Installed Upper Diagonal Overlay D4U: Installed Upper Diagonal Overlay D5U: Installed Upper Diagonal Overlay D6U: Installed Upper Diagonal Overlay D7U. There will be slight variations in the structure because of the build process. The result can be minute overhangs of the Overlays. You can see one here before I use a few strokes of a file to correct.
Installed Upper Diagonal Overlay D8U: Installed Upper Diagonal Overlay D9U: The builder needs to complete the Upper Diagonal Overlays for the other half of the Truss Frame.
Down to the last series of major overlays. This group will be the undersides of the Diagonals and the Bottom Chord. Installed Lower Diagonal Overlay D1L and BCL1: Installed Lower Diagonal Overlay D2L, D3L and Bottom Chord Overlay BCL2 between P2 and P4: Installed Lower Diagonal Overlay D4L and BCL3 between P4 and P5:
Installed Lower Diagonal Overlay D5L: Installed Lower Diagonal Overlay D6L: Installed Bottom Chord Overlay BCL4 between P5 and P7:
Installed Lower Diagonal Overlay D7L: Installed Lower Diagonal Overlay D8L: Installed Bottom Chord Overlay BCL5 between P7 and P9:
Installed Lower Diagonal Overlay D9L: Installed Bottom Chord Overlay BCL6 between P9 on the left to P9 on the right: The builder needs to complete adding the Lower Diagonal and Bottom Chord Overlays for the other half of the Truss Frame.
Applying Gusset and Batten Post Overlays On The Side Truss Frame With the basic structure of the Truss Frame complete and all of the major Detail Overlays affixed to the structure, we begin adding the major details to the Truss Frame. First we will add several of the large inner Gusset plates to the interior of the frame where there is an I-Beam Post. We will not add the Batten Post Gussets until all of the small Batten Plates have been secured to the posts. On the Interior Gussets, there are slots for Floorbeams up at the Top Chord and small slots for the Lower Sway Braces to the Bottom Chord. The Exterior Gussets do not have any slots in them and can have multiple layers of Gussets like the prototype does. Interior Gussets have only one layer to make the design, assembly and alignment of the interior components easier. Normally the attachments for the X-Bracing on the bridge interior goes from the bottom of the Floorbeam down to the top of the Lower Sway Brace. Except for the Gusset at P2, the other Gussets at the knee of the Bottom Chord (where the Chord changes angles), will have the X-Bracing attachments soldered to the Gusset. P2’s Gusset is exempt since it does not have any X-Bracing. When walking on the Lower Walkway, you would have to duck down to pass under the Floorbeam at P2. Before adding all of the Batten Plates, install the Interior Gussets for P1, P2 and P3 Afterwards add the Interior Gussets for P8, P9 and P10. Notice that the bottom Gusset for P9 is not included in the drawing. This is because we will need to solder the X-Bracing attachments to the Gusset before installation and I will defer that for last as I do not want the attachments to get damaged during the Batten Plate installation.
Interior Gussets for P1, P2 and P3 Interior Gussets for P8, P9 and P10 Test fit Floorboards FB1 at P1, FB2 at P2 and P3. Also test fir the Lower Sway Brace for P2 and P3. The same Lower sway Brace used at P3 can be used for P8 and P10.
We are at the point that the Batten Plates need to be applied to the Batten Posts (P4, P5, P6 and P7) before we can add anymore Gussets to the Truss Frame. Here is an image of Batten Plates being applied to half of P4. Although time consuming, these plates are not hard to apply and the effects is 1000 times worth the effort. It will take me awhile to get the rest of the Batten Plates on. Hope you are enjoying seeing the bridge come together.
Bob are you no longer selling to retailers? Robin and I have sent many many emails to you with no response. I hate to bring this up here but can not contact you any other way. Thanks , Mike
I am just flabbergasted by this one!...I love this build of such a unique structure!...the area where this bridge stands is pretty unique too.... I well remember my first trip and view of this bridge...I was able (at the time, no bizarre railroad police, etc-mid 90's) to drive the Dodge off the interstate and park fairly close to the bridge; no one around, flat, rocky terrain, just a few cattle (and one HUGE bull eyeing us suspiciously!); my railfan buddy and I were able to walk about 100 yards right up to the canyon, carved deep into the flat rocky terrain...you could even see the footings of an older bridge, still in place just to the south of this structure. In the 45 minutes we stayed at the site (we were railfanning our way to Flagstaff) we saw 9 trains cross at speed...just way too cool. I can only imagine this model on a bendtrak module!. Again, WOW! ~Bruce
Mike, Jamie's condition is not good. She has been diagnosed with advanced Frontotempural Dementia which is not curable nor treatable by standard methods. Currently she is in a "last resort" trial being run out of Baltimore and I have been flying between there and Ft. Lauderdale three times a week for 12 weeks now while working two jobs to try and make ends meet from the loss of her income. I am building this bridge (I actually carry it with me on the plane to have it when I need it) to try and keep myself from going over the precipice. I know there are people worse off than I am and I am thankful for that, along with still having Jamie in my life for as long as I can. I hate to say it here, but there there is more going on here than model trains. Orders have been VERY, VERY slow going out, but everyone (minus one from Chattanooga) have been understanding. You do have my cell phone and have contacted me from Tucson to Germany. If you need to, call me next week.
