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Timber Truss Bridge Abutment--Pictures Please

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  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: San Francisco Bay Area
  • 835 posts
Posted by mcfunkeymonkey on Sunday, February 5, 2012 8:41 AM

You can also creat your own stone abutments out of pink foam.
On my N scale Mt. Coffin & Columbia River layout I sanded a block of foam, put a thin layer of lightweight spackle on the sides, and then carved the stones:

 Paint with cheap-o grey craft paint, some washes from the "Big Jug O' Stain", and it turns out okie dokie:

 

The other side of the bridge / pier has a wood abutment (part of the wood bulwark around the riverside) but, funny thing, I've never taken a picture featuring just that.
Here's the best views I can find:

Hope this helps.
Remember to have fun and don't get "bent" out of shape over it ;) 

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: Summit NJ
  • 308 posts
Posted by fkrall on Sunday, February 5, 2012 6:50 AM

Great input, thanks.  Chuck--I'm modeling a PA shortline, so the stone abutment can make sense.  I've looked at Chooch, but the step is too high for my bridge.  I could build short piers, of course, but I don't know if that would be prototypical with a stone abutment, even with some creative license. I do like the flexibility the piers would give me to trim and assure the bridge is level, though.

Crandall, that photo is perfect.  The original thread I referenced contained your helpful construction tips, which I've retained and will follow if I go for a wooden abutment.

I wasn't aware of the book but will definitely check it out.

Rick

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Saturday, February 4, 2012 10:18 PM

If you are still interested in an image of a typical abutment for a timber tresstle, here is how mine turned out.  I note that there should be a single level of bent frame bolted up snug to the vertical face of the timber abutment.  Or, so I have seen on other examples.

Crandell

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Southwest US
  • 12,914 posts
Posted by tomikawaTT on Saturday, February 4, 2012 8:24 PM

During the recent New England flood events one of the networks documented the loss of a historical covered bridge - which was, in fact, a timber truss.  The roof and sidewalls are meant to keep the main timbers dry.

Pertinence?  The abutments were masonry, built up of large blocks of cut stone.  Of course, the bridge was in granite country, with quarries in the vicinity.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

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Posted by Hamltnblue on Saturday, February 4, 2012 4:20 PM

Springfield PA

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: Summit NJ
  • 308 posts
Timber Truss Bridge Abutment--Pictures Please
Posted by fkrall on Saturday, February 4, 2012 3:57 PM

I need to design and build timber abutments for my truss bridge but haven't been able to find any images to guide me.  If anyone has some or can direct me, could you please post the images/info?

Selector--you posted an image of a timber abutment for a trestle 03/19/2011 in the thread "Bridge Abutments Lets See Them,' but the link no longer works. Could you please post it again?

Here's the environment, in case it might be relevant:

Thanks.

Rick Krall

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