Reduced Tonnage

Hi Neil,

It can provide you with operating challenges as the "load limits" on the trestle cause equipment to be rerouted.

But the spindly looking trestles are great for dramatic effect and photography. 

@ Neil,

I just can't wait to see you build that bridge!

when you get that done you are welcome to help me build 8 large trestles and several other steel bridges.  Several big trestles.

Den

Trestles

Bruce: that's the look I'm going for in O scale. I hope to run the scenery nearly to the floor!

Den: Trestles are easy - just repetitive. Once you have your material and a jig I think you'll find it really fun to see it take shape. I've built them in HO and G (1:20.3) and do all the bents then assemble them upside-down on the stringers that already have the ties attached. You then "hang" the bridge in place to get your footings or scenery in place. I'll send you a few to get the idea. 

Neil

p.s. I changed my pic but still feel like Stanley Laurel - "I'm sorry Ollie!" Seems my foot tastes better every year but still fits in the mouth. 

Getting it running

The idea of a tall bridge seemed so appealing that I cut away the roadbed and have had a gap between one half of the railroad and the other for quite some time. Den and others have encouraged me to just build a bridge there, even if temporary, to get some trains running. After looking at other examples on the island the first line built on Hawaiian Island was the Hawaiian Railway Company along the northern coast to serve sugar plantations and the communities that supported them. The trestles were made of wood timbers and lightly framed. I made a jig and started building "bents" of the sizes needed. The tallest is 24". As I went the surrounding scenery was manipulated enough to visualize my trestle in place. Here it is to date. A lot of lateral connecting members are still needed but I think the scenery needs to get further along now or it will be difficult to do around the finished bridge. 

Neil

Neil, here is an example in

Neil, here is an example in HO scale of something similar. If you just want to see the finished trestle go to the 1640 mark in the video, it might be very similar to what you are after. Lots of railroads used these types of things and did not reduce their load.

The main core of the trestle

The main core of the trestle is a Shelving standard cut to bend on 30' marks. It was rather loose so I welded the joints and created the "subroadbed" that was to be clad with steel girders. Impatience set in so the trestle has some 24" beams under those 8" square ties - seems ok. What I hadn't noticed was a vertical curve where the bridge "module" was set up against the next town. My Forney has low hanging couplers already, and combined with the long wheelbase of the engine and passenger car, it uncoupled nearly every time. Sigh. That will require some head scratching. 

In the meantime ... I want to give the little people a guardrail along the walk so tourists won't fall off the bridge:

@ Rob - Thanks! Not many coal trains here but the right idea. Too bad ME doesn't do a version in O scale. 

@ Paul - this is just BIG and nothing like the work you've posted! There is a surprise up my sleeve but having second thoughts. Maybe I'll post it anyway. 

Neil

Umauma Railway & Navigation, Umauma Plantation Railway

Yes or no

Ok, so a waterfall behind the tall trestle is cliche - I know. It is an iconic model railroad feature and certainly very, very common in Hawaii so ...

Here is a quick mock-up of what I have been thinking:

In this progress shot you can see the steel support used for the track and next to the tunnel portal would be a waterfall to a large plunge pool below. The hole is not intentional and would be filled with tallus. The trestle footings would be encased in stone for protection. So ... ? Do it?

Neil 

Lava flow? It could be  a

Lava flow? It could be  a more humorous thing. Also maybe make the bases of the trestles look charred