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Thin Branch Series: Build a Bridge part 3 – guardrails
Why didn’t I think of that this series alone is worth the price keep up with great videos
As usual, a excellent video; every time I watch one I learn at least one new trick (ie., use N scale track to make the guard rail.)
To save some time and work (and thumbs!), might I make this suggestion: While making the guard rails on hand built (built with Fast Tracks turnout-building fixtures) I learned to bend the guard rails by the frog using a simple procedure. A)Mark (scribe) the base of the rail on the side you are going to make the bend toward; B) place your rail cutter at a 45 degree angle with the points of the cutter touching the web of the raid at the point marked by the scribe; and C) cut a notch out of the base of the rail. D) Bend the rail at the notch to whatever angle is needed – the head and web of the rail have too small a cross-section to prevent you from bending them easily and by notching the base, you have made a perfect place to form a sharp “kink” in rail.
I have found it usually takes only one “nip” with the rail cutter to remove a small bit of metal leaving the proper size notch to make the bend. Also, it doesn’t matter which “direction” (toward the part of the rail being moved or away from the part being moved) the notch is made - when the rail is bent, the remaining base fills in where part was removed.
Excellent video; loved the idea of using code 55 N scale rail for the guardrails. I missed the first two parts of this construction sequence. How can I access them?
Looks like a good technique for a small bridge like that but I prefer doing the guardrails in place on the layout on a long bridge like the ME steel viaduct kits. Nice to finally see a track plan for the Thin Branch in MR. I need to put it “in a mirror” if I use it. Curves the wrong way for my space. I imagine it’s just a question of buying opposite direction turnouts than shown, right?
Hello Paul,
The four parts to the bridge series each cover a different area of How To. Part 1 is Modeling, Part 2 is Painting, Part 3 is Track, and Part 4 (which will be posted later this week) is scenery.
However, an easier way to find all of the Thin Branch videos is to open the “Layouts” tab at the top of the page and then click on “Project Railroads.” Once there, you can filter for Thin Branch videos by clicking it’s button. You should get all of the bridge series parts in the listing.
Best wishes on your project.
David
Thanks David. Wonderful video. How could I replicate the same thing in N scale? Could I use Z scale track? Would it produce the same result?
Hi Mike,
Sorry, Z scale track doesn’t work out the same for N scale as N does for HO. I’ve built a number of guardrails for my N scale projects simply by using a 3/16" square of stripwood as a spacer block to keep the rails a uniform distance apart. I tape the rails to to the block with the feet resting on top of the blocks surface, and I let the the ends protrude from either side of the stripwood so I can make the points. I then file the notches, make the bends, and solder the points as shown in the video.
Of course this works for straight bridges. Where you have curves, you pretty much have to bend and build the guardrails in place.
Good luck with your guardrails.
David
Hello Domenic,
Yes, you can pretty much use any size rail for the guardrails as long as it isn’t taller than your track, so your code 70 rail will work fine. You could even use code 83 guardrails on code 83 track. The only difference here is that you need to be more careful when you clean your track, as the tops of guardrails should not be shiny.
David
David,
Love your videos, very informative and entertaining!
I am currently working on a few bridges and need to add the guardrails to my small HO switching layout. I am using Code 83 track and would like to know if using HO code 70 track in place of your recommended N scale code 55 track would be a suitable alternative?
Thanks and keep up the great videos!
Domenic
These videos are great. Super job, David. You had better refresh your airbrush basics by watching Cody’s video so that you’ll remember to wear your mask!
Bill
Cool! N scale flex will make this a lot faster when I do this myself
Okay, but where do we N scalers turn? Z scale flex-track?
Excellent idea, using the N-scale flex for the rails! David, your videos have what I consider to be the best way to present a product and/or “how-to” instructions; a friendly, laid-back yet very precise method of delivery, in terms anyone can easily understand and follow along. I really love the way you come up with simple solutions to things (the coffee-stirrers to run wire thru the foam & plywood comes to mind!) Keep up the good work!
David,
Thanks for sharing this idea, I just tried it for my first bridge and this was a much easier approach for creating the guard rails. I will use this for the remaining bridges as well.
David, Excellent idea but you forgot one thing… electrically you brought both sides of you track power within millimeters of each other. If you derail you could bridge the powered main rail to the guard rail, and if happens on both sides you get a dead short. You are depending on paint to keep the gap between the guard rail and the main rail isolated. Instead you could cut gaps with a cutoff wheel in one side of the guard rail at both ends and CA glue a small piece of styrene in the gaps. After it’s painted you won’t notice the gap and electrically removed the potential shorting hazard.
David,
I’m using Code 100 rail for main bridge track. What size guardrail should I use?
Most excellent video David. I used Code 83 for my Code 100 Truss bridge, but left the rail ends open instead of bringing them to a point, soldering and then filing. I like your guard rails better. Now that I know this technique, I will use them on my remaining bridges. Thanks for this helpful hint!
Allan