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Drawbridge and lift bridge sources? Who makes any anymore?

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Drawbridge and lift bridge sources? Who makes any anymore?
Posted by vsmith on Monday, August 21, 2017 12:30 PM
Simple question: who makes drawbridges or lift bridges in HO anymore? I know AHM once upon a time made a small roller bridge that was continued by Model Power or Athearn or someone until a few years ago. but does anyone make something today or publish drawing instructions on how to build a small drawbridge or a small lift bridge? I haven't been able to find anything, at least anything not enormous. The Walthers is a bit too large for the space planned for the drawbridges, the old AHM would work but man are they pricey now. I have planned two small drawbridges and a small lift bridge on my planned layout, but if no one makes something I can adapt I kinda need to know if I should be planning to scratchbuild them. Thanks in advance

   Have fun with your trains

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Posted by cowman on Monday, August 21, 2017 7:31 PM

Seems to me I have seen where someone took a through truss bridge, made towers to make a lift bridge.  Wish I could remember where it was.  I don't remember if it was something in a magazine or less likely something I Googled.  Don't think it was youtube at the time, but could be now.

I'll keep thinking.  (Dangerous!)

Good luck,

Richard

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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, August 21, 2017 7:40 PM

CMR makes two different types of lift bridges in HO scale, but they are pricey.

http://www.custommodelrailroads.com/ho.aspx

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by rrinker on Monday, August 21, 2017 8:34 PM

 One of our members took one, I think it was the single track one, widened to 2 tracks because i don;t think the dounble track one was available, and made it operating, completely with ship navigation lights and everything. It wasn't yet built into a module whe he first showed it off during the Timonium show but the CMR people were quite impressed by what he pulled off. 

                          --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

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

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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 5:59 AM

Vsmith,

Good luck with trying to find one, which won't cost an arm and leg......then again they are also limited to only a select few...swing bridge, Bascule, Lift, Girder lift, etc. I did quite a bit of research on what was available and just could not find anything out there that would fit My scene.....had to be double track, look like it would lift, most important fit the space, which was limited vertically because of an angled ceiling. I decided after more research on a Scherzer Rolling lift Bridge which would fit with a little compression and still look like it lifts. I started with actual plans of the bridge and any and all I could find of all the details. I purchased a Walthers double track Truss bridge and the rest is scratch-built from various, Plastruct, Evergreen, Central Valley, laced girders and ME Bridge Flex code 83 track and the rest is history. The bridge in itself, is complete. I'm working on the rest of the area......which is taking a lot of time for I am repainted the walls and so forth. A few shots of whats going on......:

The plan of the real bridge in Cleveland OH......still works to this day:

Adding scratch built parts to the modified Walthers Bridge:

Where the bridge will be going on the other side of the working swing bridge where the brown piece is that holds the double track mainline:

And a shot of what I have so far for the Scratch/Bash Bridge:

The interior of the control tower building. Started out as a Walthers ATSF signal tower that I cut off the top floor, removed two sets of windows so it would fit, the rest is scratch-built:

I do have a source for videos on making a select few bridges.....when I get a chance I'll post them here.

Take the plunge.......and scratch/bash one.......

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

 

 

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Posted by railandsail on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 6:39 AM

Nice job, Frank!

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 6:40 AM

Excellent work, Frank.  Yes

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 6:41 AM

Vsmith,

One You-tube video of Many to look at about various how to build bridges and how to build a bridge from scratch.....take a look at them...should give You ideas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y6QkJmYNzo

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

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Posted by vsmith on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 11:00 AM
Frank that's excellent work. I was afraid that was going to be the case. I looked at the CMR link but they are too large for the allocated space and $$$$, looks like I will have to start planning on kitbashing something.

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 2:27 PM

vsmith
looks like I will have to start planning on kitbashing something.

The Kalmbach book "Model Railroad Bridges & Trestles" contains an exellent article by Al B. Armitage Compact Drawbridge with a lot of photos and drawings of a Northwestern Pacific Scherzer rolling lift bridge. There are two more bascule bridges.
Regards, Volker

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 3:01 PM

vsmith
Frank that's excellent work. I was afraid that was going to be the case. I looked at the CMR link but they are too large for the allocated space and $$$$, looks like I will have to start planning on kitbashing something.
 

What are the dimensions that you are contemplating? Specifically, what type of lift bridge are you considering?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by vsmith on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 5:04 PM
Realistically, the two smaller drawbridges I am likely going to have to bash out of standard 9" Atlas bridges, modeled on the either the old AHM roller bridge or a bascule mechanism. The other bridge would be slightly larger with a 12" span, this I want to model as a lift bridge, similar to the CMR model, in fact if money was no object I could probably shorten the CMR span while keeping the towers intact.

   Have fun with your trains

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Posted by vsmith on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 5:14 PM
Damm stupid Kalmbach website wont let me edit my above post. I wanted to add, the pic shows a bash thats about the right size, bashed from Atlas components. Something like that for the lift bridge is what I am going to have to bash.

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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 4:18 AM

A 12" vertical lift bridge in HO scale seems a bit short as a span. Is there any way you can lengthen it to, say, 15" or 16"? That would be more typical of the various vertical lift bridges that span major rivers in the U.S.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by railandsail on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 8:41 AM

Didn't Tyco make one like this? ....might find one at a train show.

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Posted by vsmith on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 11:04 AM
Yes the Tyco and the AHM version and the later Model Power were all the same molds. 12" in what I can fit, its a condensed layout. I knew that designing it. It doesn't have to be operable, but that would be fun. I am thinking of modifying an Atlas curved truss bridge by cutting it down a couple bays on each and fabricating the lift towers similar to the picture I posted.

