Inspiration

Interesting how the panoramic shot curved the bridge for you.

Base and template

My office was throwing out this layout table on casters. It is four feet long and about 30" tall. 

I traced over the curved track on my layout and used it to make a template for the track and trestle location which is screwed to the top (temporarily?). The track, roadbed, risers, and L-girder was cut away leaving a big hole where this will slide in:

The ends were cut from old cabinet doors I scavenged (yeah, again but it is nice wood!). The fascia is hardboard. While cutting it the blade broke on my jig saw and I spent way too much time looking for another. In the end it turns out a Sawzall blade mounted backward will work in a pinch. Before I quit for the night I made another tracing of the rail location as I'll build the trestle upside-down but more on that later. 

Neil

The iPhone panorama view was

The iPhone panorama view was quite an epiphany as it changed my perception of doing this project. That day was spent photographing and measuring the old bridge and noticed that a lot of repairs had been made in it's 105 years. A SketchUp model revealed that this was really big - 40' girders over the towers and 70' between. This wasn't going to work on a curved trestle if the rails we're going to stay over the girders. 

If I can figure out how to share the files from my MacBook to my iPad then I'll post them as well.

Neil

The George Town loop has a

The George Town loop has a curved steel truss.  

As for the model obviously M E has the components in HO, you have to modify them to get a curve, but they tell you how to do that. Not sure what the have in other scales, but perhaps the HO can be kitbashed?

-Doug Meyer

ME for NG

I built a large curved steel trestle for my Austrian NG "Die Oberdrautalbahn" Layout with ME high steel trestle parts. This was 0e (European On30) and it looked fabulous (modesty is not one of my skills ). The only change I made was to scratchbuild the safety platform.

Light & Strong

Good Morning,

I'd recommend an "egg-crate" or "aircraft wing" system of bracing the module to increase the strength and reduce the weight.  Thin plywood, sealed to reduce changes in humidity, would be a good choice.

I'd also try hiding a reinforcing core under the track, inside the girders to protect the bridge and track.

You got my interest

Neil,

Interesting project. The idea of building "modules for a layout to be" may just fit in to what I want to do. I'll be popping in from time to time to see how you are progressing. It'll be an interesting blog.

Bernd

ME Bridge

Dougla: I built the ME (Micro Engineering for those who don't know) for my old HO layout for the standard gauge Hawaii Consolodated Railway and love the kit. Graeme's model is really nice but it is scaled for HO and seems too small imho. Bridges, like nature, seem to look ok in any scale for the span. I will be building with different materials to get some tall, spindly, members and 30' girders. The ME bridge would scale to about 9" wide trestle members and 15' tall sections instead of 18" and 25' sections respectively with girders 7-1/2" long (actual). I may chop up their girders to get the length I want but still feel the web members will look too small. 

Neil

Wings

Bruce - I was thinking on the same lines. Some internal gussets would really stiffen the frame and give someplace for scenery to attach. Right now it is really rigid as the frame is screwed to the cabinet below. This was because most of my wood is warped from our moist environs (we get about 240" of rain a year - no joke 20 feet!).  

My next task will be a cardboard mock-up of the bridge to get the feel correct and then more bracing. Right now the whole thing rolls around on our lanai so easy but it is heavy!

Today I'll pick up a six foot length of K&S shelf wall support to use under the track for some strength and core of the bridge. Will have to cut some notches to bend to shape but one bite at a time ...

Thanks!

Neil

Layout to be

Bernd:

I read nearly all the comments on this forum (maybe also insomnia like Ralph) so have been intrigued by this idea for some time. David Barrow, Lance Mindhiem, Fukiwara, and others have given some great examples of doing a section that can stand alone. Micro layout (rip Carl), and the many chainsaw layouts here show that a little piece of railroad can bring a great amount of satisfaction and build skills along the way. My work is demanding and exhausting so this inspiration is what I needed to get back in the saddle. 

I hope I can retain your interest and prompt some ideas and feedback. 

Neil

Vermont HO bridge module

pictures from the website of the North Western Vermont Model Railroad association:

one of the four foot length modules is mostly bridge:

http://nwvrailroad.org/Modular-Layout/modular-layout.html

http://nwvrailroad.org/News/news.html

Vermont bridges

Chris: Thank you! Nice looking modules. 

Neil Erickson