Hello all I need a little help here.I may have asked this a while back but lost information.I need to know the best and easiest way to construct one for the life of me I went brain dead here.I've searched everywhere but come up empty I can't get it right.Any information and or photos please help.Thank you Blane Kessler
Please search in the How To forum. There is at least one good one in there. I'll search myself later.
A cheap and easy way to protect from a great plunge would be to add an extension cord under the bridge that have to be connected to operate the layout . A fancy way would be 3 feet of tracks on each side that would be dead if the bridge is not in place using special connectors . Either way would be good for loco(s) but not for cars that could roll in the canyon ...
This one is what I got with "gate" in How To: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=96034&highlight=gate
It is not clear what your situation is - what sort of a gap do you have to cross? Is it in a straight line alignment or across at an angle? I have made a very simple lift-up (or should I say drop-leaf?) bridge across a straight line to allow my trains to go into the garage. It is simply a piece 4" x 1" timber. I laid out a piece longer than the gap and used the drop saw to cut an absolutely square cut at each end. I then turned that over and pressed two pieces up to each other and fixed a butt hinge to join them. At the other end the wood was lined up and secured in place on the layout. A tower bolt was fitted underneath to secure alignment and keep it up. When not in use the bridge drops down from the hinge and swings free. For electrical connection I cut the track with the Dremmel about 12" back from the edge of the bridge at both ends and used a microswitch to connect the dead sections to the live areas beyond them. The bridge touches the microswitches when it is secured in position and guarantees that the track is dead when the bridge is down. Any other type of plug in connection allows for the possibility that you might FORGET to disconnect it and end up with locos on the floor. If this is the sort of thing that meets your need, please reply and I'll try to include more details. For me it has been a super simple, absolutely perfect solution to closing the gap.
My situation is I have 2 doors to cross and also I have a 3 level layout and they will be 12 and half inches apart on top of one another.I see I have some good replies so I will look into it and go for it.Thanks alot Gentleman. Blane
Blane, please let me know if you need any more details on the construction of the drop down. I also have constructed a double-deck swing bridge which is nearly bullet proof Hinges: The black cable is a office cable wrapper that neatly holds all wires for track power and switch machines. Cheers Dirk
Caddy that is nice! Stupid question that I guess applies to all swing/drop outs: Does your wiring stop at the drop out with either dead end going back to the booster?
