Hey Folks - New guy here. I am doing some planning for a new layout in a 19' x 12' space. I am sure this has come up before and there are probably articles out there for construction and wiring of a walk through bridge to gain access to the inside of a layout.
Getting too old to do the "crawl under" thing.
Anyone have pros and cons.
BTW - HO is my gauge.
Thanks
Just enter "swing gate" in the Search Community box (on the right, under your profile) and you'll get back 21 pages of posts on the subject, including plans, photos and links to tutorials.
Happy reading.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with walk-in access)
Thanks Chuck-
What a revelation!
Also check out lift bridges.
Here is mine:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzescsbb/HO_MRR/Room%20Access%20Lift%20Bridges.pdf
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
I built a swing gate.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
I gave this some thought before answering your post. I don't have a swing-out of lift-up bridge, but I have seen one in particular that really impressed me. They insulated BOTH approach tracks. The power for that branch was wired to the moving section. Power was only applied to the approach tracks when it was in place. There are cabinet latches that use springs to press a ball bearing into the receiver side of the latch. Use one for each end of the lift-out/swing-out section, wiring them from the bridge side. The circuit to the approach tracks is completed only when it is lowered into place.
The latch I'm talking about is called a "bullet catch".
Stanley Bullet Catch
If you drill and install one set for each rail in both ends of the lift-out, then solder a wire from each rail in the lift-out to the end of the catch (the ball end) that's installed in the lift-out. Next, solder a wire from the corresponding part of the catch (the socket end) to the same rail in the approach tracks, the power will then routed from the lift-out to each approach track. That should take care of any disaster. Just make sure that your approach tracks are at least as long as you longest locomotive. I would put the male ends of the catches in the lift-out sections, and the corresponding female end in the approach tracks. When, you're done, make sure they make solid contact with each other.
When attached the female side, use a screw that's long enough to pass through the brace at the ends. That will give you something to solder the wire to.
Hopefully, these drawings, as crude as they are will help explain it better.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Thanks for the contribution - pretty cool.
Mine is a very simple lift-out, as seen HERE. The wiring diagram, though, is applicable to any type of moveable track section - lift-out, lift-up, drop-down, or swing gate style.
Wayne
I recently finished mine. I built mine by building a complete frame first then proceeded to lay the plywood down,just like your table top, then laid the foam., afterwards I used hinges that were on top of the table, this gives the ability for track to pull away from the fixed side. I also used a hydraulic actuator instead of air. It's alot smoother and precise. I used the one at lowes for screen doors. It works fantastic. If you would like to see the plans let me know.
NickyB
On my layout I made a hinge down 2 track bridge. I move some photos somewhere where I can post them here.
To hinge mine down and out of the way, I hold the bridge on the left side . I pull the pin. And lower the bridge.
frank
before
bridge removed. rails for removal section support are there and i removed them.
The right side hinge side also plug for power to tracks.
left side a rail supported by a screw on one side with a removable pin that holds it in place on the other..
shows metal plate. left side, on outside to hold bridge in position. And angle bracket right side,for inside, to hold oppsite side in place.And support bracket bellow. Nothing fancy. It just works very well. If you disconnect electrial plug and pull pin on hinge the bridge lifts out of the way.
One more photo show bridge hanging down.
Hey Nick-
Your metod sounds intresting. I like the idea of the hydraulic door dampner. Please send me your plans .
We replaced a swinging bridge on our club layout with one that lifts up, as the swing bridge was a pain to get and keep horizontally aligned.
It was solidly built, but with the constant alignment problems, and issues with catching and bending the rails sometimes on clothing getting across required slow speed and careful watching for derailments.
Finally we could take no more of it and junked the old bridge. A new lift-up was built, using a heavy steel hinge at one end and a 3/4" plywood base. Spline roadbed was laid straight across the bridge and then cut afterwards to allow it to open. At the un-hinged end of the bridge, the sides of the spline were bevelled slightly and bevelled blocks installed to catch it and maintain perfect alignment. The blocks are adjustable with screws to compensate for any shifts in the layout. The power to the bridge is wired direction from the hinged end, and there is a microswitch (actually a pair, one for each track) the the non-hinged end sits on when closed. This cuts off track power to the bridge and about 6 feet of track in either direction when the bridge is lifted.
So far the new bridge has proved very reliable. You can charge a 40 car train across it at full speed with no worries about alignment or derailing. Here's what the bridge looks like, before scenery is finished through this area:
Construction photos:
Laying spline across the bridge:
http://www.wrmrc.ca/graphics/construction41.jpg
Cutting the spline (angled cuts so that it swings properly):
http://www.wrmrc.ca/graphics/construction45.jpg
Sanding the handlaid ties prior to staining and laying rails:
http://www.wrmrc.ca/graphics/construction37.jpg
You can just see a corner of the earlier swing bridge in the bottom right of this photo of this set of helices:
http://www.wrmrc.ca/graphics/romford-helix2.jpg
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
Here is my version:
http://look4trains.com/2010/06/cure-for-aching-back.html
Jim
Visit look4trains.com
I seen someone use old style stereo jacks to align and connect power through the tracks on a lift bridge he made. I dont know what the jacks are called specificly but I know they are used a lot to connect a plug into a guitar amp so they are the bigger style, not your little headphone/ipod sized.
The one end acts as a pin and socket and aligns the bridge as well as makes the connection for the wiring. Pretty clever idea of killing 2 birds with one stone actually.
The audio jacks idea is what I use for my bridge.
Also curved entrances are the most difficult on lift-outs and other bridges. I recommend against them if possible.
Springfield PA
I absolutely enjoyed your story, creativity, and no doubt "Southern Shade Tree Engineering".
The best part was the video and OMG how big is the rest of the layout if you are running trains that long?
Suggestion I thought about - some side rails or something to contain a derailment when crossing the bridge - that's a long way to the floor.
Great job!