Simple question: who makes drawbridges or lift bridges in HO anymore? I know AHM once upon a time made a small roller bridge that was continued by Model Power or Athearn or someone until a few years ago. but does anyone make something today or publish drawing instructions on how to build a small drawbridge or a small lift bridge? I haven’t been able to find anything, at least anything not enormous. The Walthers is a bit too large for the space planned for the drawbridges, the old AHM would work but man are they pricey now. I have planned two small drawbridges and a small lift bridge on my planned layout, but if no one makes something I can adapt I kinda need to know if I should be planning to scratchbuild them. Thanks in advance
Seems to me I have seen where someone took a through truss bridge, made towers to make a lift bridge. Wish I could remember where it was. I don’t remember if it was something in a magazine or less likely something I Googled. Don’t think it was youtube at the time, but could be now.
I’ll keep thinking. (Dangerous!)
Good luck,
Richard
CMR makes two different types of lift bridges in HO scale, but they are pricey.
http://www.custommodelrailroads.com/ho.aspx
Rich
One of our members took one, I think it was the single track one, widened to 2 tracks because i don;t think the dounble track one was available, and made it operating, completely with ship navigation lights and everything. It wasn’t yet built into a module whe he first showed it off during the Timonium show but the CMR people were quite impressed by what he pulled off.
–Randy
Walthers has a bascule bridge again: https://www.walthers.com/operating-single-track-railroad-bascule-bridge-kit-33-1-2-x-3-x-11-quot-83-7-x-7-5-x-27-5-cm
and a swing bridge: https://www.walthers.com/double-track-railroad-swing-bridge-kit-27-x-6-3-8-x-7-9-16-quot-69-x-16-2-x-19-3cm
Regards, Volker
Vsmith,
Good luck with trying to find one, which won’t cost an arm and leg…then again they are also limited to only a select few…swing bridge, Bascule, Lift, Girder lift, etc. I did quite a bit of research on what was available and just could not find anything out there that would fit My scene…had to be double track, look like it would lift, most important fit the space, which was limited vertically because of an angled ceiling. I decided after more research on a Scherzer Rolling lift Bridge which would fit with a little compression and still look like it lifts. I started with actual plans of the bridge and any and all I could find of all the details. I purchased a Walthers double track Truss bridge and the rest is scratch-built from various, Plastruct, Evergreen, Central Valley, laced girders and ME Bridge Flex code 83 track and the rest is history. The bridge in itself, is complete. I’m working on the rest of the area…which is taking a lot of time for I am repainted the walls and so forth. A few shots of whats going on…:
The plan of the real bridge in Cleveland OH…still works to this day:
Adding scratch built parts to the modified Walthers Bridge:
Where the bridge will be going on the other side of the working swing bridge where the brown piece is that holds the double track mainline:
And a shot of what I have so far for the Scratch/Bash Bridge:
The interior of the control tower building. Started out as a Walthers ATSF signal tower that I cut off the top floor, removed two sets of windows so it would fit,
Nice job, Frank!
Excellent work, Frank. [Y]
Rich
Vsmith,
One You-tube video of Many to look at about various how to build bridges and how to build a bridge from scratch…take a look at them…should give You ideas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y6QkJmYNzo
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
Frank that’s excellent work. I was afraid that was going to be the case. I looked at the CMR link but they are too large for the allocated space and $$$$, looks like I will have to start planning on kitbashing something.
The Kalmbach book “Model Railroad Bridges & Trestles” contains an exellent article by Al B. Armitage Compact Drawbridge with a lot of photos and drawings of a Northwestern Pacific Scherzer rolling lift bridge. There are two more bascule bridges.
Regards, Volker
What are the dimensions that you are contemplating? Specifically, what type of lift bridge are you considering?
Rich
Realistically, the two smaller drawbridges I am likely going to have to bash out of standard 9" Atlas bridges, modeled on the either the old AHM roller bridge or a bascule mechanism. The other bridge would be slightly larger with a 12" span, this I want to model as a lift bridge, similar to the CMR model, in fact if money was no object I could probably shorten the CMR span while keeping the towers intact. 
Damm stupid Kalmbach website wont let me edit my above post. I wanted to add, the pic shows a bash thats about the right size, bashed from Atlas components. Something like that for the lift bridge is what I am going to have to bash.
A 12" vertical lift bridge in HO scale seems a bit short as a span. Is there any way you can lengthen it to, say, 15" or 16"? That would be more typical of the various vertical lift bridges that span major rivers in the U.S.
Rich
Didn’t Tyco make one like this? …might find one at a train show.
Yes the Tyco and the AHM version and the later Model Power were all the same molds. 12" in what I can fit, its a condensed layout. I knew that designing it. It doesn’t have to be operable, but that would be fun. I am thinking of modifying an Atlas curved truss bridge by cutting it down a couple bays on each and fabricating the lift towers similar to the picture I posted.
What was the water span distance of those Tyco/Model Power bridges?
I just might have one of those in my storage trailer?
I have no idea what the Tyco size is, the whole shibang looks to be about 16-18 overall.
real one, CSX
Here is an interesting one,… that might be kitbashed with an old truss bridge kit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnE6_LlebiA
…take note of how the rails join one another at the end