Micro Engineering's Tall Steel Viaduct

[Budliner]

I have been working on this model for over a year

at one point I put it down for a few months

I got the 210 ft 75-515

I made a boo boo and on one bent I put the rivets face down

then I tryed to remove it

I just got back to it and I wish I had another shot at this $60 kit

 

Tall steel viaducts are some of the most spectacular and interesting types of bridges. They are used by railroads to span wide and/or steep valleys, often replacing wooden trestles. These HO and HOn3 Tall Steel Viaducts are available in three base kits, three length extension kits, a height extension kit which adds a 4th and 5th story, and a tower kit. The various kits allow you to design and build your own custom bridge of any length from one to five stories high, with full towers or bents, and straight or curved. A 10-page instruction sheet with over 35 photos and illustrations is included. These bridges are beautifully detailed and are often the centerpiece structure on modeler's layouts.

I just found out why I put it down as the parts are all over on the sprages

I looked for an hour before I seen part 6 on another section

I think it will look great after paint. but it may take another few months

I know others have done this kit and I applaud you

I will post some photos and I hope you will do the same

 

 

Kenny

[jeffers_mz]

Those are kewl looking brodges.

Hang in there.

I don't think a centerpiece bridge ought to go in overnight, and I don't think you do either. 

I have something like 80+ hours and close to 500 pieces in a measly 15 inch long by 5 inch tall trestle, and part of the enjoyment is all the hours, pain, and false starts that project gave me. 

When it's done, it will be worth it. 

Looking forward to the pics.

[bogp40]

Kenny,

If you do get aggravated working on such a complex kit, it is good to walk away. The ME viaduct is on of the most highly detailed kits I've worked on. I found the instuction sheet to be excellent. The steps and pics for almost every critical portion are concise. The instructions also show each and every part # location on the various sprues. Yes they are all over the place and care is needed not to confuse almost identical looking ones. The towers did seem to be the most time consuming part of the project.

This bridge in the pics was somewhat difficult as the trackwork at the left starts straight into an easment of a superelevated 54" handlaid curved track. A template was made for the bridge to be constructed to. An outer tie templte was also done to bend the bridge flex to. I found that Pliobond worked quite well for holding the shimmed superelevated track. The rails extend past the abutments and are spiked for additional bridge anchoring.

[bn7026]

While we are on the subject can any one tell me how high this trestle is in it's basic form with the 3 storey towers.  I'm planning to use one on the layout I'm building and need to know how far to lower the benchwork in this section.  I haven't yet got the bridge but am about to start building this section of the benchwork.

 

Regards 

 Tim

[Budliner]

bn7026 the 210 ' bridge is a scale 77 feet tall (28 15/16" x 10 5/8" with a 4 3/8" x 4 3/8" tower foot print) 

 

Ken

[Mark R.]

While they are time consuming and a little confusing at first, they DO make a spectacular looking bridge. Here's my take on them, built to represent the tall bridge at Nineveh on the D&H ....

Mark.

[Budliner]

Mark spectacular

U do some great work

I dont see glue

go for Brain surgery you have the hands for it

I'll stick to computer reair (it's kind of a doctor)

wow wow weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[shawnee]

Mark, each time you post that picture, it blows me away.  It's so good.  You got it all right..the bridge, the roadway, the signs, the trees.  It's looks like someplace I've been before.

That said, the Micro-Engineering bridges are wonderful, but they are a bit of an experience to assemble.  I'm working my way through a 150' open deck/plate girder combo, small little bridge that seems to be over troubled waters.  The instructions, to me, seem like they could be clearer .  It would be nice to have more/better pictographs, but i guess some folks - and most advanced modelers - know bridge part engineering terminology well enough that they can figure it out quickly. 

Hey, by the time I finish it, I probably will too.   

[twhite]

The viaduct is a Bear to put together right at first, however once you get the first tower done, the rest of it seems to go fairly quick.  By 'fairly quick' I'm talking weeks instead of months, LOL!  I've got one on the Yuba River Sub, which is actually two of the kits bashed together on a 36" radius curve.   Luckily, the instructions for building the curved viaduct are included in the directions, so it's not as tricky as it sounds.  They are incredibly sturdy when everything goes together, even though the towers intitially look as if they won't even hold water, let alone a long, heavy train. 

But 'shake the box' these kits aren't.  They're really impressive, and I think Micro has done a terrific job with the kits. 

Tom

[jwar]

Budliner ....Granted they are time consuming, but its worth the time and effort. Noticed your chord bridge in the background of one of your fine pictures, thats where I got the walkway/handrail for my bridge. Post some pictures when ya get er done....John

[jwar]

Tom...Thats a very long and impressive bridge you built there. Perhaps some Saturday we could meet for coffee, as my grandkid lives nearby you on Alburn near Greenback. Take care....John Warren

[bn7026]

bn7026 the 210 ' bridge is a scale 77 feet tall (28 15/16" x 10 5/8" with a 4 3/8" x 4 3/8" tower foot print) 

 

Ken

Thanks Ken,

I'd been working on placing the support about 300mm (~12") below track level so that height should work out well.

