Viaducts.

[Anonymous]

I would truly like to include a viaduct like the one in "Harry Potter" in my planned area 3 expansion. Does anyone have any idea of the best way to do this. I don't need anything as grand just a few spans and curved if possible.

I have thought about using "Hebel Block" or similar or even casting a series of predetermined standard modules in Concrete (cement) using old wire coat hangers as re inforcing. Then assembling them in position, tying the reinforcment together and then pouring more concrete.

Well learned gentlemen what do you advise.


Regards
Ian: Kawana Island Tropical Railway.

[Anonymous]

Hi iandor
Based on what I have read on the 16mm news group conventional wisdome seems too be form up the whole bridge in place.
Making sure the formwork won't collapse under the weight of concrete then pouring the whole bridge a sectionat a time untill complete they also recomended bird wire as reinforcing for the bridge.
Cannot conferm or denie as have never built a concrete viaduct.
regards John

[Anonymous]

Hi Ian
Interesting project. What John says seems right and that's what concrete Bob did with the real thing, cast it in place that is - not the chicken wire! I suppose that concrete pads in the ground with wire sticking out, then build timber forms for the supports with mesh built in and the concrete poured/finished off to the level of the deck. I suspect it would be better to cast the deck seperately in sections and rest/bolt them to the piers afterwards. Please keep us informed on this one as it could be a future project over here.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Hi iandor
Now kimbrit has mentioned concrete Bob see if you have some pictures of the Glen Finnan (Spelling??) viaduct that is poured concrete.
Has improved over time with weathering if you want it to look like stone work get some ruber car floor mats with the right patern in them and fix that in to your formwork some how that should give you the stone work pattern.
regards John.

[Anonymous]

Thanks John and Kimbrit, Who or what is Concrete Bob is he any relation to Bob the Builder? and How do i get to see Glen Finnan is it in Ireland?

Regards Ian.

PS What about some other reaction as well; I am struggling here!

[Anonymous]

Hi Ian,
Concrete Bob was Sir Robert McAlpine and he pioneered the use of concrete in viaduct building. The viaduct at Glen Finnan crosses the head of the Loch where the statue stands to commemorate the landing of Bonny Prince Charlie on Scottish soil.( Any lads from Scotland reading this please help out here). The train journey runs from Glasgow Queen Street to Malaig via Fort william and is one of the most outstanding train journeys in the UK. If you ever do this journey check which half of the train is going to Malaig because the train splits at Galashiels for Oban.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Hi ian
Concrete Bob was Sir Robert Mcalpine's great grandfather yep the one that owned the Flying Scotsman.
Glen Finnan Viaduct is in Scotland and looks like a poured concrete version of the viaduct in Harry Potter movies on a curve.
I will check my railway video's and get back to you with the Titles it is on.
It and some other poured concrete structures are on two of the railway video's I have which where bought in Australia from one of the ABC shops
I supose you could call him Bob the builder[swg][yeah] as he did run a building contracting company, but thats a bit before the childrens character[:D]
regards John

[Anonymous]

My first thought was to carve the viaduct out of foam insulation boards glued together to gain the needed thickness. Then brush on a thin mix of vinyl patching cement.
I have done this on a small scale and it does look like concrete. Mortar lines can be pressed into the wet "concrete" to represent stone or bricks.
OLD DAD

[Anonymous]

Hi Ian, I believe there was an artical in Garden Railway magazine some time back about building molds from the foam Old Dad mentioned. If you use old hangers for reinforcement, burn the coating off them first for a better bond to the concrete or try using Hypatufa instead of concrete. Do a google search to get more info on Hypatufa, but it is a mixture of Portland cement, Peet Moss, and Pearlite (and other things depending on who's formula you use). About 1/3 the weight of concrete and looks like stone. Good luck with your project.

[Anonymous]

Kim and John;

Here is a surprise for you, we are not all descendent from convicts over here, although I was on my mothers side.

However my father came from Mary Hill Rd in Glasgow and my paternal Grandmother Margret Murdoch had old relatives tied up in the rebellion to do with Bonny Prince Charlie, so i am half Cetic Scott. My brother Gordon actually visited the Isle of Skye and couldn't understand why he felt so at home, I had to tell him.

Ok now on to my viaduct; any info I can get will be appreciated and i'm sure it will work out, nothing as grand as the one in Harry Potter; just a few spans and a curve will be nice. Hebel block I think is similar to what you guys are talking about and it is readily available and that is what my better half reckons I should use.

Larry thanks for your advice i owe you an email but i have had my granddaughter Courtney staying with us, and i have not got back into my normal groove yet.

I think I can form one out of a couple of Hebel blocks, as I have all the tools but I hear it really makes them blunt easy and they are very good tools, so i will just feel my way.


Regards Ian; Kawana Island Tropical Railway.

PS Kim is Blackpool on the Irish Sea or is it just on the Atlantic Ocean, or have I got my geography wrong?

