Ztrack's Box Girder Bridges Thought I'd post some photos of the Ztrack assembled/painted Box Girder Bridges available exclusively at http://www.ztrack.com/psw/index.html Silver painted version Black painted version ----------------------------------------------------------------- I used a few of my locos and rollingstock to produce a scene on each version of bridges. Have a great day! Hobo Tim
Yes!!! Jurg, Yes, it is possible to connect the bridges together. But!!!! That would mean having to grind/file the bridge footing/shim so the bridges can be placed closer together. When you try to put two of these bridges together, the footings/shims touch each other preventing the bridges from getting closer together. I do not think these bridges were designed with this purpose in mind as the sole way the bridges would be set up. It is a simple fix if you wanted to make a long bridge. Dremel with a Grinding disk, a jewelers file and even a sand paper emory board would do the trick. Now, I do have to say this, these bridge sections are alot nicer than what I first thought they'd be!!! Hobo Tim
Jürg, I do believe that the design of this bridge for use with a shared footing does have a gap between the box girder sections.
I have about 25,000 photos on line easily indexed using GOOGLE PICASA. On a quick look at this type bridge, I would say the model is exactly the same as MANY prototypes. I came up with a half dozen in just a few seconds. I would guess from an engineering standpoint this is for both expansion and normal movement as a the train load moves across the bridge plus wind loads and a lot more. ...don
The prototypes of the Micron bridge are separate spans. If you take off the rails and decking you should be able to lift the whole section up off the piers. http://www.railroadconstruction.com/images/rccdb_rogbrg_2_lg.jpg http://www.pasty.com/copperrange/marquette.jpg That bridge Jürg posted is bolted/welded/riveted together in real life. I also think it is bolted to the steel pier structure. So if you wanted to model it with the Micron bridge you would be leaving off the bridge shoes anyways. You could always spice together a few Atlas N scale 40' gondola bodies.
Yep, although a box girder, still a different bridge. I'd have to agree, the bridge/trestle in Jürgs photo is an integral design. I like the gondola idea Chris. Has to be cheaper than bashing brass bridges.
Cheepo Bridges Love the look of these brass bridges, but a bit out of my price range right now. I copied a bunch of articles on building these with the idea of scratch building some, but while at the hobby shop today I saw some Atlas Box Girder Bridges in N scale...$5.00. Picked up a few and am cutting them down the center to narrow them right and I think they will look great. The Gondola idea is good as well, I've taken some of our's and cut the ends and they work great too. Cheers Joe MTL
Here is the gondola in action: and here: I measured Micro Engineering N scale bridge girders and scaled down to Z these gondola sides match pretty good. Sometimes I add a strip of styrene to the edges. I had planned to make a "box girder" the same way, but round the top corners. Never got around to it though.
Joe, Those boxed Southern Pacific boxcars in the background (say that fast) are they Z? and if so available?
Gons Nice work Chris, looks like I need to go fishing in the rejects box! Those are ones I painted myself, yes Z. I used the SP Logo from the Micro Scale N SP Caboose Sheet and the shields were printed using my HP printer on white decal and cut out...the dim data came from one of our print fixtures, I took a piece of RTV with a smooth surface, and did my own on-the-fly Tampo Printing onto clear decal film. It worked so well I may do a short how to later on. Cheers Joe
Super Cheap Alternative???? You know, I don't recall ANYONE promoting Peter Wright's or Fast Track's turnouts when everyone in the Z community was having problems with MTL's brand new turnout track sections! Why then should this promotion of the Ztrack 79' Box Girder Bridge be any different? I would hate to know that this was a Negative Promotion Ploy by an MTL representative! You know, I have that same N scale plate girder bridge that you have in your photos. It lacks major detail except from the sides. I have thought about putting it on a Z scale layout, but its lack of so much detail on the inside, eliminated it completely. Plus, I'd be ashamed of taking photos of it unless they were taken straight from the sides. I wouldn't want fellow Z scalers to know that Hobo Tim took a short cut to detail when all other items on the module were highly detailed. Just not my Cup-of-Tea! ----------------------------------------------------------------- But this is! SerendipiTEA "Lili'uokalani" http://www.serendipitea.com/Details.aspx?productID=557&CategoryID=5 Take 1oz and steep for 4 minutes 45 seconds, covered to retain the flavor. Then pour into pitcher making 2 quarts, add heaping 1/3 cup of sugar. Mix well and enjoy!!!!!! Freakin Awesome Tea!!! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Joe I have the utmost respect for you and what you have helped provide for the Z scale community but I hope this is not a hidden reflection of your Character and Integrity! I look forward to all of the future Z scale products you help introduce to the masses! Thank you Hobo Tim
Probably not a ploy at all, but rather a single parent of several kids deciding on beautiful custom brass bridge and several nagging hungry kids, or make due with inexpensive gondola bash bridge and have several smiling full bellied kids watching dad enjoy himself with his trains.
Tim, I think you are reading a little too much into Joe's post. I don't think he was "targetting" the Micron Arts announcement. Someone else brought up using N scale gons for kitbashing a different type of bridge, someone else commented that they would be less expensive than kitbashing the brass kit. Joe simple brought up another alternative. Not everyone can afford $40 a span. I bought one each of Micron Arts Pratt Truss bridges, and I will probably buy one of the box girders. But, in the area I model, most of the plate girder bridges were used to span creeks or country roads, so are more in the 40-50' span length. So, if I'm going to have to cut something up, it's probably going to be a Micro-Engineering 40' box girder kit or an N scale gon. And, to be clear, I'm not saying that to promote NOT buying the Micron Arts bridge. I am all in favor of using Reynard's incredible products when it is practical for the individual modeler. Most threads about new product announcements (on all three of the major forums) usually wind up blending in ways to kitbash or scratch build similar items. It's not like Joe chose this thread to announce Micr-trains new line of box girder bridges. I did not see one negative comment about Micron Art's bridge, or your skillfully completed RTR models. I think you might be acting a bit over protective in this case. Dan S.
Errr, yeah I only mentioned the gondolas because the photo Jurg posted wasn't like the Micron bridge.
