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Can anyone ID this bridge from Fresh Pond yard, NY?

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  • Member since
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  • From: Reading, PA
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Posted by rrinker on Saturday, November 16, 2013 12:31 PM

 I gotta say, that brass bridge has to be one of the most beautiful models I have ever seen. That would look great as one of the first things you see when entering the train room. There's something about using metal to represent metal - despite all those wonderful Plastruct beams and girders. Standing alone, the plastic models look great - until you see something like that brass one.

                --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • From: Enfield, CT
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Posted by Doc in CT on Sunday, November 17, 2013 9:17 AM

Co-owner of the proposed CT River Valley RR (HO scale) http://home.comcast.net/~docinct/CTRiverValleyRR/

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Posted by zstripe on Sunday, November 17, 2013 9:29 AM

Doc,

I also saw that bridge, when doing some search's, but,it's a three track bridge. Smile

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

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    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, November 17, 2013 9:38 AM

zstripe

Doc,

I also saw that bridge, when doing some search's, but,it's a three track bridge. Smile

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

I'll be darned.  Frank, do you read German?

Rich

Alton Junction

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    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
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Posted by zstripe on Sunday, November 17, 2013 10:46 AM

richhotrain

zstripe

Doc,

I also saw that bridge, when doing some search's, but,it's a three track bridge. Smile

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

I'll be darned.  Frank, do you read German?

Rich

Laugh A little, but on the top tool bar of my PC, it will translate for me,any language,that I want. Yes

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

  • Member since
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Posted by HObbyguy on Sunday, November 17, 2013 11:34 AM

rrinker
There's something about using metal to represent metal - despite all those wonderful Plastruct beams and girders.

And I gotta agree.  And that particular bridge is really over the top (both length and price), but I am watching brass sales along with everything else because for the right bridge it might be worth it to me.  I have a particular rather complex scene in mind and a really nice thru-truss bridge will be key to making it work.  So on the hunt even though I won't need it for a good long while.

Said it before, I am much more of a modeller than an operations guy.  Now that I have the background in place, and good lighting, and the layout against the wall again, I am just about finished with my trestle scene.  I just caulked the track down for my little ME plate girder bridges last night and just need to get the guard beams in place and the ballast down to tidy it up.  The plate bridges turned out OK, but not good enough to be a focal point.  I haven't really figured out how to get plastic to look like anything else but plastic to me.

Actually my next bridge project will be one of the ME steel viaducts.  Not a focal point as much as a way to get trains from A to B, and a good opportunity to work on my techniques to see if I can get a finish more to my liking.  But still a few months off since I want to finish the rest of this phase of the layout first.

Huntington Junction - Freelance based on the B&O and C&O in coal country before the merger...  doing it my way.  Now working on phase 3.      - Walt

For photos and more:  http://www.wkhobbies.com/model-railroad/

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Posted by HObbyguy on Monday, December 9, 2013 10:08 PM

My hunt is over.  I bagged this bridge which is just a tad longer than I wanted but it will fit.  And it is a camel back design and double-track, and no roller bearings which were optional anyway.  OK so it was a bit pricy but since it will be one of the main focus points on my layout, and my wife said OK, and the box has a nice green Christmas color...

Big Smile

Actually it is probably as close to Robkoz's prototype photo as can be found.  But evidently a pretty limited production run quite a few years ago because this was the first one I ran across in many months of searching.

Huntington Junction - Freelance based on the B&O and C&O in coal country before the merger...  doing it my way.  Now working on phase 3.      - Walt

For photos and more:  http://www.wkhobbies.com/model-railroad/

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  • From: Chi-Town
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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 3:53 AM

Walt,

That is a really great looking Bridge! Congrats.

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

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  • From: Long Island
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Posted by robkoz on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 5:56 AM

Wow! Very nice!

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 6:13 AM

HObbyguy

My hunt is over.  I bagged this bridge which is just a tad longer than I wanted but it will fit.  And it is a camel back design and double-track, and no roller bearings which were optional anyway.  OK so it was a bit pricy but since it will be one of the main focus points on my layout, and my wife said OK, and the box has a nice green Christmas color...

