# My trestles and bridges



## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

Hi all,

Just figuring out how to pix here and wanted to show everyone my trestles and bridges. This is a panorama so the photo is a bit funny but you'll get the idea. The track is basically level because the yard--my front yard--drops 3' in about 40'. (the back yard is worse). There on nine bridges including 2 six footers and the highest trestle is 36" off the ground. The entire loop is about 100' long with only about 15' on the ground. I built all the trestles from scratch out of redwood and cedar pickets. A few bridges came from kits or plans but the others were from scratch as well. Most of it (it wasnt done yet) endured 2 feet of wet snow this past winter...

Mike
Flagstaff, Az


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Wow! Nice.


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

Otto Mears would be impressed!

Robert


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Fantastic work Mike.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, I'm a bridge and trestle fan myself. Love what you've done 

-Jim


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow,
That is fantastic.
Do you plan on doing your backyard?

Tommy
Rio Gracie


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*thanks*

Thanks eceryone for the supportive comments. I have no plans to expand into the backyard because it borders the National Forest and we like the serenity of it. It also drops even more than the front yard, but in two directions (the house is built on the back side of a hill).

Let me add a little about the front trestles and bridges...called the Rabbit Valley Railway...

I run all battery power thanks to Stan Cedarleaf who converted my locos for me before he retired. Also, as I was planning the track, my father in law, who is a civil engineer, came over and surveyed the route. We mapped it all showing elevation differences from the highest point and then placed numbered bricks along the route that corresponded to spots on the map so as I built trestles, I had a general idea of how high they needed to be to equalize the slope of the yard. Every bent has a brick or stone placed between it and the ground.

I also have a double reverse loop track to the left of my picture that is 18" below the lowest ground level of the loop and behind a fence on a brick patio next to a hot tub. This week, I ran a side track in a loop of sorts down to the fence, cut a hole in it (thus my other posting) and connected it into this loop to serve as a reverse Wye and storage yard for the trains. The grade is about 4.5% from the ground level of the loop but since I expect trains to only run this route twice a day--to the trestles and back--I think it will be ok. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

Future plans: On the far side of the hot tub patio. the are 6 steps to a small deck that is bordered by terraces with trees going down the hill. Past the deck, 5 more steps take you in the backyard as it slopes toward the forest. I plan to build a cog Railway up the terraces and then link it into the far side of the reverse loop route by the hot tub. I'll need to convert my LGB rack loco to battery to do it.( I dont want to mess with overhead power out there). 

I'll post some pics and see what you all think.

Thanks again for the support.

Mike

Flagstaff, Az


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## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

nice! what type of wood are you using?


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*wood*

The bridges and trestles all started as cedar and redwood fence pickets from Home Depot. I ripped them on the table saw then constructed the trestles and bridges using exterior wood glue and nail pins from a compressor gun. I then sprayed each completed section with an aerosol stain...cedar color for trestles and redwood for bridges.


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*Spur to storage*

Here's my new spur from the main loop down to the storage yard. It's a out a 4.8% grade. Note the observatories...required buildings here in Flagstaff!


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*retry*



amich35 said:


> Here's my new spur from the main loop down to the storage yard. It's a out a 4.8% grade. Note the observatories...required buildings here in Flagstaff!


Like I said, still figuring out pix...


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*last try*

ok, this should show most of the new loop right side up, I hope. The hole through the fence is at the left and the trestles on the right. The observatories toward the back.


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*eeek*

sorry for the issues...


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