# New Lift Bridge for modular display



## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

The Rose City Garden Railway Society, Portland Oregon has for several years had the loan of a member's lift bridge for our modular display. This year we decided to have our own bridge, and taking the portland Steel Bridge as inspiration, came up with this. I must note that this would not have been possible without the assistance and enthusiasm of Emeric Bakacs, Senior Engineer and his employer, WW MetalFab of Milwaukie, OR Project Supervisor is club member Dr. John Stiger. 



You tube video


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Superb Noel. I have never seen this style of Bridge in G-Scale (Generic term) before. It must weigh a ton?
Rod


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I think I remeber that bridge from when I lived in Portland. I think it is a double deck bridge. Auto trafic and light rail on top and rail road on the bottom. You did a great job at repoducing the bridge. 
If that is for you clubs modular layout it will be one of a kind. 

JJ


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## fred j (Jan 12, 2011)

Yes i agree,
Great looking bridge,
your club should be proud
of the members that built it.

Fred


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By John J on 13 Feb 2011 09:31 AM 
I think I remeber that bridge from when I lived in Portland. I think it is a double deck bridge. Auto trafic and light rail on top and rail road on the bottom. You did a great job at repoducing the bridge. 
If that is for you clubs modular layout it will be one of a kind. 

JJ Nkelsey............Same as J.J. I think I may have been across something like that on my way to Seattle, Wa. I was in partners yr's. ago with a bud and we owned 3 rigs. pulling Dbls. up the coast. 
Thats a great idea and sure is nice looking Bridge.. 
Not sure for a Modular lift bridge for people waiting for it to raise to get thru tho.. Most people are in a hurry toget in to the layout .. Least that was the way when we were in a Ho club modular layout. They just wanted a quick way like a flip up bridge to get through. But love the Idea and sure looks real.

J.J. Ok.... Being we been working on Bridges....... Were can we put something like that on our layouts??? ha ha ha .. Kind of wish i did something like that insead of the swing bridge and have less head akes on alignment. 
That one neat idea he has.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Nice job Nick,

Any close up pictures or construction notes ?


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## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

The bridge was designed by Emeric Bakacs of WW Metal Fab in Milwaukie, OR, and his Company also did the laser cutting, bending and paint. 

We spent about 24 hours so far assembling and fitting and working on the cable drive. The lift span itself weighs about 80# and its aluminum. It is built heavy for strength and resiliance when being moved to shows, etc. Lift is a power car seat motor on the center top span pulling cables from each end of the lift span. We wanted originally to have just the two towers, but the drive complexity and stability of the towers caused us to use the top span. 


Our modules are 38 inches above the floor and the design was to give us an additional 28 inches of lift so we can duck and walk under. We will not have it finsihed for the Great Train Expo this coming weekend (19 and 20th) as we have signals and navigation lights that need to be installed. It is double track, sized to accommodate 1:20.3, including the K27

So if you are near Portland this weekend, stop by the Metro Expo Center and see the bridge.


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## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

As requested, some pictures










Working on a tower 











Working on the lift motor and cable 











Okay, now to attach some modules


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

WOW!


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By noelw on 13 Feb 2011 12:12 PM 
Posted By John J on 13 Feb 2011 09:31 AM 
I think I remeber that bridge from when I lived in Portland. I think it is a double deck bridge. Auto trafic and light rail on top and rail road on the bottom. You did a great job at repoducing the bridge. 
If that is for you clubs modular layout it will be one of a kind. 

JJ Nkelsey............Same as J.J. I think I may have been across something like that on my way to Seattle, Wa. I was in partners yr's. ago with a bud and we owned 3 rigs. pulling Dbls. up the coast. 
Thats a great idea and sure is nice looking Bridge.. 
Not sure for a Modular lift bridge for people waiting for it to raise to get thru tho.. Most people are in a hurry toget in to the layout .. Least that was the way when we were in a Ho club modular layout. They just wanted a quick way like a flip up bridge to get through. But love the Idea and sure looks real.

J.J. Ok.... Being we been working on Bridges....... Were can we put something like that on our layouts??? ha ha ha .. Kind of wish i did something like that insead of the swing bridge and have less head akes on alignment. 
That one neat idea he has.








Hard to fit a bridge like that when you are in the desert. I would try it if I lived some where else.

It really looks nice


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I was watching the video, 1/2 hour later and bunch of other videos ,I'm back. I


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## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

The local media showed up both Saturday and Sunday. The write up in the Oregonian newspaper website was a nice boost for the hobby. The "Gary Lee" quoted is our immediate Past President. It also has a video of our modular display and the lift bridge with an interview with our Events and Education Chair, Tom Gaps. 

Oregonlive.com Video link about half way down


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## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Wow! Thats amazing. Nice work!


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