 Regards

 Tim

[Budliner]

this bridge is quickly moving to the top of the to do list

thanks for showing all your fine work for us all to see

I will keep my eye out for the extra sections for mine

love to fill the back wall with a long span

 

Ken

[ShadowNix]

Here is mine.... my favorite project so far. 

I HIGHLY recommend putting wood ties on this beauty, since it really makes it pop... I used a lil jig that helped me put them on... add some real wood guard rails and timbers and it's a beaut!  Anyway, enjoy!  Mine needs weathering of course....but I just bought my Bradgon chalks...

(sorry for a bit blurry pic...at work...so this is all I have on photobucket at the moment)

I also recommend a railing... you can make one using brass wire and some solder... let me know if you want to know how!  (I made a jig that worked well.) 

Enjoy!

Brian

[spidge]

I saved a space for this bridge.

I feel lucky that I was able to aquire it at discount when a shop was closing. The curve has a 17" radius. The area is actually leading up to the summit on my Cajon layout. I know there is no such bridge in the area, but I went up the coast many years ago(1983 ish) and went to a beach where the bridge was over. I couldn't help but to sit there in awe. I was a bit young then but remember it well. So ever since I have wanted that steel trestle on my layout.

Keep us posted and be patient. I look forward to some great results.

[doctorwayne]

These bridges aren't really too bad to build, as the work is mostly repetitive.  My big mistake was putting in the basic landforms before building the bridges, and not providing a suitable place for the footings.  Hopefully, once the forestry guys show up with the trees, that area won't be too noticeable, as the area is intended to look similar to Mark's excellent work.  All bridges are removeable.

 

Wayne

[markpierce]

I saved a space for this bridge.

I feel lucky that I was able to aquire it at discount when a shop was closing. The curve has a 17" radius. The area is actually leading up to the summit on my Cajon layout. I know there is no such bridge in the area, but I went up the coast many years ago(1983 ish) and went to a beach where the bridge was over. I couldn't help but to sit there in awe. I was a bit young then but remember it well. So ever since I have wanted that steel trestle on my layout.

Keep us posted and be patient. I look forward to some great results.

I believe your are referring to the steel trestle at Gaviota (not far from Santa Barbara, CA on the Southern Pacific) as shown on page 231 of John Signor's Southern Pacific's Coast Line.  This trestle, however, has sets of 2x3 vertical supports rather than the standard 2x2 as can be seen over Alhambra Valley, Martinez, CA,  immediately west of the former site of Muir Station (close to Yosemite-Park-advocate John Muir's home on the now BNSF.)  See page 53 of the Duke/Kistler's 1963 Santa Fe...Steel Rails through California looking northth (Muir's home is the one with a cupola) as well as page 159 looking east (that dirt track to the left (north) of the trestle is now 6-lane CA Hwy #4).

Mark, Martinez, CA

[steemtrayn]

While they are time consuming and a little confusing at first, they DO make a spectacular looking bridge. Here's my take on them, built to represent the tall bridge at Nineveh on the D&H ....

Mark.

The prototype:

[Budliner]

nice

[selector]

Greetings, fellow bridge fanciers.  I really appreciate this thread and its great modelling imagery.  Wow.

Just my opinion, but a layout hasta have a bridge....even a culvert helps.

-Crandell

[fievel]

Wonderful work, everybody ! It certainly is worth the extra effort to plan,build and install a very attractive bridge or trestle.

[markpierce]

Greetings, fellow bridge fanciers.  I really appreciate this thread and its great modelling imagery.  Wow.

Just my opinion, but a layout hasta have a bridge....even a culvert helps.

-Crandell

The real shame is that culverts and one-bent trestles (open culverts) are hardly modeled at all.  In contrast, the real railroads had/have many more culverts than bridges.

Mark

[Don Gibson]

PROBLEM IS one needs 1"-2" of foam  to put track on, to create the drainage (for culverts). 1/4" Cork and other make-believe forms of roadbed on ply doesn't cut it.

A couple of years ago a fellow in TX made a  simple layout with f2" foam laid on top of ply to creat realistic streams with  embankments, etc. Awesome! He was a professional photographer, I believe

If I ever build another layout it will be thicknesses of foam on top of the ply - to carve for this purpose.

Most railroads followed river valleys into the mountains.  The D&RGW's eastern approch to the Rocky Mountains follows the Colorado river (Grand) Valley, and looms up above the tracks.

Even deserts have culverts carved by water when it rains. 'Flat' it's not.

[Budliner]

are there extra parts in this kit or did I do something wrong

17 18 19

 

K

[doctorwayne]

If it doesn't collapse when the train goes over it, faggedaboudit.   Yes, if I recall correctly, there are more parts than are required to build the bridge following the instructions.

Wayne

[Budliner]

thank you DW