My big trestle

With a fellow narrow gauger (Sn2 Maine) coming to visit tomorrow after church, I've made a big push to get my trestle far enough along to use for continuous running. It has reached that point...







Keep in mind that it is O-scale...which can be recognized by its height relative to the dining room table chairs and the coffee cups. The flat cars is 30' long.

I still have to add the NBWs which I've yet to order, but I pre-drilled all 250 of them as I figured that it would be easier to do that with it flat on the table. I used standard N-scale Code 80 rail as I felt that Code 100 rail would detract from the trestle. (wow, the Code 80 cross section is hideous...so I might replace it...).

It is from scratch, mostly following RGS practices. My greatest deviation was for the deck to be built to a 30" radius of curvature. I've stained it with Miniwax pine and the classic india ink/alcohol.

If I build another trestle like this, I'll have a disk sander, band saw, and drill press as it took forever/was frustrating to do this with hand tools. I'll write it up on my blog in a few days.

Michael

 

Hi Michael,
The trestle looks absolutely wonderful and I look forward to reading/seeing the blog. Keep up the good work!

 

Hi Michael,

You did a great job!

My opinions on using power tools: A drill press is definitely in order for NBW holes. However, my experience is that for cutting and sanding hand tools are still the best way to make sure everything comes out right. Dremel has a nifty drill press attachment. My shop press is far too big.

 

Michael, good work.

With my first bridge I've added the NBWs later. Quite a few I could not drill a hole. So I had to cut the NBW flat and glue it with CA. :sad:

Now I insert first the NBWs during construction.

Wolfgang

 

Question of an uninitiated: What does NBW stand for?

 

Nut Bolt Wahers
you can get them from Grandt Line in different sizes.

Wolfgang

 

OK, thanks. Come to think of it, I should have known, but I simply did not remember, particularly as it showed up in a different context this time.

 

Thanks guys.

I'm going to use Grandt Line's variety with 4" washers...the proper size for a trestle. They are cored for use with 0.020" wire...but I'll probably use styrene rods. I didn't have enough rods on hand to add them before hand.

I just ran a classic C&S freight train around the loop a few times as it is temporarily installed. I've got to fix the approaches as they have undesired vertical curves. Apparently the glue added more thickness than I was expecting. My dream layout won't need any wooden trestles as the South Park had few (if any)...most of its (few) bridges were metal. But since this is a generic railroad, a nice sized wood trestle was in order (it is a scale 60' feet tall and 150' long).

With the bridge in place, I can finally begin the real testing of my three-way turnout. I need to file a few of the frogs as they are a touch tight...as evidenced by the 2-8-0's bumpy ride through it.

EDIT: Robert, here's a nice picture of my DSP&P stock car from right around the time I finished adding the NBWs:

IIRC, It took 300-350 of them.

And another picture of them in a 27' DSP&P coal car:

I use #15s anywhere in which a washer wouldn't be necessary and #1s anywhere there ought to be a washer.

I'm quite fatigued...the C&S did have a few trestles such as mine...Montana Gulch on the Central City Switchback and on the line to Leadville...


Michael

 

Thanks Michael. What a job! Looks great. Though the coal car is out of focus. But the stock car shows a very nice pattern. So how long does it take to just do all these NBWs on one car?

 

Robert, I haven't a clue! I usually don't sit down and drill them all at one time (my hand gets sore). If I had a drill press, it wouldn't take long at all.

Michael

 

Interestingly, my friend hasn't built any equipment. He purchased a lot of completed freight equipment, some brass locomotives, and some unbuilt kits. He focuses more on layout construction. As I've gathered, Sn2 is more of the ideal size for him than anything else. I'm working a little bit with him on styrene techniques and he's giving me advice on modular construction. He's really good camaraderie in that we are both prototype modelers in what seems to be a sea of freelance and proto-freelance...so we are both accustomed to many issues that never occur to freelancers.

If those not loyal to a specific prototype are called freelancers...then I think that those of us loyal to a specific prototype ought to be called Huscarls. If you know the origin of the former or the meaning of later, hopefully you'll get a chuckle out of that...

Michael

 

This bridge has over 200 Nut-bolt-washers.





I drill with a pin vise a hole, go with the NBW to a spot with CA and insert it. A fast way, and relaxing. :angel:
It's faster then the wood work.

Wolfgang

 

Very nice work, Wolfgang. I'll be making one of those as well...along with a simple pile trestle. I'm surprised that it took 200 NBWs! But that's part of what makes it look so nice!

That 1st one wouldn't happen to have been based off of Harry Brunk's model?

Michael

 

Yes, you're right. You find my report here: SILVER CREEK project - Page 4 - TrainBoard.com

Wolfgang