Whats the best way to make one. I model HO and I need to add one. I have never done one, and what I have seen, they don’t look to hard.
Thanks guys.
I presume you mean someting to let you into the center of an around-the-room layout design? MR has had a number of articles on this over the past few years. Perhaps some are reprinted in their “information station” function. You have to pay but it’s one source of info. Here’s a link to the MR index web site with a search argument of “benchwork bridge”…
http://index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&cmdtext=Benchwork+bridge&MAG=ANY&output=3&sort=D
Some day I need to build one also!
George V.
If you search these threads you will find a number of examples. Also search the Index of Magazines on the MR home page to find articles in almost all the model rr magazines since the 30’s.
The simplest one I have ever seen was on a modular layout at a show. It was a tip up, hinged at one end. If you wanted to hold it up for other than walking through some sort of device would have to be added to hold it in place, these fellows only lifted, walked and lowered. The hinges were at one end on top of the layout, thus would require a building or other scenic element to cover them. At the other end the lifted portion rested on a narrow shelf. There were a couple of alingment blocks to keep it in place. A window latch or hook and eye could be used to hold it securely in place, if necessary. To keep trains from taking a dive, there was a simple push on switch that was pushed when the lift out was down. Lift the section and the power was off. They did have a rerailer each side of the gap on each track, but it was a mobile layout with many people traveling through it when on display, thus taking a beating that the normal layout would not. Sturdy benchwork and tight hinges should hold alignment in most cases.
As I said there are many articles and several types, lift out, tip up, swinging and dropdown, each suited for slightly different situations. The above is simple and what I will use if I ever get that far.
Good luck,
This is mine in an early stage:
And here you see it during an op session with the son of my friend.
Wolfgang
Thanks guys. I found a few old threads, and did some web searching. [;)]
Here is my take on making a bridge track. I have an opening 45" wide that provides access from the house into the attached garage. I used two HO Atlas 18" bridges and one 9" bridge to cover the distance. I attached the bridges with small screws to a 1/2" piece of square tubular steel that is 45" long. The steel does not flex, is light weight, and strong. The 1/2" square tubular steel was available at Home Depot in a 48" lenght. I attached feeder wires and a quick connect plug to provide electrical power. The tubular steel rests at each end in custom made blocks of wood with a notch cut exactly to accomodate the tubular steel and line the track up to the fixed portion. I slide rail joints at each end to make a positive lineup. The sides of the bridge provide protection to keep the trains from hitting the floor. I use a simple intelock, I don’t run trains unless the bridge is in place. Just my take on a drop in bridge section. The picture is not great but I think it gives you the idea.
Tom
The layout here is a around the walls shelf layout. There is a lift out for the doorway. I used a piece of 1X6 and added three Atlas Plate Girder bridges and Atlas piers. A short bit of scenery on each end and the rest is made to look like a river. The lift out sets into notches and is held in place bith studs and wing-nuts. There are quick connect plugs to get power to the track. There is also a dead section of track of 2 feet when the lift out is OUT to prevent running off the layout.
E-mail me and i can send a couple of photos.
I started with a liftout in mind, but ended up doing a hinged dropdown because to me it was easier. I made mine out of MDF, but humidity can cause some alignment problems even with the alignment pegs (which are also wood on my setup). I would try to make it out of metal like the one person suggested unless you live in an area where humidity is constant. If that’s not possible, paint the wood deck with several coats of paint to minimize expansion/contraction and do the same for whatever you end up using for alignment pegs/blocks.
If you end up going with a dropdown, drop me a line and I can explain in more detail w/pictures how I put mine together. It’s not going to win any awards, but it works. I do need to put in some sort of cut-off setup to the track though. The dropdown is hard wired to the layout and the track power is on no matter what the position. I need to set up a dead zone right before the bridge for those times when a DCC engine loses its mind and decides to ghost ride through the yard heading for the three-foot drop. When I remember, i just throw the switch against where I parked the engine (sort of a poor man’s derail I guess). But I’d like to add something that is tied into the position of the dropdown section, though I’m not sure how to do that.