Bridging Beagle Canyon

[FJ and G]

Beagle Canyon usually is a dry gully. But when storms come, it floods (from the drainpipe). So, I put on my hardhat and got my surveying instruments out, along with some engineering blueprints.

Here's what I came up with...

3 ft long bridge needed

consists of plumbing copper pipe, hammered flat on a rail anvil with a sledghammer

edge grinder to separate the 2 parts

treated wood backing, attached with 18 gauge brads and copper nails

girder supports consist of brass HO rail, attached with Bondo and silicon (my soldering skills utterly failed)

painted with primer and rust (exterior)

ballast = crusher fines from local mine

removed the 3rd rail as I'm converting all my toy trains to R/C

reason I ballasted the bridge is b/c I check & some prototype bridges are this way. Since I already mounted my turnouts on hardiboard, I could go with the usual girder construction, meaning daylight between the ties. And, the turnouts had to be in that position

construction continues...

[Roger Bielen]

Great looking bridge David. I hope you were able to water seal what wood you used. Even treated wood, especially cut thin, will warp and twist. For future projects you might try some marine plywood or other wood used on boats, i.e. teak if you can afford it.

[wrmcclellan]

Nice work Dave! I always enjoy your projects and explorations!

[ChiefEagles]

Quit taking credit for BB's work. We saw who the engineer of the project was. [;)] Good job BB.

[FJ and G]

Thanks, guys. I tried to describe the easy process of building the bridge so others can do it as well. I soldered a little of it but people with better skills can do better.

Roger, about half of the structural support is from the hardiboard. Even if the wood (which is treated, but could warp as you say), does twist some, the hardiboard should stay level. Hardiboard is a product used for tile backing on bathroom walls and is waterproof made of some sort of fiberglass and stone mixture.

[andregg1]

Hi
Very nice proyect!!!!
Some questions:
- did you made both sides the same?
- How you made the platform?
Is very nice to work with copper and brass....I love it
Keep going, if you don't have the skill don't worry, the only way is "just do it"
Andre.
P.S we need MORE PICTURES!!!!!!!

[FJ and G]

THanks guys.

Andre,

Both sides are identical.

The platform is made of hardiboard, found in the tile section of Lowe's & HD. It is waterproof tile backer. It is nailed to two 1.5" square pieces of treated pine that in turn is nailed to the copper girder fascade.

Some of the brass rail is soldered but mostly held with Bondo and silicon. I had problems with the brass rails beading up. Used flux, sanded everything; tried a soldering iron (Weller), butane torch and even the big propane, but my skills are not quite there yet.

Not shown, the abutments, which are made of concrete block cut with a masonry cutoff wheel and then coated with Durham water putty. I pulled the abutments, however and they are just sitting on rocks b/c I didn't like the yellow looking color of the water putty; so more work is needed on the abutments.

You realize this is a work in progress so the stream will be refined and miniature ground cover will go along the river banks.

I'm not the fastest modeler in the west so all of this is taking time.

TOday, I'm cleaning my basement and helping my daughter with some college transfer applications so no trains today!

btw, here's a prototype for ballasted bridges on the old Pennsy in DC. Much of the bridge is not in view, where it crosses a road...(shot from L-Fant station--note the PRR targets in the distance)

[Dr. John]

Nice work Dave . . . and BB!