Robin and I wish you all the best. It sounded to me as though you were producing. I can certainly understand the issues you are facing. Mike
Thanks Mike. I actually did start back up and got the store is open. The sales from the Store are a HUGE help with the current situation. The diagnosis and its impact was a real slap down. All of the new projects I restarted were pushed back. I have two more weeks of the trial and I am home all of the time where I can at least spend some spare time shipping and getting the projects back online AGAIN . . .
Building the Floor Beams Before actually building the Floorbeams, a simple jig must be built to allow the builder to solder the tabs for the Upper Longitudinal. The Upper Longitudinal will consist of T-Beams soldered between the tabs on the Floorbeams in an X pattern with the two flat surfaces soldered at the crossing point. This of course dictates that one T-Beam is soldered to the top of the tab and the other to the bottom of the opposite tab. I used 1/4 lite ply that had been laser cut for another project, but the sheet’s straight edge from the manufacturer works perfectly too. I cut some of the brass from the bridge kit sheet that was close to 1/4 and measured (approx 1.645in) and cut the piece that would go between the tabs. This was glued to the lite ply edge. I then used the tabs themselves for the placement of another strip that would go on the opposite side of the tab. This was glued to the ply. I glued the lite ply together with the .010 brass sandwiched between creating a perfect jig to hold the tabs vertical in all directions and keeping my hands from being burned. There are notches in tabs that slip into notches on the sides of the Floorbeam. Place tabs in the jig and solder. Using a file, clean-up any solder that would interfere with the Overlay in a few steps.
There are 17 of the Floorbeam FB2 that will go in all Posts except P1 where FB1 will go. After the tabs have been soldered to the web of FB2, get the Upper and Lower Capstrips that will be soldered next. The Upper Capstrip has six slots while the Lower Capstrip has five slots and wings that will be folded downward into the bend lines to create the attachments of the Post X-Bracing. It is important that the bend line is in the correct orientation (facing away from the Floorbeam). Solder the Capstrips in place and clean-up excess solder. At this juncture, it is a VERY good practice to clean the Floorbeam assembly with lacquer thinner. I keep a wide mouth glass jar on the work bench where I can immerse the Floorbeam into and use a cheap brush to clean the assembly. The next addition to the Floorbeam assembly is the Detail Overlays. Floorbeam FB2 will have two Overlays while FB1 will only have one on the interior side. REMOVAL OF ALL TIE REMNANTS IS CRITICAL FOR THE OVERLAY TO FIT PROPERLY. Test fit before adhering the Overlay to the web. I place thick CA on the back side of the Overlay using a toothpick to properly coat the surface and removal excess glue. Place the Overlay onto the web and press the Overlay down for a good fit. Once dry, lift the other side of the overlay and repeat the adhesion process. There is a Detail Overlay that is attached to the Lower Capstrip to give some extra detail when viewing from below.
The FB1 Floorbeam is very similar except the tabs are basically one sided for the interior side and there is a second set of tabs for the Lower Longitudinals. The Longitudinal tabs have a bend line that must face the bottom of the Floorbeam. Also, the Lower Capstrip has bend lines that must face upward. When assembled, these tabs will be bent to match the angle of the Bottom Chord. The assembled FB1
Building the Lower Sway Braces and Longitudinals There are in two basic configurations; 1) Single Sway Brace where the chord is straight and 2) Multi Piece Sway Brace where there are two Sway Braces in the exact angle as the Chord Knee. The latter allows the Longitudinals to be in parallel to the Bottom Chord. I first built all of the alternating Cross Braces that create the Lattice Web of the Sway Brace by taking two identical multi layered Sides, flip one over so the detail is opposite on the other side. Using a sparing amount of TIX flux on the top and bottom tabs, place a minute drop of solder to hold the two halves together. The finished Lattice Web now shows multi-layered detail on both sides. Here I am building a Knee Sway Brace. On any bridge, the Lower Sway Brace must always be perpendicular to the Chord, so two Sway Braces will be needed for each angle of the Knee. That means that the two Lattice Webs will be next to each other at the bottom of the Chord and father apart at the top of the Chord. Each pair of Lower Sway Brace Caps have the number of the associated Post etched into one of the tabs. A number 4 Sway Brace Cap will be at the junction of the Bottom Chord and Post P4. The easiest way to build these are to place the Sway Brace Cap that has it’s slots father apart down on the building surface with the half-etched bend line facing upward. Insert a pre-soldered Lattice Web into one set of slots. Solder the Web to the Cap ensuring the Cap is perpendicular to the Cap. I do this by looking at the two pieces from the end where I can see if they are perpendicular and then touching a small drop of solder on the end tab/slot to hold it in place. Do the same thing for the other end and repeat for the second Lattice Web. Fill-in all other tabs/slots with solder. Carefully bend the Bottom Chord Cap, into the bend line, to the angle of the Chord Knee associated the Post etched into the tab of the Sway Brace Cap. Refer to the TrainCat Web Site for tutorials on how to bend brass. Pinch the two Lattice Webs together forming a V. Place the assembly on the building surface with the Top Cap down. Fit the slots in Bottom Cap onto the tabs on the Lattice Web. The half-etched bend line should face upward where the tabs (when viewed from the side) are parallel. Tack the two end tab/slot pairs first and then the remaining tab slots. Using a jewelers file, remove the excess solder from the top and bottom Caps of the Sway Brace. I found out (after I made these) that you really should clean these parts with lacquer thinner right after soldering otherwise oxidation will begin. This pic is only one day after soldering and oxidation is already beginning. Like done with the Floorbeams, place them in a jar of lacquer thinner for a one minute soak followed by a brushing.
