Curved Arch Trestle Bridge kit needed

[RR_Mel]

Gary

 

When I built my 36”Lx10”H (260’x73’ HO) trestle I made a frame that would set in place where it would be on my layout and built it on my workbench.

 

 

 

The frame can be removed as a section for easy maintenance and repair on my workbench.  It is 31 years old and I have needed to redo the scenery and do a bit of repair to the trestle over the years so by making it removable was a great help.

 

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[gdelmoro]

Looks like I’ll be building it.  Thanks for the links.

[abbieleibowitz]

FALLER makes or made an HO Deck-Arch-Bridge-Building-Kit that is a less expensive and simpler option. Several are listed on eBay.

Abbie

[jjdamnit]

Hello All,

gdelmoro

John Allen made one.

 

Yes, the "Master of Monterrey" made one. In fact his passion was building bridges- -of all types.

Not to be facetious but he did not use a kit. He scratch built all the members.

My suggestion is- -as others have posted- -use selective compression, and determine the span of your scale model.

There are several kits that you could use as components in this build. Walthers Steel Railroad Bridge Tower kit and Walthers Steel Railroad Bridge Tower Bent kit.

I would also recommend having Central Valley bridge girders on hand as well as Plastistruct and/or Evergreen structural components. 

From these sources you could kitbash the bridge you are seeking.

In the August 2019 issue of Model Railroad magazine; pg. 38-43, there is an article about building a steel truss arch bridge.

Also, I too recommend the "Model Railroad Bridges and Trestles" published by Kalmbach in 1992. 

Please keep us informed of your build and...

Hope this helps.

[gdelmoro]

John Allen made one.

[dknelson]

Wow.  That would be one heck of a bridge.  I'd have to think some compression - perhaps a great deal of compression - would be in order.

Most layouts would merely represent but not really replicate such a bridge in which case perhaps something like this Faller kit would do:

https://www.walthers.com/bietschtal-bridge-kit-43-13-16-x-3-13-16-x-8-13-16-quot-109-5-x-9-5-x-22cm

or this from Branchline

https://www.walthers.com/stoney-brook-bridge-laser-art-kit-11-3-4-x-2-3-4-x-3-1-2-quot-29-9-x-7-x-8-9cm

perhaps mixed in with the Walthers steel bridge tower kits

https://www.walthers.com/steel-railroad-bridge-tower-kit

Dave Nelson

 

 

 

[SeeYou190]

Finding something commercially available that fits the space you have seems like a long-shot at best.

.

This is a good time to build-to-fit. There are many good books on building model bridges, and it is not difficult if you do not go too crazy with small details.

.

-Kevin

.

[Tinplate Toddler]

Hack-Brücken in Germany makes such bridges. There made from brass shapes and quite sturdy. They are a little pricey, but worth their money.

https://www.hack-bruecken.de/index1.html

 

[doctorwayne]

Duplicate post.

 

[doctorwayne]

Overmod

Suspect the best bet is to find (or make) drawings that can be used to pre-cut and then etch brass sheet, then bend and combine with CA or solder......

I dunno...the drawings would be easy enough, but I'd think it easier to use brass shapes, which are readily available.  Some skill with soldering might be a useful asset, too, along with a plentiful supply of heat sinks.

Overmod

.....You'd go nuts cutting and trying to bond lots of little plastic or wood pieces and the result would likely be fragile in the wrong places.

Were I building that bridge, I'd do it in styrene, with a steel or aluminum channel for the deck, sheathing it in styrene to ensure that all structural joints can be made with solvent-type cement.  There's all sorts of shapes and sheet material available, and you could make the footings from .060" sheet styrene, too.   

Over-all, construction would be faster, cheaper, and plenty strong enough, too.

Wayne

 

[PHARMD98233]

Something like this?

Or the Black Bear Bridge?  Look at " Model Railroad Bridges and Trestles" published by Kalmbach in 1992.

 

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/cisco-bridges-in-the-fraser-canyon-picture-id537831533?s=612x612

[ROBERT PETRICK]

gdelmoro

Hi all,

anyone have a resource for an HO Curved arch Trestle Bridge like this?

Hey Gary-

I'll start from the premise that you really want to do this.

How high and how wide is the chasm that you intend to span? Do you want to include the approach spans as well?

Robert

[Overmod]

Suspect the best bet is to find (or make) drawings that can be used to pre-cut and then etch brass sheet, then bend and combine with CA or solder.

You'd go nuts cutting and trying to bond lots of little plastic or wood pieces and the result would likely be fragile in the wrong places.

Another interesting prototype is the Pont du Garabit by Eiffel, from the era when material was expensive, fabrication relatively cheap.

[gdelmoro]

Hi all,

anyone have a resource for an HO Curved arch Trestle Bridge like this?