I am blessed by having a model railroad friend, who is looking for an excuse to build models.
Note that this isn’t built with Central Valley girders, all the lacing is custom build.
The bridge is just temporarily set into position, so anything is possible. The surrounding layout is foam and as you can see, the tops of the piers are below the top of the foam. The asymmetry between the left side of the bridge and the right, and the inward leaning right pier are optical illusions and the fault of Tim Cook. The piers are wider at the base than the top.
My plan is this is not a river but a gorge. Maybe there will be a stream at the bottom. On the backside of the both ends of the bridge, there is a square edge and the tops of the piers sit below ground level. What should I do about that?
You’ll have to add a low retaining wall where the irritating foam sits. Concrete would be the obvious choice. Wood timbers would work, too. Though they wouldn’t last as long.
Ed’s idea is what is typically done. You could make the “concrete” look like the “blocks” that the abutments are made of. Google images of railroad bridge abutments gives some ideas.
He is building a Coast Guard ice cutter for another friend. He bought several pieces of 5x5" balsa 40 years ago. Balsa really gets hard in 40 years, in case you are hoarding some.
I am experimenting for the first time with sculptamold rock castings. Made my first one today, with too much water and it too a while to dry. 4 hours later, it is not as hard as hydrocal, but as I won’t be trying to scratch it with my finger nail, that is not a deal breaker.
The back corners look the strangest. I think putting some puff ball trees behind the bridge will hide the 90 degree drop off. A concrete abutment can only be so wide
