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Glue To Secure Bridge Shoes To Piers

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  • Member since
    March 2011
  • From: Westford MA
  • 542 posts
Glue To Secure Bridge Shoes To Piers
Posted by Tophias on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 2:12 PM

Greetings to all. Haven't posted for several months now but now I have a question. After many years of havining my Central Valley truss bridges and plate bridge just sitting on Chooch cast resin piers it's time to affix them to the piers. The slightest touch  and they get out of alignment and the track connectors are getting loose enough to not conduct track power.  I would use CA but I need to use a step ladder to reach them (they're somewhat in the middle of an island) and I'm afraid one side might set up before I can move the ladder to the other side to glue the other side.  Would simple Elmers work? Or Arlenes Tacky Glue?  Any suggestions? The Chooch piers (IIRC) are painted cast resin.  Thnx all.

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Posted by maxman on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 3:06 PM

I think I might try Canopy Glue.

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Posted by KemacPrr on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 3:13 PM

Definitely canopy glue. Will attach about anything to anything and if you need to break the bond just wet it with some water and away it goes ! It's my all purpose glue now !

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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 3:39 PM

A lot of the white adhesives would work like Elmers Glue, matte medium, Aileen's Tacky Glue, Woodland Scenics Accent Glue, etc. The one that I like best for such purposes, and I have used it on the bridge shoes of all six of my bridges, is Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement. It is the strongest of all, yet easily removed if need be.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 3:45 PM

You dont attach the shoes to the piers. They are supposed to be movable to take into account the expansion and contraction of the elements.

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 4:03 PM

BroadwayLion

You dont attach the shoes to the piers. They are supposed to be movable to take into account the expansion and contraction of the elements. 

Sure you do. Even the instruction sheets for various bridges call for gluing the bridge shoes to the piers to prevent the bridge from shifting.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    March 2011
  • From: Westford MA
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Posted by Tophias on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 7:22 PM

Thnx to all for your suggestions.  All good.  Rich, did you mean to say WS Senic Glue or Scenic Cement?  Isn't Scenic Cement a spray on adhesive for terrain and ballast? Just wanted to be clear on that

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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 8:05 PM

Tophias

Thnx to all for your suggestions.  All good.  Rich, did you mean to say WS Senic Glue or Scenic Cement?  Isn't Scenic Cement a spray on adhesive for terrain and ballast? Just wanted to be clear on that

Oops, my bad. Yes, I meant WS Scenic Glue.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by cx500 on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 8:57 PM

BroadwayLion

You dont attach the shoes to the piers. They are supposed to be movable to take into account the expansion and contraction of the elements.

 

 
Only one end is designed to be movable, at the expansion end.  The opposite end will have a fixed bearing.  And even the expansion bearings are anchored to the abutment with heavy bolts into the pier or abutment, with the longitudinal movement accommodated by slots in the shoe plates.
 
John
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  • From: Canada, eh?
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Posted by doctorwayne on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 12:00 AM

cx500

 

 
BroadwayLion

You dont attach the shoes to the piers. They are supposed to be movable to take into account the expansion and contraction of the elements.

 

 

 
Only one end is designed to be movable, at the expansion end.  The opposite end will have a fixed bearing.  And even the expansion bearings are anchored to the abutment with heavy bolts into the pier or abutment, with the longitudinal movement accommodated by slots in the shoe plates.
 
John
 

All my layouts' bridges were built to be removeable in one piece, and that includes the shoes...

 

Wayne

  • Member since
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  • From: Westford MA
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Posted by Tophias on Friday, August 26, 2022 9:38 AM

Wayne, that's certainly the way to design it. Unfortunately 15 years ago I didn't think of that. Plus, it is actually 2 Central Valley truss bridges and 1 CV plate bridge in the middle. Don't think I'd be able to figure out how to assemble them into one bridge unit.  But it sure would be nice.  And of course, thanks very much for humbling me by showing your photos. "I'm not worthy!" Bow

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