I saw in an Atlas website forum someone mentioned that double stacks won't fit through the Walthers double-track truss 933-3012 bridge. Sure enough I checked and they are right. I have one of these bridges on my mainline. Has anyone else ran into this yet ? And a solution (beyond single stacks) ?
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
I've run into this problem with Athearn, Walthers, and some scratchbuilt doublestack cars, mine were mainly on the tunnel portals. All of these did not clear the NMRA check gauge at the point where the car hit the portal, so staying with the NMRA recommended clearances seems to eliminate this problem.
On another note, years ago, I had clearance problems with the Atlas Warren Truss bridge. I had to trim off the inside gussets to clear the steps and trucks, so this type problem is nothing new.
Maybe Walthers has changed the design of their bridge, because we have one of them on our HO-scale club layout that has been in place for over 5 years and have no problems with double-stacks clearing it -- but just barely.
I use one of the double track bridges and agree with cacole. Double stacks fit...just barely. If the containers are not completely seated in the car or on each other, it can be enough to snag when they pass through. Also, if the bridge is right after or just before a curve it can make a difference, the car swing can put the edge of a container into a brace. And...what size of track are you using. I'm using code 83 and would guess code 100 might be high enough to cause problems and either way it must be laid directly on the bridge, no extra road bed. One more possible cause could be any adjustments you've made to the bolsters for coupler height.
I like the shofly idea. That would be a neat detail.
Good luck.
I am using code 83, the bridge track sections Walthers sells for this double track bridge. I'll do some more tsting. I have a few different sets of double stacks. I'll see if they all are impacted or just a particular set. The one I checked was the new set from Athearn, 72561 Husky Stack Well Car w/containers. I've got a couple of Walthers well cars and separate trailers. I'll do more testing and post results.
If you are going to do some testing, try using a double stack of domestic containers too. The prototype has the same issues at some locations. (a bridge or tunnel will have enough room for some double stack container combonations but not a double stack of domestic containers )
Two elements...
1. this is a problem the real RR had.
2. I've been warned of this with the Walthers double track bridge but told that it doesn't apply to the single track. (Anybody know about the Micro engineering or Atlas bridges???)
There are two answers...
1. Do what the real RR did and restrict the affected to route... prohibiting Double Stacks... and possibly some other excess height cars... this should make your operators think a bit more...
OR...
2. Do the other thing the real RR did and amend the bridge design ... raising the cross braces on shoes/brackets so that they are raised clear of the new height requirement *. (If you think this is difficult... think what you would have to do with a tunnel! )
* Some suppliers provide shoes/feet for girder bridges (Micro Eng for one I think)... you might try these complete or cut in half and placed on the top web of the truss with the brace then sitting on top of them... let us know if this works/ looks right please
Have fun!
CSXFan wrote:I don't mean to hijack this topic but what about the N scale bridges? I will have one as a main focal point on my future layout and I don't want any clearance problems.
CSX Fan,
I run double stacks through my Kato bridge and they clear. Deluxe Innovations, Walthers, Kato with various brands of containers and they do clear.
Guy
Ok, here's what I found out so far. The Walthers double-track truss bridge 933-3012 has 2 7/8" of clearance from the top of the rail to the underside of the top girders (without any modifications). This is using the recommended Walthers code 83 bridge track.
Walthers 53' Well Cars (933-3945 or 933-3946) with Athearn Stoughten trailers (2684 and 2687) stacked are 2 3/4" high. They just fit through the bridge.
Athearn Husy stacks (72561 and 72562) with the provided trailers are 3" high and do not fit. Swapping one of the provided trailers with one of the Athearn Stoughten trailers above comes in at 2 7/8" high. It will start through the bridge but any track fluctuation and it will stick in the bridge.
Visual observation shows that the Walthers Well Cars (being metal, not plastic) sit lower to the track. The additional 1/8" lower allows them to fit through the bridge. The Athearn Husky Stacks might be able to have the trucks replaced or some other modification to get them lower to the track.
The new brass bridge kits from TrainCat at via www.texnrails.com are both double stack, excess hieght and Autorack friendly, meaning they do not come too close and no modifications are needed to the bridge or the rolling stock. Currently they are offering a sigle track Lenticular truss and two other truss prototypes are in theworks in both single and double track. They are all brass kits. I have also heard thatthey will be releasing plate-girder bridges in the near future again as a brass kit. And to top it off, they are even looking at doing a modular series for those that need to build theirs a little bit different.
Granted these all have to hit the street and all, but it could be hope for the future.
I completed modifictions on the Walthers bridge. Here are a couple of pictures:
I used 1/4" styrene to replace the lattice bracing.
The new inside height is now 3 1/4" and the Athearn intermodal cars fit fine.
The styrene does't have rivets but I can live with it.
Yep. Right now I have 1/4" of room, which equates to 21.75" of clearance. I am not sure what tthe normal railroad clearance distance are. I would think anything over 18" should be enough. Anyone know ?
What other double track bridges (plastic production ones) now have clearance for autoracks and double stacks??
Brian
My Layout Plan
Interesting new Plan Consideration
Firstly I'm sure your aware that you revived a thread from ancient history!
I don't know if any bridges but I recently Google what the clearance standards are in North America and the highest clearance is just over 20 feet, which is the standard double stacks use. So if a bridge has about 22-24 scale feet of clearance will work.
Of you could use an NMRA standards gauge. Just though that after writing the previous paragraph. Duuuh!
Regards, Isaac
I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!
I realize I brought up 'history', but it had a few good photos. Here is one I found with the standards gauges
So I have a place where two inlined 15" long Walthers bridges would work, but I need to have them handle dbl stacks and autoracks,...since I made the rest of the layout to handle them,...and the dbl-tracks are my mainlines crossing a river.
Walthers had two versions of the double track HO bridge. I have both versions. The newer one is the "modern" version and allows double stacks. The is a definite difference with the top cross beams / braces.
Hello All,
Great solution!
jbinkley60The styrene does't have rivets but I can live with it.
For future reference, you could have used Central Valley Girders. These come in various configurations and dimensions and have the rivet detail.
Again, nice work.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Holy necro topic, raised from the dead from 2006. Twenty lashes with a wet noodle Brian!
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Yes. Willy6 wrote an important post. Walthers makes a "modern" version of the same bridge.
No need to buy and modify the old one. Buy the new one.
- Douglas
riogrande5761 Holy necro topic, raised from the dead from 2006. Twenty lashes with a wet noodle Brian!
Didn't you ever learn anything from reading a history book ??
You can use a pouce wheel to add rivet detail, you can get one that provides pretty close to realistic spacing or use archer 3d decals of rivets
Some containers are a little taller than others. Don't place two taller ones in the same stack and they might squeeze through. Or, you can shave off some material from the lower container and hope no one notices.
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
railandsail I realize I brought up 'history', but it had a few good photos. Here is one I found with the standards gauges So I have a place where two inlined 15" long Walthers bridges would work, but I need to have them handle dbl stacks and autoracks,...since I made the rest of the layout to handle them,...and the dbl-tracks are my mainlines crossing a river.
BTW, are those 'standards gauges' good for modern double stacks?
I can't be certain if it is or not. This link says that the standard height for "modern" stuff is 2 11/32" or 59mm. If your standards guage is the "modern" version then I would think it would fit double stacks.
I have to say whoever had the idea for that standard guage cars is a genious!