Wooden Trestle Plans?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I’m wondering if anyone knows of a website that has plans for HO scale wooden trestles. I’m thinking of scratchbuilding one with some scale lumber I have. They would need to be for a standard gauge bridge in my case.

2

Black Bear Construction is a good place to start, either for their kits or for using the drawings as templates.

If you have a photo of the bridge you want to emulate, then you can just work off that: draw a template yourself on paper, put wax paper over it, then build on top.

If you’ll be building a lot of bents, then make a simple jig out of a piece of masonite and some scrap wood:

That’s N scale, but you get the idea.

Hope this helps.

3

Thanks. I want to build the bents but since this is my first time scratchbuilding something, I would like the scale plans for the bents.

4

Not a website but published plans

  • pile trestle, light duty -55 (55,000 lb axle load) scale drawings, Model Railroader Jun04 p.68

  • SP/UP Common Standard trestle plans, Model Railroader_ Apr69 p.39

  • trestle ABCs Mod RRer Nov88 p.96

  • Trestles, design & principles&nbs

5

Made a couple of trestles using bamboo skewers, turned out great, first thing and necessary is a jig to assemble and glue. There were plans in MR but can’t remember what issue, I’m sure someone out there has the plans or can tell where to find them. they are actually very easy to make and fun. will try and find the plans.

6

Try this link; I used their trestle template & bamboo skewers & made some amazing things.

http://www.all-model-railroading.co.uk/amr/chapter10.htm

7

Thanks bigpianoguy for the website. I think I’ll try that.

8

Just a couple of pointers (the voice of experience!): for a ‘quick’ build, try just printing out a bunch of sheets of the template, & glue the outer upright supports to the paper. Then add the other pieces on top. When you’re done & it’s dry, you can just peel/scrape the template sheet off the bottom uprights.

If you want to try bamboo skewers, remember that they’re coated with wax and will need to be sanded & primed before use. Also, weather as you go - it will be pretty impossible to get in there after! I’m probably going to use scale modelling wood for my next one, after I scratchbuild a cantilever signal tower…

9

Here are scale drawings with dimensions.

Wolfgang

10

I find it useful, when building wooden trestle bents, to make my jig out of styrene. Likewise, I would make a wooden jig when fabricating steel bents from structural styrene parts. That way, I can apply glue without worrying about my finished part sticking to the jig.

11

And one more…

12

Currently constructing a trestle following prototype drawings (SP Common Standard) and employing a home-made jig to construct the bents: