tomikawaTTOne detail, which modern-day modelers might want to pick up on, was the treatment of the tie ends. Each end was just about covered with an anti-splitting plate, rather like the splice plates on a roof truss (Plate looks like perforated diamond walkway, but the perfs are long, skinny triangular points.)
Kind of like these?
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
ndbprrAnd dependent on era.
Which is why I specified present day for the antisplitters.
An interesting item for the superdetail freaks - add nut-bolt-washer detail parallel to the outside of the supporting girder on the inside of the curve over the bridge. The J-bolts form a straight line. Probably the same on the other side, but I didn't notice during the one second glimpse of the finished bridge.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with deck girder bridges)
Just saw an interesting bit on Science Channel's How It's Made, on the fabrication of bridge ties. The ones they were producing appeared to be about 10x14 rough sawed, notched about 2" to fit the steel deck girders and with drill holes for hook bolts to anchor them to those girders. The ties were intended for curved track, so each one was notched in slightly different places.
One detail, which modern-day modelers might want to pick up on, was the treatment of the tie ends. Each end was just about covered with an anti-splitting plate, rather like the splice plates on a roof truss (Plate looks like perforated diamond walkway, but the perfs are long, skinny triangular points.) One end also had a sheet steel plate embossed with the tie's pedigree, so the bridge crew could identify it on the blueprint. Those end plates were pressed on by a horizontal press, which assured that they would remain perfectly flat and get full point penetration.
I'm not suggesting that anyone should go overboard trying to create those plates. A dab of 'rusty grey' paint would probably be close enough in the smaller scales.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)