Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Any of you guys make your own bridge?

5802 views
33 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    March 2005
  • 1,512 posts
Any of you guys make your own bridge?
Posted by philo426 on Sunday, December 20, 2020 10:52 AM

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • 1,512 posts
Posted by philo426 on Sunday, December 20, 2020 2:12 PM

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Sunday, December 20, 2020 2:24 PM

Looking good!

There are lots of modelers on here that make bridges.  I'm sure they will be chiming in.

Mike.

 

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: From Golden, CO living in Puyallup (Seattle), WA
  • 751 posts
Posted by Renegade1c on Sunday, December 20, 2020 2:41 PM

Yes! A good set of plans and a bandsaw were key to making mine. I found the prototype plans to be very handy in this case. I also found a set of plans on Feebay for the deck truss below. The trestle plans I found on Grandt lines website (https://www.grandtline.com/tips-techniques/resource-gallery/) which were incredibly helpful. The only difference is that I had to figure out to make it curved instead of a straight trestle. 


Colorado Front Range Railroad: 
http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/

flag

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Sunday, December 20, 2020 2:47 PM

Nice work. I'd like to see it placed and supporting a train in time. 

I have scratchbuilt only one bridge, a trestle. It's on its second layout.

14 years ago, until the spring of 2012, it looked like this:

Now it looks like this (haven't learned how to image this layout yet, the correct angles and lighting, so....)

 

  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: QLD, Australia
  • 1,111 posts
Posted by tbdanny on Sunday, December 20, 2020 2:57 PM

I scratchbuilt a trestle for my On30 layout:

This is an older photo - the scenery around it has now been completed.  I used a trestle jig from Black Bear Construction to make the supports, and scratchbuilt the deck.

The Location: Forests of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon
The Year: 1948
The Scale: On30
The Blog: http://bvlcorr.tumblr.com

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, December 20, 2020 3:43 PM

Here is my version of the PRR Vertical Lift Bridge in downtown Chicago. I kitbashed the Arched Pratt bridge from 3 kits and scratch built the towers and bridge tender's shack.

Rich

Full-View-III.jpg

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • 1,512 posts
Posted by philo426 on Sunday, December 20, 2020 4:24 PM

Most impressive guys!

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Sunday, December 20, 2020 4:46 PM

Yes, I agree...some 'serious modeling' going on there. Smile

  • Member since
    March 2011
  • 1,950 posts
Posted by NVSRR on Sunday, December 20, 2020 6:54 PM

I was going to ask prototype or model.  I do both.   Most of the bridges on my layout are scratch built.  One kit and two kitbashed. 

A pessimist sees a dark tunnel

An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel

A realist sees a frieght train

An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space

  • Member since
    November 2002
  • From: US
  • 2,455 posts
Posted by wp8thsub on Sunday, December 20, 2020 8:25 PM

Yup.  Scratchbuilt, kitbashed, and kits.  All of them have scratchbuilt abutments.

DSC03127 (2)

by wp8thsub, on Flickr

DSC02751

by wp8thsub, on Flickr

DSC02761

by wp8thsub, on Flickr

Rob Spangler

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Sunday, December 20, 2020 8:48 PM

A gift from my good friend Logan of Severna Park MR Club

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • 1,512 posts
Posted by philo426 on Sunday, December 20, 2020 9:14 PM

Nice!Here it is on a couple of bridge piers...

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 1,500 posts
Posted by ROBERT PETRICK on Sunday, December 20, 2020 9:15 PM

I like long-span bridges. Here are three.

Robert

 

LINK to SNSR Blog


  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, December 20, 2020 11:13 PM

This was my grandest bridge.

I built it for the Scale Rails of Southwest Florida N scale train show layout back in 1992.

I have gotten lazy in my old age, and I am buying brass bridges.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Monday, December 21, 2020 12:28 AM

Wow guys!!!

Those are a lot of very impressive bridges!BowThumbs UpWowYeah

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Monday, December 21, 2020 1:10 AM

I agree, Dave, lots of great-looking bridges. 

I do scratchbuilt footings, piers, and abutments, but most of my bridges are kitbashed from various manufacturers' bridge kits...

...but this little concrete arch is the only completely-scratchbuilt one I've built...

Wayne

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • 1,512 posts
Posted by philo426 on Monday, December 21, 2020 8:03 AM

Yes I want to build one of those Central Valley or Atlas bridge kits!

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • 1,512 posts
Posted by philo426 on Monday, December 21, 2020 11:06 AM

Doing the tie plates.  

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • 1,512 posts
Posted by philo426 on Monday, December 21, 2020 5:24 PM

Decided to paint it gray..

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: A Comfy Cave, New Zealand
  • 6,251 posts
Posted by "JaBear" on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 12:19 AM

My first model railroad scratchbuild.

Stone viaduct by Bear, on Flickr

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 1:10 AM

My first model railroad scratchbuild.

That's pretty good Bear!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 8:05 AM

NICE!!!

I was delighted to stumble across this thread!  I have always loved bridges and there sure is Fantastic ones posted hereBow

 

Extremely ImpressiveYes

 

 

TF

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • 1,512 posts
Posted by philo426 on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 9:43 AM

You are correct sir!Elaborate curved radius trestle looks like a ton of work! 

  • Member since
    January 2021
  • 88 posts
Posted by Great Northern Fan 54 on Thursday, January 28, 2021 8:17 PM
No, I am too nervous. I don't like the idea of me discovering how sturdy my bridge is when the freight train crosses it.
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Friday, January 29, 2021 11:05 AM

I built a Central Valley but built it shorter, also a high steel trestle.

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • 1,512 posts
Posted by philo426 on Friday, January 29, 2021 12:16 PM

Post pics please!

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, January 29, 2021 1:19 PM

philo426

Yes I want to build one of those Central Valley or Atlas bridge kits!

I built a Central Valley Pratt Truss bridge in HO.  It's not a trivial kit, as most of the girder sections are not cut to size and all must be measured and cut by hand.  I took my time, though, and was very happy with the final product.

The superstructure of the bridge is totally ornamental, with all the weight being supported by metal beams in the base beneath the track.

 

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    May 2019
  • 1,314 posts
Posted by BEAUSABRE on Thursday, February 4, 2021 12:56 AM

An invaluable reference is Paul Mallery's "Bridge and Trestle Handbook"

Bridge and trestle handbook for model railroaders: Mallery, Paul: Amazon.com: Books

 

  • Member since
    March 2011
  • 1,950 posts
Posted by NVSRR on Thursday, February 4, 2021 6:45 AM

I am not far from starting to scratch build a link and pin bridge. Should be interesting

 

Shane

A pessimist sees a dark tunnel

An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel

A realist sees a frieght train

An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!