Large Scale Central

Trestle bent spacing

Track and Trestles
#1

So I finally got around too ripping down some redwood and cedar stock I had and started making up some trestle bents (wife was in a pissy mood so I spent the day in my man shed with the boy…lol…) Anyway I know where I want to place my bents however is there a rule of thumb on spacing them? 10" o.c. looks good to me any insight is appreciated. Also one more question. I had to use cedar for my top wide timbers, does anyone know if the cedar will age (color wise) like the redwood…not that I care as this was free scrap that was pitched. Just asking? Thanks David

#2

Cedar will age to a silver-grey usually but most trestles were creosoted to better preserve them, a possible exception would be temporary logging railroad trestles. The aged look you see on trestles in many photos is because thet haven’t been heavily maintained for awhile. The RGS operated on a shoestring budget for example. I like about 6" spacing on trestle bents.

(http://lscdata.com/users/richard_smith/DavisSloughCrossing/DS75-LowAlongTrestle-Web.JPG)

#3

Thanks Richard…I looked at 6" and looked busy too me …however as I review what I created 10" looks too open? Guess it’s a bit of trial and error which’s makes this hobby exciting! I was thinking of you today while ripping down the redwood. I have about 30 boards in total 6’ too 7’ foot long. 6" wide tounge and groove redwood boards that were going to be burned in a beer drinking party fire (hunting camp just north of Williamsport PA) I rescued them from their demise and just drank beer as we burned other stuff in the fire. They have been sitting in my basement for 5yrs or more.
Anyway you came to mind as you used the tounge ends for your bridge that you built that was in GR a few years back. I saved that waste material as well …throw away nothing! That bridge was awesome and I totally understand whipping something up quickly…That deck girder turned out great! The tounge idea was wicked! I saved the groove end off the boards and would like to make a mine with a sluth it’s darn near to scale for a small one.
I can’t spell and I’m about half drunk…thanks for the response…lol
David

#4

For stain, I went to Home Depot and got some stuff custom mixed. I went for a chocolate color (yeah, we’d call it creosote, but that wouldn’t sell) and translucent - as opposed to opaque. I like the look.

(http://www.jbrr.com/assets/images/IMG_2002.JPG)

#5

Depends on what scale you’re modeling. On the trestles I’ve seen, fourteen feet apart is fairly typical, so figure accordingly. That’s the rule of thumb I go by, but I’ve put them closer together when the situation called for it.

Speaking of trestles, I know some folks put old motor old on theirs to protect the wood. Since I don’t change my own oil, do you suppose if I asked at the local auto repair shop, they might give me some?

#6
Ray Dunakin said:
Depends on what scale you're modeling. On the trestles I've seen, fourteen feet apart is fairly typical, so figure accordingly. That's the rule of thumb I go by, but I've put them closer together when the situation called for it.

Speaking of trestles, I know some folks put old motor old on theirs to protect the wood. Since I don’t change my own oil, do you suppose if I asked at the local auto repair shop, they might give me some?


If they are changing your oil for you, I’m sure they probably would. Used to be you had to pay to get old oil hauled off. Now a days they pay the stations for the old oil.
I have an old smoke house over a hundred years old that I use for a garden shed. Painted it with used oil around 10 years ago and it still looks the same. Around here I have problems with bees boring holes in even pressure treated lumber.They don’t touch the old smokehouse.
Ralph

#7

Thanks for your replies and suggestions I really appreciate it!
Ralph,
Darndest thing with carpenter bees. The bore into my pressure treated deck however they don’t disturb my nice soft, yummy, fir/pine porch sitting on top of the deck? Makes no sense to me? Perhaps they enjoy the chemicals used to treat the wood? Get a bee buzz(ha ha I made a funny)

#8

I space mine 6" on most of my trestles.

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/jebouck/1strunb.jpg)

#9

http://members.cox.net/sn3nut/trestles%20part%201.htm
has a ton of RGS trestle data.

The BENT section discusses 16 foot spacing.

Page 2 has some pictures of 1:20.3 trestles.