[Anonymous]

Hi Ian,
Yep, you got us. We are on the Irish Sea facing West, a very busy tourist town and the season is getting going now which usually involves all the beer prices going up!! You can have a look at us at http://www.blackpool.gov.uk
Convicts? I wish you still took 'em mate. We have a few here to send - mainly our train operators!!
Cheers,
Kim

[Anonymous]

Hi ian
If you are going for hebel blocks visit a doctor or perhaps send SWMBO for a hair do.
So you can ERHM! borrow a copy of Australian Better Homes and Gardens Magazine I think from memory ( don't trust that too much) it is October last year you are looking for.
In the how too section is a nice looks a bit like the Lithgow Zig Zag hebel block bridge
for a garden rail way and an Australian looking trestle bridge built from aluminium and ply wood.
And they tell you how they where done
regards John

[Anonymous]

John; Why should I visit a doctot to do with Hebel do you know something i don't. What is a SWMBO and I'll look up said Better Homes and Gradens etc. I am in love with the Lithgow Zig Zag and if I could emulate same I would be in heaven. If this is the one that Scott Cam did we already have and it wasn't detailed enough but I will check it out.

Kim; do you have any idea of the local sea temperature, i am interested in these things mate. We are on the Coral Sea here and the water temperature is not warm enough to grow Coral this far south but The Australian Great Barrier Reef starts here.

Regards Ian.

[Anonymous]

Hi Ian
Visit local doctor because he may have a copy of the magazine in his waiting room.
SWMBO oops! sorry slipped into 16mm list jargon it means She Who Must Be Obeyed.[:D]
It was Scott Mcgreggor that did the piece I can remember that because my
SWMBO allerted me to the fact it was on.
No spare vidieo at the time Mutter Mutter.
Will find my copy of the mag that could take a bit of time its in with my RR mags all eight large wheelie storrage boxes of them.
once found, I can go and get it scanned for you if you like but it is likely to
be a bit of a computor choker of an attachment
regardes John

[Anonymous]

Hi Ian,
I'll get as much info as I can re our local bit of ocean, may take a while but i'll get there.
cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Yes, the viaduct in the Harry Potter Movie is certaintly Grand. By the time most people read this I am sure the 3rd Harry Potter movie will be out (by the way, it is realeased June 4th) but, in the previews I saw a magnificent shot of the Hogwarts Express standing on the viaduct at night with the lights from inside the train glowing through the windows with steam form the engine surrounding it and floating over and beside the viaduct. This is a very lovely sight . I urge all modelers wanting to build one like it see the 3rd movie. It was an inspiration to me and I have started to make drawing of it to create one on my railway in development. I am also considering the idea of a castle nearby the viaduct. I am sure most peopl will notice that no G-scale or O-scale manufactures have produced the Hogwarts Express. I would be very good of LGB or Bachmann or Aristocvraft to make one. It would be very lovelly.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the viaduct in the Harry Potter Movie is certaintly Grand. By the time most people read this I am sure the 3rd Harry Potter movie will be out (by the way, it is realeased June 4th) but, in the previews I saw a magnificent shot of the Hogwarts Express standing on the viaduct at night with the lights from inside the train glowing through the windows with steam form the engine surrounding it and floating over and beside the viaduct. This is a very lovely sight . I urge all modelers wanting to build one like it see the 3rd movie. It was an inspiration to me and I have started to make drawing of it to create one on my railway in development. I am also considering the idea of a castle nearby the viaduct. I am sure most people will notice that no G-scale or O-scale manufactures have produced the Hogwarts Express. It would be very good of LGB or Bachmann or Aristocvraft to make one. It would be very lovelly.

Regards: Nicholas Parker (age 13)

[vsmith]

I'm thinking about using a viaduct to span the two legs of an outdoor dogbone layout. I remember seeing something about large scale viaducts being cast foam and painted like concrete, does anyone else remember this or seen anything similar? Building out of Concrete sound like it would be vary laborious to form and very difficult to remove if needed or repair, especially if the soil under it gives and settlement occurs.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

I'm thinking about using a viaduct to span the two legs of an outdoor dogbone layout. I remember seeing something about large scale viaducts being cast foam and painted like concrete, does anyone else remember this or seen anything similar? Building out of Concrete sound like it would be vary laborious to form and very difficult to remove if needed or repair, especially if the soil under it gives and settlement occurs.

There is a product called "Waterputty," or something like that, that has been used by artists in wonderful ways. I plan to use it in the creation of my Spanish mission, Nuesto Senora de Miacela, for my layout.

I built a Pueblo Indian village with it coated over plywood when I was in the 5th Grade, it is still standing!

[Anonymous]

Ian Mate


This topic you have set up here is very interesting mate. I hope you read my reply about the Hary Potter Viaduct. I saw my first reply set up and saw all the mistakes so I went back to change it and thought the first one would disapear. But I was wrong. Thank So Much for your reaply to my topic Hogwarts Express in G-scale. Please keep in touch. My e-mail adress is
[e-mail] . Please send Me an E-mail mate

Nick.

[Anonymous]

Hey all, Has anyone ever looked at how Stucco/tradesmen simulate limestone sills. They use foam board and trowel on stucco material with me***ape for added strengh, I think they do two coats, scratch coat and a color coat. Using this method you could construct the viaduct out out of your foam board and then coat it, Ithink it wolud keep the weight down conciderable.

[Anonymous]

I think using foam board to build a 13' viaduct would be the best choice. Mortar lines can be PRESSED into the wet top coat. Scribing the mortar lines will raise ridges on each side of the line.
With all this talk of viaducts I may give a short one a try on my layout too.
OLD DAD...Larry