   Have fun with your trains

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Posted by railandsail on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 11:37 AM

What was the water span distance of those Tyco/Model Power bridges?

I just might have one of those in my storage trailer?

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Posted by vsmith on Thursday, August 24, 2017 10:15 AM
I have no idea what the Tyco size is, the whole shibang looks to be about 16-18 overall.

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Posted by railandsail on Thursday, August 24, 2017 12:30 PM

real one, CSX

Here is an interesting one,.... that might be kitbashed with an old truss bridge kit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnE6_LlebiA

...take note of how the rails join one another at the end

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Posted by railandsail on Thursday, August 24, 2017 12:34 PM

saw this on an atlas forum
The Tyco kit is now or was a Pola kit. It has also been sold by AHM.


Read more: http://atlasrescueforum.proboards.com/thread/1717/cheap-swing-lift-bridge#ixzz4qhA8ki8u
 
I wound up finding an AHM version of the kit on the 'Bay for $55, no S&H. Best I can tell, it's nicer than the Tyco one, and appears to have decking and under-deck details that the Tyco version (at least from the photo) lacks


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Posted by 7j43k on Thursday, August 24, 2017 2:48 PM

railandsail

real one, CSX

 

I dunno.  Looks a lot like this one at Wingo on the NWP:

 

 

 

CSX bridge across Manatee River:

 

 

Note the subtle differences.  Actually, I'm not seeing many.  Gets a person thinking there might be a buncha these little fellas around these United States.  And in Canada:

 

 

Ed

 

 

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Posted by railandsail on Thursday, August 24, 2017 3:38 PM

Good finds there Ed.

BTW, I was inferring that the CSX bridge I posted was anything like the Tyco one. You found some real ones that look something like the model bridges

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Posted by ruderunner on Sunday, August 27, 2017 6:27 AM

zstripe

Vsmith,

Good luck with trying to find one, which won't cost an arm and leg......then again they are also limited to only a select few...swing bridge, Bascule, Lift, Girder lift, etc. I did quite a bit of research on what was available and just could not find anything out there that would fit My scene.....had to be double track, look like it would lift, most important fit the space, which was limited vertically because of an angled ceiling. I decided after more research on a Scherzer Rolling lift Bridge which would fit with a little compression and still look like it lifts. I started with actual plans of the bridge and any and all I could find of all the details. I purchased a Walthers double track Truss bridge and the rest is scratch-built from various, Plastruct, Evergreen, Central Valley, laced girders and ME Bridge Flex code 83 track and the rest is history. The bridge in itself, is complete. I'm working on the rest of the area......which is taking a lot of time for I am repainted the walls and so forth. A few shots of whats going on......:

The plan of the real bridge in Cleveland OH......still works to this day:

Adding scratch built parts to the modified Walthers Bridge:

Where the bridge will be going on the other side of the working swing bridge where the brown piece is that holds the double track mainline:

And a shot of what I have so far for the Scratch/Bash Bridge:

The interior of the control tower building. Started out as a Walthers ATSF signal tower that I cut off the top floor, removed two sets of windows so it would fit, the rest is scratch-built:

I do have a source for videos on making a select few bridges.....when I get a chance I'll post them here.

Take the plunge.......and scratch/bash one.......

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

 

 

 

 

Zstripe, what bridge is this model based off of? I can't think of any active bascule in Cleveland anymore.  Extant yes but not active.

Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction

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Posted by zstripe on Monday, August 28, 2017 1:16 AM

Ruderunner,

Well it is not a Bascule bridge per say....it is a Scherzer Rolling Lift bridge. I made an error when I stated that it is still working. I had looked at so many that I confused that one with one built in Chgo that is still up. The one I modeled after is the one that was the Cuyahoga River bridge. It was replaced in 1956:

Click ''next'' by the photos and you will see more pic's of it.

https://bridgehunter.com/oh/cuyahoga/bh61128/

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, August 28, 2017 6:11 AM

zstripe

Well it is not a Bascule bridge....it is a Scherzer Rolling Lift bridge.

At the risk of starting a technical debate, isn't a Scherzer Rolling Lift bridge a form of bascule bridge?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by rrinker on Monday, August 28, 2017 7:09 AM

 Any counterweighted lifting leaf bridge is a bascule bridge. The ones commonly used around CHicago are mostly fixed-trunnion type, with the complex looking counterweight structure. The Scherzer is the kind that rolls on a track at the base, and there is one other that is quite rare when the trunnion at the top rolls back along a rail.

 So a Scherzer lift bridge is a bascule bridge but not all bascule bridges are Scherzers.

                             --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

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

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Posted by zstripe on Monday, August 28, 2017 10:59 AM

Here is a link to the bridge in Chgo that I wanted to originally copy, but it required more vertical space than I had and would have been hard to compress. Aside from that getting drawings were not possible. I know for a fact that this one is still up...so far up that it is stationary in the UP position, but no longer used. I have actually seen this one. Quite an enormous structure to see straight up in the air, all the time. Take a look at the link and read the story:

http://www.chicagoarchitecture.org/2014/02/04/a-chicago-favorite-remains-open-for-all-to-see/

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

 

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Posted by railandsail on Monday, August 28, 2017 4:41 PM

That Chicago bridge and the history was interesting
Brian

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Posted by gondola1988 on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 8:39 AM
http://www.custommodelrailroads.com/ho.aspx He might be able to help you.

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