Bridge Track, is it necessary?

[jacon12]

I have a Walthers double track warren truss bridge like this
http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3012
on its way to me and I think I may have goofed and didn't order the bridge track
http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/948-899
that goes with it. Do I have to have this track? I was thinking my code 100 track could be laid on across it and I also see in the catalog that the bridge track is code 83 outer main rails and code 70 inner guard rail. If I have to use this track how do the two, my code 100 track and the different code bridge track , match up? Assuming that is, that I must use it.
Jarrell

[pcarrell]

Bridge track has ties that are closer together and longer in length. It also has the guard rails that you mentioned. The guard rails (code 70 in this case) don't join to anything. They sit inside the rails that the train is riding on and help to keep the train from falling off of the bridge in the event of a derailment. The change from one code of track to another is not to hard, and there's several ways to do it. You could take the taller track (the code 100) and sand the bottoms of the ties till they line up at the railtops. Then to join the rails you could slip a rail joiner onto the code 100 and squi***he other side and lay the code 83 on top of the squished joiner and solder it. You might have to bend the joiner just a bit to get the railtops to line up. Another way is to secure the track in your favorite method (tack it down, caulk it, whatever) so that the railtops are in line, and then put jumpers to carry the power, and never actually make a physical connection between the rails.

Whatever you do, don't sand the railtops to get them to line up. It will collect dirt from that day on and will be a constant cleaning headache (don't ask me how I know this).

Take a look at this web site and you'll see some good pics;

http://www.carrtracks.com/brdgndx.htm

and click on the pic titled "Norfolk Southern at Bridge Seven" (it's the fifth one down) and you'll see the guard rails. They are bent owards the center of the rails at the ends, but don't let them touch or you might cause a short if both wheels of the loco touch the guard rails at the same time.

[rexhea]

Jarrell, you will like the looks of the bridge track much better than standard track. For your matching of rails, Atlas makes transition rail joiners for code 100 to code 83 rail (150-551). Don't forget to order two of the bridge track #948-899 for two lines.[;)]

REX

[bogp40]

Jarrell,
I have had the best luck w/ Micro Engineering bridge flex track. The 36" section of track comes with the code 70 guard rails, sections of guard timbers and 3 fire barrels w/ platforms. The rail is not weathered but the ties are brown.
I don't believe they have a website, but they are at 1120 Eagle Rd, Fenton, Mo.
I call and order directly- usually receive it in one week. Great people to deal with, ask for a cataloque of their product line. Their bridges are the finest models and have excellent directions. Great kitbashing source. Don't forget about your bridge shoes if not supplied w/ the one your using.
Bob K.

[howmus]

I usually hand lay bridge track. You can get full profile ties for this. I first stain the ties to make them look like the ones in the flex track, then glue them to the beams on the bridge (there is a template for the spacing in the package of ties) then remove enough rail from a piece of flex track to do the job, and glue them in place using an NMRA track guage to make they sure they are correct. I just use a bit of good old Walthers Goo for gluing them down, when they are in place, hit the track with a hot soldering iron and the track will stay put. I have some done over 20 years ago that are still in perfect guage. Finally, add the guard rails using code 83 if you have it (more of the code 100 will work just as well) again using the NMRA guage to make sure the spacing is correct. I find this is a fun project and gives me a chance to do some minor handlaying of track.

[eridani]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Robert Knapp

Jarrell,
I have had the best luck w/ Micro Engineering bridge flex track. The 36" section of track comes with the code 70 guard rails, sections of guard timbers and 3 fire barrels w/ platforms. The rail is not weathered but the ties are brown.

Most of my railway is N Scale Kato track (almost all of it a gift) I plan to have 4 trestle bridges and a trestle viaduct. (all scratch built) Considering most the RR is Kato, what Micro Engineering or other bridge track would people here recommend?

thanks

RR

[pcarrell]

The ME is the best, but it can be tricky to work with because it bends and then stays that way, so get it right the first time.

[jacon12]

Much obliged for the help fellas. I went over to a guys house tonight that has a couple of these bridges, one with the bridge track... one without.
Rex, you're right.... the one with bridge track looks a whole lot like the real thing, and I will be ordering two sets.
Bob, I got a really dumb question. What is a bridge shoe? Is that the retaining wall that the bridge sits on?
Ray, I appreciate the tips. If I felt more comfortable with handlaying the track I'd give it a try, but it's probably gonna take all my skill just to get the ready made stuff in correctly. Maybe one day I'll get to see this done.
Thanks again,
Jarrell
*edit* I found bridge shoes in Walthers catalog on page 1008 from Micro Engineering but still don't know what they're used for.

[JohnT14808]

When I was doing the small trestle for the club layout, I laid both regular flex and a piece of bridge track on top, just to see how it would look. The bridge track does look a lot better than regular flex. How ever you solve your connection dilemma between the different rail sizes, I think you will like the bridge track much better.

