Central Valley 72' Single Track Plate Girder Bridge

[skagitrailbird]

Have you built the Central Valley 72' Single Track Plate Girder Bridge #210-1903?  How was it to build? Good instructions? Parts fit? Further comments?

And what did you use for abutments?

[bogp40]

A great model, clear instructions, good fitting parts a fairly straightforward build. Do be careful w/ the rail install and peening over those spike detail nubs. I find that position one rail and spot glue w/ CA helped. Use a rail guage to set the second rail. The abutments can vary as to the layout constuction, Foam layouts- the abutment can actually be foam, carved shoe shelf, or glue a veneer to the foam. Cookie cutter, open grid/ riser I find placing a "riser" (sub abutment) to be veneered or a face w/ shelf tend to accomplish the task of anchoring the cut subroadbed and serve as abutment.

This install had the rails run continuous across both the CV truss and plate girder as well as rails extending beyond the abutment and spiked for bridge anchoring.

Not a CV bridge but shows a riser/ sub abutment to be veneered / a casting (note the "shoe shelf" bridge shoe allowed some distance for shoe to rest once completed. Upper shoe shelf veneered w/ thin styrene to hide wood.

[peahrens]

I also built one and it is attached to the truss version as Bob shows above.  Bob's experience encouraged me to use two bridges in tandem to provide a wide lower level.  The girder bridge was pretty easy and looks nice.  I used Chooch abutments and middle pier, cut on my band saw to desired height. 

[skagitrailbird]

I forgot to aask an additional question in my original post. Do you think bridge track can be successfully substituted for the plastic ties and glued/nubbed down rail?

[Mark B]

Abutments for CV Plate girder bridge. AIM Products stock #550.

Mark B.

[doctorwayne]

skagitrailbird

I forgot to aask an additional question in my original post. Do you think bridge track can be successfully substituted for the plastic ties and glued/nubbed down rail?

 

 

Definitely.  I used Micro Engineering bridge track on the multi-span bridge shown below, which includes a Central Valley truss, M.E. 30' and 50' deck girders, and two Atlas through girder bridges kitbashed into deck girder types.  The M.E. ties are engineering plastic of some kind, so I used gelled contact cement to affix the ties to the various spans, and to add the guard rails:

 

 

 

Wayne

[MisterBeasley]

I've recently built the Central Valley truss bridge.  I removed the ties from the middle of a 3-foot section of Atlas Code 83 flex track.  I masked the bridge ties where the rails would go, and sprayed it with my last can of Grimy Black paint.  Then I removed the masking and used CA to glue the rails to the bridge ties.  This resulted in perfectly-gauged track that extends well beyond the ends of the bridge so there are no track joints near the bridge to cause problems later.

[riogrande5761]

I was going to use an Atlas plate girder bridge when it was strongly recommended I go with the CV plate girder bridge.  When I opened the package I noticed that the bottom tie section looksl ike it would need stock rail spiked down like hand laid track.  That was beyond what I wanted to do, so I'm going to use most of the rest of the bridge, but just lay prefab track through the bridge.

[bogp40]

riogrande5761

I was going to use an Atlas plate girder bridge when it was strongly recommended I go with the CV plate girder bridge.  When I opened the package I noticed that the bottom tie section looksl ike it would need stock rail spiked down like hand laid track.  That was beyond what I wanted to do, so I'm going to use most of the rest of the bridge, but just lay prefab track through the bridge.

 

By peening those "spikes" and CA for added hold there is no problem. mrB even simplified the assy w/ his method.

[skagitrailbird]

Can anyone tell me the dimensions of the AIM Products abutments, part #550? Of particular interest to me are the width at the top, overall width (at back end of the wing walls) and overall height.

Thanks very much for the other responses to my original post.  I will definitely be using the CVP girder plate bridge but I haven't yet decided whether to use pre-made bridge track or lay my own rails on the supplied ties. And depending upon the size of the AIM abutments I may make my own.

[Mark B]

Roger-

AIM Products #550 Abutment dimensions

Height  2 inches

width at back side of wing walls 8.125 inches

width at top of front wall 3.75 inches

Hope this helps.....

Mark B.

[skagitrailbird]

Mark B.--Perfect.  Thank you!