Hi everyone, need some advice from the more experienced please. Been looking for a 36" curved trestle bridge and want to know if the JV Models for price would look as good as or better than 2 of the Campbell #304 kits. Also if anyone knows of any other wooden bridge manufactures I am willing to look them over. Craftsman kits are not out of question to build as I have built a few. Looking forward to your replies, thank you.
Hi Shanny 10
I can’t offer any help about kits because I scratch built my 36” slightly curved trestle from scale lumber, very cost effective to scratch build. My trestle is over 25 years old and it has held up very good.
Wooden trestles and bridges are not too difficult to scratch build, pick up a copy of MR Trestles & Bridges to help you get going.
Thanks Mel,
As well as ordering that book I forgot all albout the fact we had the archives to look thru. Some really good info from the early years on trestle making. Just having all the articles on the trestles makes the archives worthwhile this trip around. I believe the amount of wood needed will be less than $70 so scratch building should be cheaper than the kit this time around. Gonna figure what we need material wise and get it ordered asap as this will be quite an undertaking for a bridge this size 36-42" long and 20-24 deep and single track. Can you do a upper and a lower(offset) on the same trestle or has that ever been done.Can only hope it turns out as nice as yours, very nice work.
Ken Amos
I’ve been using a CAD program for well over 30 years, I laid out one bent on my CAD and used it to make a form.
It actually is rather simple to make a trestle. I built a box frame out of a 1” x 8” and built the trestle upside down to insure it remained tru and level. I was able to use a one foot carpenters’ square to keep each bent straight because my trestle is only 10½” max in the center.
I didn’t pay much attention to the taper of the trestle; I cut each bent to fit as I built up the scenery around it.
One other tip, if you plan on staining the basswood (assuming your using basswood) make sure you use a stainable wood glue.
Mel
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
Thanks for tip, as a master craftsman cabinetmaker I hope this goes as well as my larger projects of tables, armoirs and kitchens. Building on a smaller scale is a lot different tho. Im going to be reading a lot the next week or so while waiting for book and making my template for the bents too. Im familiar with using autocad 2012 as my latest full purchase but I have a template from a plastic model that works for bents up to 15" tall and will be reading to see what the bent angle should be for taller ones. Thank you so much for the help and guidance.
Ken Amos
Good luck on your venture! I learned to use a CAD program for work in the early 80s, I had no idea back then it would be so important in my hobby. That is the most important program on my computer.
Mel
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I find building a trestle to be fun and the results very satisfying. Here is the trestle on my current layout, built from the JV “kit”. The JV kit consists of a box of scale lumber, a paper template for the bents, and some basic instructions. All of the lumber has to be cut to the desired lenght, so it is not at all like a laser kit.
You can easily make your own template for bents, especially if you know acad. And you might be able to save some money by buying the scale lumber yourself. The biggest benefit of the JV kit is that it gives you an assortment of the correct scale lumber all in one box.
Instead of staining I just painted this one with a mix of black and brown craft acrylic. Easy to do and gives it a nice creosote look.
My bridge is pretty small and I had a bunch of lumber left over. But the extra lumber turned out to be quite handy for other projects.
Thank you HObbyguy. Fine looking bridge. I will be purchasing materials from Eastern for this project as I will have several more bridges to make and buying all of them in kit form seems a lot more expensive. Not knocking Campbell kits but I can get raw materials and build myself much cheaper in bulk. I have about 6 different bridges to make and this radius is a major one and a focal point- a couple hundred dollars 150-200 to make all the bridges compared to buying single kits at 45-70 each is a little less and can use leftover material for other projects and start my collection of scratch building materials. I will start out I think making my 11-14" straight bridge first and then tackle this. I only hope my bridges come out as nice as you guys have shown. I will post pictures when done and we will see how this goes when materials arrive next week or so, still guesstimating what all I need. Takes lots of materials for all these bridges.
Ken Amos
So we’ve started a little smaller Howe truss bridge to get acclimated in bridge construction and glue ups that aren’t messy. Gathering pcs. of bass wood was simple enough to get for a old set plans a friend had but does anybody know size wire to use as support. All we have is the layout sheet and no instructions. Was able to find nbw and top/side plates online but wire is questionable.
Ken
I used 0.020” brass rods for my truss bridge and a small drop of glue on the ends filed down to resemble nuts. 0.020” = 1¾” rod.
Mel
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Thanks Mel, my hobby shop open 1-3 today so I’m off for wire.
Ken
Got some work done on a Howe truss bridge that I’m using for practice before starting in on my larger bridges. Had to make the top an bottom laminated beams, funky setup but it worked out with a exacto blade and guide. 
Still have a ways to go but here’s where I’m at with it. 
Ken Amos Jr
Still need to get more piano wire, have only 2 short pcs for it left over. I forgot to get materials for the ladder too. I am building this from just the plans a friend had and lucky for me he had a few of the angle blocks the bracing sat on as a sample to make new too. I am pretty happy the way it’s coming along, am going to stain it darker when done with glue up using a alcohol stain left over from one of my past cabinetry jobs. That will take nicely and then I can add track support and ties. Hope everyone had a happy 4th today, we’re rained out for fireworks tonight and no backup date, don’t know what Westminster, MD going to do about it.
Ken Amos Jr
Hi Ken:
I don’t think you are going to have any problems building great bridges. Your first attempt looks really good.
Something you might want to consider for the wire supports is phosphor bronze wire. It is hard enough to stay straight but it cuts more easily than piano wire. Also, it bends and solders nicely.
Tichy sells it:
https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/c/ho_wire/Default.aspx
Dave
Thank you Dave, will keep that in mind for next time. I really dont want to mix things up and have to paint everything nor redo all 42 pcs already installed. Really wish my drill press was small enough to drill those holes but everything was hand done. Phosphor wire would line up nicer beings it will bend, now I just might change them out for neater and more uniform look. Great suggestion, now I gotta get me some new wire.
Ken
Hi Ken:
I didn’t intend for you to replace what you have already done. I just thought that you might consider the phosphor bronze wire when doing your other bridges. The piano wire does stay super straight, and nothing bothers me as much as having something bent or out of shape.
I think drilling tons of tiny holes by hand is one of the rights of passage for model railroaders.[swg]
Dave
Don’t mind drilling the holes but getting perfect alignment by hand is pretty tough. I did fair job of aligning but the phosphorus wire should look better. Still may just leave well enough alone as it does look nice and no one else in family think their crooked enough to redo.
Ken
Shanny10… I hope you found the right kit or avenue to take for your project. They are awesome to build and even better when finished.
I have scratch built a single track trestle for fun out of some timber I milled myself…It came up better than I thought.
You could also try Hunterline. I see their booth at Trainfest every year and the products look very impressive.
Scott
Thanks monkeybucket,
I have started this endeavor by scratch building a Howe truss bridge from a set of Campbell model plans and cutting my own material. Has been quite an experience so far and I love the results so I believe I will just make my own bridges from here out. As for the materials to make the JV Model 2016 I have a materials list I got from ebay watching this kit and actually am going to scratch build this as well.
Ken