What are these (bridges?) called? The reason I ask is because I need one at my yard. It may seem odd but it’s only under one of the tracks.
Here is a picture of my yard where this will be located (at the red arrow).
Trackplan source: Model Railroader, 1987 November Issue, The Iron Wood RR by Larry R. Forgard
the bridge is a low wooden trestle over a dry wash… very easy to make from balsa or scale lumber … or if you want to buy a kit you can get one from blair line… po box 2291 lees summit mo 64063 - 7291… quoting from may 1999 R M C… the kit comes with all parts to make a bridge 6.25" 45 scale feet and 2.25 inches high 16 scale feet hope this helps peter
Pile Trestle. Since there’s no cross bracing on the sides, I think it’s made with piles (round supports like telephone poles). Cross bracing is usually for trestle bents made from square wood. The January 2005 Railroad Model Craftsman page 74 had a great issue on making pile trestles. I learned a lot.
I found some pictures that can be interesting for scratchbuilding.
You’re on the right track. I don’t think that you will need any cross braces though if the bridge is low, which, judging from your picture of your yard, is the case. Just make the pilings of a large diameter for “stability” and visual bulkiness purposes. That pic in your opening post should be good to give you an idea of the size.
MRR has a book on bridges and trestles that goes into this too. I borrowed a copy from the local library, that way it didn’t cost me a penny. You might check it out (pun intended).
Blair Line is no longer in Lee’s Summit, MO (suburban Kansas City). They have been in Carthage, MO for several years. Address below.
PO BOX 1136, CARTHAGE, MO 64836
Orders Only (toll free) 877-445-1945 Fax: 417-359-8844
sorry…reading from ad in mag… peter
I give up…a train on a bridge?
Pile trestle or pile bridge, mostly quite short spans over creeks and streams and very easy to make( make sure you represent the wood as treated with gobs of creosote) some line in the Canadian prairies can have 6 or 7 in a mile because of slow meandering creeks, you are never very far from the smell of creosote when hiking the tracks shooting gophers.
Not the best photo, but note the metal caps on top of the piles. These are just rough-shaped thin metal sheets, hammered over, and nailed. An interesting detail.
Yea, I love details. Makes everything so good looking. The color of the wood in your picture, is it creosote?
Those are to keep birds from pecking holes in the top and rotting the wood out.
Yes, I think it’s creosote, all wood here is treated with something like tar or oil. Heavy winter snow.
Don’t know if you noticed, but this deck girder has no shoes. Water level is at it’s highest (NYS Canal), drained almost ot empty in winter.
wood (cap) is notched.
More pictures to learn from:
