# Red Rock Creek Trestle



## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

I decided to build a wooden trestle to cross Red Rock Creek. This will be Bridge 44B on my layout. Here is the plan I came up with for the trestle. It is 81 scale feet long and is located on a 2% grade.












I started by constructing the bents. Here are some of them. Caps are 12" x 14" and the posts are 12" x 12". Angled posts have a 2:12 batter. Sills are 12" x 12". Diagonal braces are 3" x 12". The posts are attached to the caps and sills with 1 1/4" (3d) finish nails. The diagonal braces are nailed to the bents with 1/2" long 19 gauge brads.












Here is one of the doubled bents that support the large beams across the creek.












Here is the underside of the deck. The three 8" x 18" timbers that make up each stringer are spaced 2" apart, like on a prototype trestle. I used 1/4" steel washers for the spacers.












Here is the top of the deck before I added the rails. The bridge ties are nailed to the stringers with 3/4" long 18 gauge brads. Prototype trestles had a layer of galvanized sheet metal on the tops of the stringers under the ties. I simulated this with aluminum foil tape painted gray.












There are guard timbers along each side of the deck. They are notched to fit over the ties and use lap joints where they connect to each other.












Here is the top of the deck after I added the tie plates and the Code 215 running rails. I still need to add the Code 148 guard rails and make the fish plates for each rail joint.











All I have left is to do is finish making the large beams that span the creek, cut the girts, and do final assembly. I will add more photos as the project progresses.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks GREAT Bob!! Love the tie plates!! Also appreciate the notched and lapped guard timbers!! Nice detail! Excellent work!


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## jake3404 (Dec 3, 2010)

Wow, that is some great detail Bob. Truely an inspiration.


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## RGSNH (Jan 13, 2008)

Bob, 

What are you using to cut the slots in the guard timbers? when I ibuilt 44A I used a dado blade with a jig on my table saw. I have a 10MM dia router bit on order and will try that route with a reworked jig. Curently building 45A full Length in three sections (will bolt together) and basically all I have left is the ties and guard timbers & rail to finish. I have an interesting Jig for construction of the bents you might be interested in. Photo's will be on LSC in a build thread once it is planted. 

Al P.


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Al,
I cut the guard timber notches on a Dremel 4" table saw using a homemade step jig that positions the timbers to cut each edge of the notch. After all the cuts are made I remove section between two cuts to fit over a tie by repeatedly moving the timber over the blade, taking out a saw kerf with each pass. I also make a jig for each bent -- for multi-story bents like on 45A I make a jig for each story. After the posts are attached to the cap, the jig slides in the miter slot on the table saw cutting the bottoms of the posts evenly. The bottom sill is then attached, and, for multi-story bents the assembly is moved to the jig for the next lower story.

I have started an article on my web site describing in more detail how I am building the Red Rock Creek trestle. Here is the link: Red Rock Creek Trestle Article

There is another article on my site about RGS trestles in general at: Trestles - RGS Style Article

In the past, I have built RGS bridges 45A, 45B, 46A, 46B, and 46C - all for my 1:64 scale indoor layout. The indoor 45A trestle was nearly eight feet long. I have surveyed the area on the outdoor layout where the 1:20.3 scale 45A will go. It is almost twenty-four feet long and about four feet high where it crosses the Howard Fork. For the other Ophir trestle, there is a PDF copy of a handout on my 45-B at: Bridge 45B Handout It was from a clinic I gave a few years back on how to construct a curved trestle.

In case you were wondering why I built the Red Rock Creek trestle first (I call it 44B), it was to start making the 1:20.3 scale jigs I will need to do the RGS bridges again in large scale and to develop the nailing fixtures I needed to assemble the components. It was also a "quick and dirty" project that has only taken a couple of weekends.


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Here are a few more photos that show how I use a jig to make bents. Trying to explain it in words makes it seem way too complicated. This should take some of the mystery out of it and show everyone just how easy it is.











The full scale drawing of the bent is glued to the front of the Plexiglas jig surface with a glue stick. That way it can be peeled off later and the jig surface reused. I glue scraps of wood to the paper to align the cap and posts. I cut out an area from the drawing where the tops of the posts meet the cap and where the bottom of the posts meet the sill. This is just in case any glue leaks out of the joints.











Here is the back side of the jig. The thin strip of Plexiglas running horizontally will ride in the miter slot of my saw, as you will see a bit later.












I test fit the cap and posts into the jig. The posts hang over the bottom of the jig by an inch or so.












I glue the tops of the posts to the cap with waterproof glue and clamp them until the glue sets.












I remove the clamps and take the jig to my Dremel 4" table saw. Now you can see how the Plexiglas strip on the back of the jig lines up the bent for the bottom cut.












A single pass through the saw trims all four posts evenly at the bottom.












I glue the sill to the bottoms of the posts and re-clamp.












After the glue sets, I remove the clamps and drill 1/16" pilot holes through the cap and sill into the posts. I drive 1 1/4" (3d) finish nails in each hole to secure the posts in position. Then, I just lay the bent down flat and nail on the diagonal braces with 1/2" 19 gauge brads.


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

I finished putting the bridge together today. Here are a couple of photos to show you how it turned out.



















In the second photo, you can see the spot where the bridge will go -- just behind the block wall you can see the temporary track held up by two vertical posts. It will be a while before I get it installed. I plan on taking it for display at the St. Louis Area Narrow Gauge meet in Jefferson City, MO. on October 6th, and to the Oklahoma Narrow Gauge meet in Tulsa, OK on October 19th and 20th.


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