[pcarrell]

Jarrell,

Here's a brige shoe;

http://matrix.vtrc.virginia.edu/DATA/460/photos_11-03-99/Abutment%20bearing.jpg

It sits on top of the bridge abutment and the actual bridge sits on top of the shoe. It allows the bridge to move and expand and contract with heat and cold.

In the picture the stone abutment is undernieth the shoe and the big metal beam in the pic on top of the shoe is the actual girder span of the bridge.

Clear as mud, huh?

[twhite]

Jarrell--Sinohara makes a code 100 bridge-track that will work quite well, so you don't have to worry about shimming or sanding. You can get it through the Walther's HO catalogue--it comes in 39" lengths and runs about $12 or so. I use it on my bridges and it's good stuff.
Tom

[tomikawaTT]

For those who don't want to switch track types, consider that many modern lines put a trough of some kind on the bridge floor, fill it with ballast and lay the track as if the bridge wasn't there. Guard rails are a must, but they can be modeled with whatever loose rail you happen to have laying around. Spacing is about 8" away from running rails, not like guard rails on turnouts, and they taper to a meet at the track centerline on the land side about a standard car length from the beginning of bridge structure.

[cwclark]

I always hand lay my track on bridges, I use 4 rails... two for the track and two for rerailer rails, I purchase a bag of wooden ties, a bag of spikes, and 4 long strips of 1/4" balsa wood for a tie brace..I glue the ties to the strips of balsa wood and I then take two track gauges and with a pair of needle nose pliers pu***he spikes into the ties every fifth tie to hold the rail in place using the track gauges as guides...once the rail is spiked, i'll then put in the derailer rails and once all the spikes are driven (pushed in) i'll glue it all down with CA glue for extra holding strenght of the rail to the ties....chuck

[jacon12]

QUOTE: Originally posted by pcarrell

Jarrell,

Here's a brige shoe;

http://matrix.vtrc.virginia.edu/DATA/460/photos_11-03-99/Abutment%20bearing.jpg

It sits on top of the bridge abutment and the actual bridge sits on top of the shoe. It allows the bridge to move and expand and contract with heat and cold.

In the picture the stone abutment is undernieth the shoe and the big metal beam in the pic on top of the shoe is the actual girder span of the bridge.

Clear as mud, huh?

Ahhh, looks like a little rocking chair! Just kinda moves back and forth.
And now I know!
Thanks,
Jarrell

[jacon12]

QUOTE: Originally posted by twhite

Jarrell--Sinohara makes a code 100 bridge-track that will work quite well, so you don't have to worry about shimming or sanding. You can get it through the Walther's HO catalogue--it comes in 39" lengths and runs about $12 or so. I use it on my bridges and it's good stuff.
Tom

Thanks Tom, I'll check it out. I found Walthers and it's about $15. I hunt the Sinohara.
Jarrell

[HoosierDaddy]

Another solution I have heard mentioned, but that I haven't personally tried, is to cut the webbing out from between ties on a typical piece of flex track. This will allow you to move the ties closer together to give you more prototypical spacing. It won't give you the look of the beefier bridge ties though. One possible advantage to this method that I can see is that it may allow you to have a continuous run of track across the bridge without joints at either end. Then again, that would make it harder to remove the bridge at a later date.

HD

[pcarrell]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jacon12

QUOTE: Originally posted by pcarrell

Jarrell,

Here's a brige shoe;

http://matrix.vtrc.virginia.edu/DATA/460/photos_11-03-99/Abutment%20bearing.jpg

It sits on top of the bridge abutment and the actual bridge sits on top of the shoe. It allows the bridge to move and expand and contract with heat and cold.

In the picture the stone abutment is undernieth the shoe and the big metal beam in the pic on top of the shoe is the actual girder span of the bridge.

Clear as mud, huh?

Ahhh, looks like a little rocking chair! Just kinda moves back and forth.
And now I know!
Thanks,
Jarrell

They come in a couple of different designs, but the idea is the same.

[bogp40]

QUOTE: Originally posted by pcarrell

The ME is the best, but it can be tricky to work with because it bends and then stays that way, so get it right the first time.

If you need to straighten ME track, press it between 2 straight pieces of wood etc.
To check stand on edge on flat surface, work out any small kinks. Easier done w/ the bridge track, standard 83 flex is a bit more difficult though.
Bob K.

[pcarrell]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Robert Knapp

QUOTE: Originally posted by pcarrell

The ME is the best, but it can be tricky to work with because it bends and then stays that way, so get it right the first time.

If you need to straighten ME track, press it between 2 straight pieces of wood etc.
To check stand on edge on flat surface, work out any small kinks. Easier done w/ the bridge track, standard 83 flex is a bit more difficult though.
Bob K.

I had done the sideways on a table thing, but I hadn't thought of adding a 2x4 to the other side. Thanks!