I'll do it, but it will be in the Fall/Winter timeframe. I've decided to replace to two bridges on the "High Passage" with one double-track monster--I think. I'm swamped with real work right now.
Here's a link to a favorite picture of mine of the bridge in Topock, AZ: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=54086
Did you ever build a bridge on your layout? I am thinking of something similar, maybe modelling this thru-truss BNSF bridge in Sioux City IA: http://bridgehunter.com/ia/woodbury/sioux-city-rail/ This is to span a duck-under on my layout. The span is what I am looking for, and it is a new bridge with no lacework which should make it at least feasible.
ATSF Bridge at Topock Well this topic popped up before I was a member. So a little late for the party I guess. Anyway TrainCat Model Sales is releasing Topock bridge kit next year.... They also make the plate girder for the ends of the bridge So all that is left are fabricating the pylons.
I couldn't help notice that a number of particpiants who started this thread and others who shared ideas aren't here anymore. Kind of sad if you ask me. As to bridges. Yes, we need some real work on bridges, of steel construction and fairly long expansions. These short $#!+ bridges that are commonly found just don't cut it anymore. Glad to see this reseurrected.
http://www.hack-bruecken.eu/ All metal bridges. I used a TT scale bridge in my previous layout and am looking into getting an HO arch bridge for my current layout. Here is the TT scale bridge that i mentioned.
Those are some beautiful bridge models, but I agree with BarstowRick about the sizes. I have a duck under that is 30 inches across. I can't use anything with intermediate piers; it has to be a single 420+ foot span in N-scale not including any approach spans. Then for the style, I want a thru-truss because I need all the clearance that I can get below the bridge - no arches or top-of-trusses. I don't know how big the market would be for a kit like this, but there has to be other layouts with 2 to 3 foot duck unders. Looking thru the web I found about half a dozen prototypes in the US. John Weeks has a good web site. The Sioux City BNSF is the best I could find, and no lattice work! Google Earth has an excellent shot and I can get the horizontal dimensions off their measuring tool. Another pic of the bridge: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29725931@N03/4692001881/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Note the gage on the piers, from that I could get a vertical dimension and derive the rest from other photos. I could also get dimensions from this one: http://www.pbase.com/sanoyes/image/74720179 I created dimensioned drawings by printing web photos, taking measurements from them, and doing some interpolating. I suspect my drawings are within 10% of being accurate. So... has anyone done this before - model a large prototype span from scratch? I have no brass skills so styrene is the only way that I can think of. Any pointers?
I'd love to learn how to build bridges, I don't have any on my layout, and none planned, but that may change if I knew how to make one!
Actually, the approaches are Deck Girders instead of Thru Girders. The kit will be ready for NMRA next year and will be 23.5" long, 3.156" high and 2.125" wide (not including the walkways on both sides. Pete, email me know if you need any research material for the class. You are welcome to it.
You guys did catch that the first three + pages are all SIX years old now, right.... Pete, did you ever go through with the class? Brian
I'm still around, just not very often. I never did get around to the class. I bought all the materials, drew a plan with an architecture package, wrote the first half about how to obtain plans, and then had a lot of life changes. In the meantime, prices for structural parts in plastic and brass have skyrocketed. And I got more interested in ships, as they are more challenging to build. This thread did not contain an image of the three bridges over my South Harbor, so here it is: The two top bridges have spans of 43 inches. They are modifications of real bridges. Bob, thanks for the offer! I'll decline for now. The best way to reach me is by PM. I don't subscribe to threads here but am notified of PMs. Thanks all.
Pete, that bridge in back is pretty close to what I have in mind for my layout, a nice thru truss. It looks gorgeous! Wow! Can you tell us: Is it a Pennsylvania truss? What bridge did you look at as the prototype? Is it styrene or brass? What kind of stock (square?) did you use for the main chords and what size - 3/16? Brian, the reason this thread got revived is I was searching the posts and this was the only one I could find that was even close to what I was looking for.
The front "high" bridge is loosely constructed on drawings of Eads Bridge in St. Louis--one of the three spans. I dropped the deck from the top to near the bottom to make it a through span. This is not unusual for long span truss bridges, as where the deck is located is not that important to the load-bearing capacity of the bridge. That one was made with very thin strips of wood. And has become quite brittle. The barely visible bridge in the back is indeed a true model of the feeder bridge of the Del Mar PRR bridge. In fact, the forefront "low" bridge is a crude model of the center lift span. Although modeled on the Cape Cod Railroad Bridge, the two lift bridges are nearly identical. I think, if you search "Pete Nolan Bridges" or some such, and move the search time from the default (Last 30 Day?) to "Forever", you'll find a lot of info on my bridges. BTW, the most common failure of searches here on Trainboard seems to be the default of "30 Days" (or some such) when "Since the Beginning" (or some such) will usually be much more successful. Folks in charge seem to have forgotten this simple tip. I don't subscribe to threads here (or elsewhere). The best way to reach me is still via PM, which notifies me of a message immediately.
Sorry, posted the wrong picture. Seems I can't correct my own post. The posted image has some incredibly distorted angles, especially the bridge on the cutter, and the right tower on the lift bridge. Making things rectilinear in Photoshop has unexpected consequences.
