space :grin:

From this angle it looks like I may have encroachment issues from that root again soon…

From the other direction…

The East end…

A perfect fit !!!

Soon thereafter, M-10 leads a test train slowly across the freshly spiked rail…

So far so good…

George exclaims on the radio WE MADE IT!!!

One more crossing just to be sure…

On the return trip M-10 was caught passing the church…

I still need to finish spiking the rail as soon as I can get in another bag of spikes. There is also a plan to letter this bridge the sames as was done on the West Es-cap-e` bridge. I placed an order at this sign shop I know a few weeks ago, but so far nothing has shown up :open_mouth:

#172

Terrific Job!

#173

Looks good, Jon. I like it!..(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#174

Well done, Grasshopper.

#175

John

All you need to do is notch out a section of the root

and coat it with :

#176

Sean McGillicuddy said:

John

All you need to do is notch out a section of the root

and coat it with :

Yup. I kind of did that already about 3 years ago. You can kind of see it here, to the right of the old bridge deck…

#177

Joe Zullo said:

Terrific Job!

Com’on Joe how about proper liking and pronunciation LIKE

Editing : for nothing, just liking

#178

Great looking bridge, John. You did good!!!

#179

Looks good Jon. Always nice when things fit perfectly together. If you need more spikes send me a message in FB Ill send you a bunch.

#180

Nice bridge, Jon… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)