Hi all,
Well I think I know several ways NOT to install a trestle bridge.
I made the gap for the bridge, then laid the track over the gap (it's only 5 inches) then built the bridge to slide in underneath. All went well until I had to work out how to make the scenery look as if it was there first. I had to do lots of adjusting of foam bits to make it looks right. Now I have to paint and grass the foam and then put the trestle back in. It's driving me crazy!
The must be a better way.
Cheers
Alan Jones in Sunny Queensland (Oz)
I always do 90% of the shaping and scenicking of the depression, gorge, whatever first. Then I make the bridge/trestle to fit what is in place...it has to be 95% accurate or better. Then, I slide the bridge and its bents into position and create the sill or mud sill, which is either scale lumber or more goop/plaster compound.
Oh, I had wanted to say to you first that you should use a plaster/hyrdocal/sculptamold something to create the depression. Or, be very patient and good with shaping the foam; once you have overdone it, it takes a lot to restore it.
Back to the fitting...when I hold the deck up tight to the overlaid tracks, not enough to lift it a wee bit even, I check out what is sitting where, and imagine how the abutments should look. I remove the bridge and build the abutments. Then I refit the bridge and see if it supports the tracks at grade when it is fit and resting on the abutments. From that point on, the rest is building up what is under the bents. Sills or must more goop and then rocks, tallus, ground foam, bushes, whatever.
It is a back and forth, a method, always calm and under control, and it takes an hour or five. At some point you can leave the bridge wedged into position and just finish it off for natural looks...and it will actually do the job for you.
My description is precisely how I placed this trestle. The trestle isn't exactly "right", but if you can get past its oddness, look at how it is held in postion.
It may mean filing/sanding/gouging out channels in the goop base to allow the footings or sills to lie and look decent and do a good job of keeping the trestle in position. Once it is snuggly in place and you have confidence in it, run some trains and see what happens...I think you will be pleased. Then finish the detailing and scenery around the site.
And here's the way I built this threstle: http://www.westportterminal.de/trestle.html
Wolfgang
Pueblo & Salt Lake RR
Come to us http://www.westportterminal.de my videos my blog
Thanks for all your help,
Selector, your bridge looks better than mine, I just continue putting the bridge in and out as I adjust the scenery.
Woldgang, If ever I do a bridge over water, I'm gonna use a simplified version of your method as I don't have the patience to lay my own track.
Great help everyone.
wedudler wrote: And here's the way I built this threstle: http://www.westportterminal.de/trestle.html Wolfgang
Great link, thanks!