Big Smile

Actually it is probably as close to Robkoz's prototype photo as can be found.  But evidently a pretty limited production run quite a few years ago because this was the first one I ran across in many months of searching.

 

From the looks of the box, that arrived fully assembled, true?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by HObbyguy on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 7:52 AM

richhotrain
From the looks of the box, that arrived fully assembled, true?

It hasn't arrived yet, but yes fully assembled.  So all I need to figure out is how to paint it and lay track down on it.  Actually once I get all the critical dimensions it will sit in the box along with the mine tipple kit for a good long while.  But hoping to be able to post some pictures of it on the layout within the next year.

You can't really see it on the box but this is an Overland brass model 3450.  Doing some research, it seems they only produced this small 2-track camelback design in 1999.  Maybe not quite as hard to come by as mint 69 GTO fenders, but close.  I feel like I just hooked a 12 lb bass, or a big buck.

Huntington Junction - Freelance based on the B&O and C&O in coal country before the merger...  doing it my way.  Now working on phase 3.      - Walt

For photos and more:  http://www.wkhobbies.com/model-railroad/

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  • From: Chi-Town
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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 9:56 AM

Walt,

As good as it looks, I would have a hard time deciding whether to paint it, or not, all brass tough decision, for me anyway.

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

  • Member since
    February 2013
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Posted by HObbyguy on Thursday, December 12, 2013 4:53 PM

zstripe
I would have a hard time deciding whether to paint it

The decision whether to paint it or not may be made for me.  The bridge arrived today and when I pulled it out of the box the first thing my wife and daughter both said- you aren't really going to paint that, are you?  So it looks like the jury is out.

Its got some patina being 14 years old, but looks like it was clear-coated when built and probably was never used on a layout so the finish is in nice shape and there are no dings or dents.  I measured critical dimensions and it will fit in nicely.  The support beams for the track are on 2" centers and right up against the center walkway.  I have some sections of ME and CV bridge track and both are too wide (though the ME is close). Walthers bridge track is probably too wide as well.  I think standard width ties with the track centered on the beams will look best.  No problem, just gives me a good reason to build my own bridge track with rails on wood ties in a way that will look better anyway.  I even have lengths of weathered code 55 NS rail that I saved from 25 years ago that I can use for the inner guards.

Now I need to force myself to put it back in the box and on the shelf, and get back to work on the existing layout.

Huntington Junction - Freelance based on the B&O and C&O in coal country before the merger...  doing it my way.  Now working on phase 3.      - Walt

For photos and more:  http://www.wkhobbies.com/model-railroad/

  • Member since
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  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Thursday, December 12, 2013 10:21 PM

Walt,

I'll have to agree with your wife and daughter. I bridge like that you just have to show off.

Again a great find. Congrats. ''Merry Christmas'' To You and Yours.

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, December 13, 2013 4:12 AM

As pretty as it is, it won't look that good, and certainly not prototypical, on your layout without being painted.  If it were me, the only debate would be which color to paint it.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    February 2013
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Posted by HObbyguy on Friday, December 13, 2013 6:55 AM

Agree with you Rich.  If nothing else the wooden walk planks will have to be painted.  Black or grey would be most typical for a truss bridge but I was thinking I might be able to get away with some sort of silver. Doing google searches on truss bridges has turned up very few results for silver though.  But then I found this which is about as close as you can get to my aged brass finish.  Maybe not a railroad bridge, but goes to prove you can find a prototype for anything.

Painting will be the last thing I do, after fitting and getting the track sorted out.  So plenty of time to consider and decide.

And an early Merry Christmas to you Frank.  Here's hoping that Santa will be good to everyone here!Beer

 

Huntington Junction - Freelance based on the B&O and C&O in coal country before the merger...  doing it my way.  Now working on phase 3.      - Walt

For photos and more:  http://www.wkhobbies.com/model-railroad/

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, December 13, 2013 7:03 AM

Well, I'll be darned.  Good find.  That got my curiosity up, so I did a search.  Here are some more photos.  Turns out, they painted it that color.

http://okbridges.wkinsler.com/tulsa_county/hominycreek3.html

Rich

Alton Junction

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