# Bridge ideas



## Blk69 (Dec 6, 2009)

New to hobby. Building my first outdoor railroad, approximately 47' dog bone in shape. I am circling a small pond and have to fabricate a bridge. Bridge will be such that from edge of pond, will have a 2.5' section over water, a 1500 R2 curve on a island (in middle of pond, small pond) and then another 2.5 over water' to other side of pond. Basically the bridge will look like a boomerang with the ends over the water and center on the island. Due to curve on the island, planning on building one large bridge instead of two (was going with two separate bridges, but concerned about engine/rolling stock hitting side of bridge at curve, realize why actual bridges are usually for straight sections only).

Thought it might look good if the two sections crossing the water were covered bridges (hinged roofs for access) with the section in the middle open with a cat walk and guard rail. bridge will be close to side of pond for access. Was also thinking a trestle type bridge but same issue with maintenance. Thought I would reach out to someone who has fabricated a similar bridge and see what worked and what didn't. For materials I am thinking wood (treated lumber) but have to check if chemicals are harmful to fish, gold fish pond.

Any ideas or picture would greatly be appreciated. Very subjective topic I am aware, would like to build the right bridge the first time then fabricate something in error. Planning on running a Bachman big hauler steam engine on layout, hopefully will be getting a small LGB starter set sometime next year. Due to size of layout, will limit size of engines/rolling stock.


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

Do you need the bridge to look like wood? Would you consider a metal-look bridge. 

If you accept a meta-lookl bridge consider building the support piers and decking from thick gray plastic, styrene or other similar plastic. You mgiht not even need to paint the bridge. Remember steelb ridges were almost never built with curved members, the curve presented a risk of the beam rolling with a load. Rather curved metal bridges were built as a series of short straight sections with enough width on the deck to contain curved track.


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

I think this question will fit in this thread. 

I've always wondered why a railroad puts a particular type of bridge in a particular spot. A Howe Truss here, a trestle there. What is the criteria for where you put what klind of bridge? I presume it's not "a bridge is a bridge is a bridge". 

Admittedly, in model railroading that's pretty much how we do it. 

JackM 
Yuh, time frame is one deciding factor in MODEL railroading. Then what?


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

You might find some ideas on the Garden Texture site: 

http://www.gardentexture.com/current/Covered_Bridges.html


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I used cedar for years, painted or let go. buy dog eared fences and rip it.


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## Blk69 (Dec 6, 2009)

I was planning on building my bridge out of wood for ease of constuction and durability. Like the looks of covered bridges. Thinking maybe two covered bridges connected to a curved middle section. This should look good with the two water crossings. Mostlike will build a removable convered section for curved area. This will allow me a large covered area to keep my train when no in use (out of the sun). 

In reviewing other folks layouts, notificing a lot of bridges and raised layouts with out guard rails. Assume this for unblocked view of trains (as in real life), but what about derailments. I am planning guard rails at a minimum for all my water crossing and any track close to water (planning on running parallel to my ponds). Assume deraiments are common. Arn't folks worked about damaging to trains falling into water or off raised rails? These engines are expensive!


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

If you can get a copy of Garden Railways mag June & August 2011 there is a two part story on building a covered bridge. Hope this helps, good luck with your railroad. 

Chuck


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## FlagstaffLGB (Jul 15, 2012)

Interesting thought about derailments....probably why a majority of the bridges shown are straight and not curved. If your track is true and tested on a regular basis, I doubt that you should have a lot of derailed trains. Most threads posted here about the subject seems to involve switches and often it is a light trailing box or flat car that ends up off the rails. You would have to have rather tall guard rails to prevent a train going over the edge if that was really the purpose....most bridge railings are to scale and are used for railway personnel to walk along a bridge and do inspections. Since you are new and I assume your layout isn't cast in concrete yet, you might want to rethink how you cross the water. Good luck with your project, sounds interesting and maybe you could post some pictures of your progress.... (oh, and straight bridge sections are much easier to build than curved ones) 

Ed


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## Daniel Peck (Mar 31, 2009)

http://s615.photobucket.com/user/danielpeck/library/Finished bridge?sort=3&page=1 
Look here at some bridges I built... for ideals....


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## Daniel Peck (Mar 31, 2009)

http://s615.photobucket.com/user/danielpeck/library/trestle bridge?sort=3&page=1 
here is a trestle built on a curve and incline of 2%


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

I have two of Daniel's truss bridges. The black one is powder coated steel and the other is raw aluminum. The steel truss is 48 inches and the aluminum is 60 inches long. He does outstanding work. Very pleased. These were custom designed to use larger 1/20.3 narrow gauge locomotives. Also made to accomodate Garden Metal Models catwalks.



















Also have a man who made these deck bridges made of ABS material. Just used ABS cement to fasten together. These were custom made for a 90 inch radius. All parts cut with a computer controlled router.


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## Blk69 (Dec 6, 2009)

those are some great bridge examples. I can see why you are proud of them. Maybe my library has the magazine article in questions. 

I will plan on posting some picture as my fabrication goes along. 

One question thou. I am used to O scale, and I have derailments all the time (with no switches). I was expecting similar results with G scale. I you all really not seeing to many derailment?


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I have had a few derailments, but they were all due to stupidity on the part of the CEO (or in this case, the switch tender [aka: the CEO]).





Even with major racing, (leaning into curves at dangerous angles), sudden reversing, slamming on the brakes and peeling out again... no problems! 

The only derailments I have experienced were my own fault for hitting a switch set for the other side (see above), or not getting all the wheels on the track in the first place (minor oops's) , or running off the end of a short section of straight track because I let the engine get out of range of the R/C transmitter:





I did have the engine plunge to the ground one other time (No video) when I was lazy and didn't inspect the track by manually pushing a boxcar around the track while the engine built up steam, because I had never really found a problem ALL the other times. That time there was a gap in the track due to thermal expansion and contraction... that same poor Aster Mike! She's had a rough life, but still runs strong!


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