hi everyone I’m constructing a ‘heljan’ trestle bridge for my SP Cascade inspired layout,but my problem is you are given the most basic of plans (1 page),
i’m wanting it to be curved,but the parts they tell me to use are numbered different to the parts I have,
has anyone had this problem before or am I just very special?
are there any cures for my headache?
cheers Jazz [:(]
I’ve built three Heljan kits and their plans are, how shall I say, Useless!!! This may be a project you’ll have to piece together and go by diagrams and photos. I’ve built a curved trestle from scratch and used the Kalmbach book on Bridges and Trestles, which I would highly recommend.
Fergie
i agree with fergie…the kalmbach publication bridges and threstles is an excellent resource for building bridges…they have plans and parts lists for about every railroad bridge imaginable
chuck
Fergie’s right, the Heljan directions are pretty bad. I agree with him, get the Kalmbach book–it’s pretty terrific. Also, another possibility–if you’re friends with your LHS owner and he has a Microscale Tall Viaduct kit, see if he’ll let you copy the page in the instructions about building a curved viaduct. You can apply it to the Heljan kit pretty easily. My Tall Viaduct is on a 34" curve, and by following the instructions, it was so easy to do that I blu***hinking about it.
Tom [:I][:I]
Don’t feel bad, jazz. i’m building a ‘nelson’ trestle for our club layout from scratch…no plans!! Just eyeballing the area, careful measuring, lots of encouragement from folks here and in the local club and patience. Lots and lots of patience!
But, after about two months (I had to start over, my original bents were WAY too big.), I actually have something that is beginning to LQQK like a trestle. Stringers are cut, glued and supported by six of the nine bents. I did discover, just last week, that I am going to have to make another bent. The trestle needs to be longer than I originally measured, but it’ll work.
All I need now are the “ending bents” on either end of the trestle that have the wall of boards holding back the ballast and this puppy will be ready to go.
Oh…bridge track…Ha! Another fun part of scratch building. Fortunately, I found flex track in the Walthers catalog that is specifically used for bridges. Comes with guard boards and rails, rain barrels and barrel enclosures, along with a 36" piece of flex track with closely spaced square ties. Really cool.
Hope your project comes to life! Remember, Model Railroading is fun!!
One thing to remember is that bridges are very rarely curved. Trestles are often curved, but they’re actually a series of very short straight bridges. A more prototypical bridge would be wider with the train curve in the middle of it.
Either way I love bridges!
Mark in Utah