I am building a 170' in HO, single track bridge on the gate into my HO layout. I would like to have a maintenance walkway along beside the rails. See the bridge on my web page (link below). I have searched for bridge walkway kits with no luck and am now planning to make the walkway with plastic strips and wire handrails. Any construction suggestion with pictures, parts and ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Capt. Brigg; Pacific Cascade Railway
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
They added them to my old Trestle where I grew up in my childhood. I can't tell you the countless hours we all spent around her.
Since I moved back to the city from the Kabetogama State Forest so many years ago. I go visit her every spring. The tar bike path used to be a dirt one made by us Kids back then.
Sorry Captain, I don't have any specs on these Bridge walkways you are searching for. Hopefully someone else does.
TF
Great pictures Brent and TF. Should be easy enough to figure out from there.
For the walkway grating, I think I'd use Plane #201.
http://www.planomodelproducts.com/201.html
Mike.
My You Tube
mbinsewiFor the walkway grating, I think I'd use Plane #201.
Tichy makes a nice product in styrene, too.
https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/p/8001-open-grate-platform/Default.aspx
Cheers, Ed
Those would work great Ed, even has the hanrails.
A part of this involves how the deck of that bridge is structured. If the tie ends can be exposed, or there is only a slight flange at the ends, you can use periodic switch ties, as if building for third rail, and carry the walkway flooring and railing-stanchion bases on them. Adze their undersides and then coat the cuts with creosote if needed to fit.
Width is 'whatever your switch tie length permits' and railing height is probably about 4', adequate height that a slip while toting something won't flip a worker over it or slide under it -- this is why at least one additional lower rail is provided. Alternate the direction of the long ties to have a walkway both sides. If in 'dry' weather or with steam locomotives, consider putting water barrels every so often to deal with tie fires...
Older walkways were wood boards, with ends probably butted over tie centers and spiked. Expanded metal drains better, will not rot unexpectedly, and gives much better traction in wet or icy weather, but will have to be watched for rust or periodically painted (perhaps when the steel trusses are inspected).
You could use brackets from the truss structure to hold the walkway entirely free from the track structure, but that would likely be more expensive (and harder to implement) in real life.
The bridge pictured uses a variant of this construction but has a curious way of attaching the railing to the tie extensions. I think I'd have used sockets in the top rather than brackets cross-screwed toward the bottom; there is probably some shear relief I don't know about in there.
Just watched "The Hills Line with James McNab, Episone 7 Scenery Secrets,on MRV plus, and saw two great long handrails on his bridges. Does anyone know what kits or supplies he used to build these walkways & handrails? Capt. Brigg
I just received my 8 packages of Tichy Train Group, Open Grate Platform with hand rails, and I am looking for any suggestions on constructing the parts. Should they be painted first and then put together and what color?
I just stuck a bunch together and made a "frame" of .080 Evergreen angle iron.
Stock_Track-B4 by Edmund, on Flickr
My preference is to assemble first using liquid cement, then I painted it Rustoleum "Antique Nickel" which really looks like galvanized. Add weathering as appropriate then affix to your structure.
I'm not too keen on the supplied handrails. I like the Central Valley three-pipe handrails or the Tichy pipe railings, but they are more delicate.
Stock_Track by Edmund, on Flickr
Good Luck, Ed
Ed, how did you prevent the spray paint from filling up the tiny slotted holes in the walkway and how did you hold the walkway to paint it after putting it together. My walkway, after putting it together, is 24 inches long and I'm using the delicate handrails.
While some rattle cans might clog-up the grating, using an airbrush should work fine. The procedure is to spray at an angle, from one side, then from the opposite side, then from one end, and again from the opposite end. If the underside may also be visible once it's in place, then the steps outlined above should be repeated on the underside.As for holding it while applying the paint, most airbrushed paint (not all, though) will dry to-the-touch very quickly, allowing you to hold the portion that was painted first.Depending on the paint, it will "cure" to a more durable finish in a day-or-so.
Wayne
I've used the air brush, and I've done small section with a paint brush. Spray paint just might be too much all at once.
Edmund, after spray painting with Rustoleum Antique Nickel did you use a dull coat spray to tone down the sparkle? After spraying, my walkways now sparkle. capt.brigg@pacificcascaderailway.com