In the past I have spoken and posted a number ot things about building a Stone Arch Viaduct.
Some construction methods got pretty involved with molds and multiple plaster castings, etc, etc.
At this point of time I do not have the time, nor inclination to get that heavily involved with a true 3-d
replication. Rather I am considering a method somewhat similar to the mock-up method I utilized. I took a photo representation of a single arch, resized it for my needs, then made multiple paper copies that I glued onto heavier card stock paper, then trimmed with scissors, and joined together at preset seams.
I taped these temporarily to the cellular PVC frame roadbed/structure I had built to display the track’s inclination.
As you can see I have MANY somewhat duplicate arches in the overall expanses of my
via-duct,…except in multiple heights from low to high on both sides.
Next I took my scissors to those arch hollows to see what this might look like,…not bad.
My current thoughts are how might I substitute some sort of laser etched piece of plastic for those paper/cardstock pieces I used in the mock-up??
Lets just say that at the present moment I do not really need a total 3-d relief for those stone facades, just enough to represent stone faces, ….not the fully developed proud stone columns in between each arch.
This should be relatively easy, and quick for a laser etching of a thin (.040-.050”) piece of styrene plastic,…and just repetitious ?? The ‘hollow’ in the archway would be just left un-etched, then scissors used to cut out the hollow. The heights would also be adjusted by scissors. Perhaps the arches could be ‘printed out’ in groups of 2-3 rather than just singles?
That piece of thin styrene will easily bend to the curves of my roadbed. Perhaps some other plastic material might be suggested?..or thin sheet PVC to mate with the cellular PVC of my frame structure.
Can I find someone with a laser etching device willing to tackle this project ?? (correct me if I’m wrong, but it should be pretty simple as I have laid it out?)
I think it looks pretty good as is, with maybe more honing of the color to look less gray. Kinda looks like a simple black and white photo rather than a color image. And I would think about adding some sort of liner on the inside. Lots of dark shadows there, so you wouldn’t see much detail at all beyond a few feet of the inside.
Many modelers are beginning to build structures in the same way. Highly technical and crisp digital photos glued onto simple foam board.
If you listen to the mathemeticians in the room as it applies to scale, we probably would not see a lot of 3D texture from that real distance anyway. So the cast type of arches probably have too much detail for what should be seen. (Kinda like ballast, where modelers might want it more coarser than scale because it suits their eye)
Edit: While the columns or pilasters in between the arches look good, you may want to try to add a bit of 3D texture to them. Place a strip of styrene under the photos slightly narrower than the columns. Then when you crease the photo around the column as you glue the whole thing, the column stands a bit proud of the remaining arch. A little actual 3D texture if you want to go that extra step.
I think that if you cut the photo and then add somehting to it, it will show rather badly. I’d want to photo to stay seemless by simply putting something under each column then wrapping the photo over it.
I have been considering that arched liner, and perhaps that could be added later. That flat curved piece very likely would NOT have to be etched, etc,…just stock piece of plastic stone sheet
I’ve not worked with either so my questions might appear novice.
Wouldn’t the plaster pieces have to be of a considerable thickness to be durable during trimming, handling, and mounting? Making the arch pieces curve compliant might also involve other problems with these rigid pieces? I assume it could also be a little messy and dusty?
I realize that it would take X amount of time for the laser etch machine to make each arch piece (or perhaps each 3-4 arch singular piece),…but isn’t that just machine time? In other words it doesn’t require a person standing by doing the process, nor reprogramming the machine for each piece? Thus the cost could be very reasonable?
There is machine time. There is wear 'n tear on the [limited life] cathode and ruby, which would probably be reflected in the machine time. There is the setup cost of the material with the machine, as well the drawing/programming of the CAD/CAM file. All those combined can really add to the cost of a project.
Bottom line: It would probably be less expensive for you to purchase a decent 3D printer and print them up yourself. You just have to determine if it’s worth the investment. You could also contact Shapeways and have them quote you on a 3D project to give you and idea of the cost.
Not trying to be the wet blanket to this party, but do you think a railroad would really go to the expense of buidng all of those arches instead of using fill for the upslope until it reached the spot where the span is needed?
I know, I know…it’s my railroad and I’ll do it my way. Too many arches was the first thing that caught my eye.
Not trying to be the wet blanket to this party, but do you think a railroad would really go to the expense of buidng all of those arches instead of using fill for the upslope until it reached the spot where the span is needed?
I know, I know…it’s my railroad and I’ll do it my way. Too many arches was the first thing that caught my eye.
How about the Old Stone Arch Railroad Bridge in Minneapolis?
I think it depends on what’s on each side of the viaduct. I think what Brian is doing is more like the approach to the St. Charles Air Line bridge, in Chicago.
I have decided that I do not need that much detail on mine, and will likely go with just good quality ‘printed on paper stone work’ with some sort of proud columns.
Wonder where I might find the best quality photo of that stone/arch facade to ‘adjust/photoshop’ to an image that can be repeatable reproduced like I did with my xerox copies for the mock-up?
Not the same bridge as above, but I found this on a web site named Dreamstime , and I found these photos of the same bridge which is in Janesville WI. used by the UP.
Like I mentioned earlier, I would carve them out of styrofoam. It looks like only the side facing out would need to be detailed.
I believe it is saying that you pay a one time fee to download an image,…then you can make multiple copies of that image?
Is it saying you might print that image onto a variety of materials,…like for instance relatively thick cardstock?..or other material that you might get to operate in your printer?..or some material you might get to operate in a more modern type printer??
