I need to make a series of underpasses. I havent been able to find any good kits of this kind of bridge. But here is a prototype photo of what I need to build. Any ideas?
Walthers makes an Art Deco steel-girder underpass, but for the type shown above it should be fairly easy to scrachbuild from styrene. I’d simplify it a bit, and just build up the art-deco-ey details with styrene strip. Aftr all, it’s just a wide, flat box on a set of piers, themselves made of boxes. It might be time-consuming, but it should be straightforward. In a pinch, Rix highway brideg piers may come in handy, but they have round supports whereas these look square.
What runs on top of the bridges, cars or trains? For trains, you could start with something simple like the Atlas girder bridge. You could add a styrene outer layer to make it look like concrete.
If you’re going to use a lot of styrene, I’d advise getting a big piece from a plastics distributer rather than buying small Evergreen sheets at a craft store or LHS. I ordered a couple of big pieces from www.usplastic.com and that was a lot more economical.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but that looks like a multiple-track bridge with a ballasted deck. If so, here’s what I’d do.
- Cut the edge of the sub-roadbed reasonably straight and square, the overall width of the bridge less the thickness of the finishing panels on the visible side (or both sides, if appropriate.)
- Use the girders of a commercial deck girder bridge, cut in half, to represent the between-track girders (which would not have the decorative concrete face) and the ‘steel behind the concrete’ on the far side of the bridge (or both sides if the bridge can be seen from both sides.)
- Apply that art-deco face with sheet styrene, or even layered posterboard.
- Build up the piers and retaining walls the same way you built the girder face.
The interesting difference in height (depth?) between the vehicle lanes and the walkways would make an interesting point of attention. In this part of the world, there would be a large sign facing oncoming traffic, “DO NOT ENTER IF WATER IS PRESENT.” Over the years, grade separations like that have shortened the lives of more than a few less-than-brilliant vehicle pilots.
Chuck
thanks for the replies everyone. And you are right Chuck it is multiple track (prr 4 track main).I need to build 4 of them with one one having about a 60 degree angle. They dont have to look exactly like the one in the picture. Although that is the look I want to end up with, that picture is of one of the actual bridges on the line I am modeling. a couple of the bridges have the 2 flashing yellow lights on the center post which I think would be a nice touch.
P
Rix Products makes highway overpass kits and parts. Easy to kit-bash. Walthers #628