Don't laugh too hard...It's my first attempt!

[60103]

Steve: the only reason I can see for NOT having a girder on each line is if you wanted them to look as if they were different RRs or done at different times. Admittedly John Allen would pile a half dozen bridges over one stream and each would be different.
As for your method, go for it. Frank Ellison (early model railroad guru) had a stone bridge that was painted on a flat surface and had to be touched to convince you it wasn't fully carved.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

One thing you might do to "punch up" the rocks around the waterfall is to use a little ground foam "grass" to simulate moss on the wet rocks, perhaps even some small bushes or trees clinging to crevises in the rocks.

 

[Nazgul]

David and Russ,
It's been a while since I heard from you guys! Thanks for your input. David, I think I will put a girder bridge in both places. I may even try to scratch build the lower one. That should be "EASY"!sign1 Russ, You're absolutely right, I really need to work on getting some greenery and plant life near my water features. thanks again guys!

 

[Russ Bellinis]

David and Russ,
It's been a while since I heard from you guys! Thanks for your input. David, I think I will put a girder bridge in both places. I may even try to scratch build the lower one. That should be "EASY"!sign1 Russ, You're absolutely right, I really need to work on getting some greenery and plant life near my water features. thanks again guys!

I've been checking back often. The layout really is coming along nicely. I'm amazed at how fast you are getting it built. Very nice!

 

[ocalicreek]

Each major model RR publisher, Kalmbach and Carstens, has a book on bridges. I think there's an info packet or whatever they're calling it on bridges & trestles (probably just a shorter version of their book) available for download from the Model Railroader site. And, if you can find the back issues, I know there was a series in MR (and probably one in RMC as well...there have been a couple articles lately) on bridges & trestles.

I think the photocopy idea is great! Try using colored pencils to 'weather' the rivets a lighter shade and perhaps even add a small amount of rust...although your section foreman won't be too happy.

Central Valley makes a bridge tie strip that's really easy to use and would work well on top of the girders. I'm no mechanical engineer, but I'd say over water that swift if you had any piles or trestle bents, wood or steel, they'd need good solid footings with a wedge shaped breakwater on the upstream side. A girder or other steel suspension type bridge would seem the most logical to me.

Glad someone mentioned John Allen...yep, he'd have hand-carved (or drawn) stone arches on one, a timber through-truss on another, and girders on another, or any combination. A balasted deck girder makes the most sense for the area with the turnout, but I've seen photos of wood decks with turnouts on them.

Galen

 

[ocalicreek]

Oh, and PLEASE make sure when they become more permanent that those girders have feet and the feet are resting on substantial (concrete or stone) footings. Girders on dirt just doesn't look right...to me at least. With some searching around I'm sure you'll find some.

 

[Nazgul]

Russ, thank you for taking an interest in my layout and thank you for all of your thoughts and know-how you kindly share. I really appreciate it, you too David, thanks guys!
Galen,.......

Oh, and PLEASE make sure when they become more permanent that those girders have feet and the feet are resting on substantial (concrete or stone) footings. Girders on dirt just doesn't look right...to me at least. With some searching around I'm sure you'll find some.

Your not goin' to make it easy on me are you! You can't just let me put the bridge on dirt and then say... "Looks great Steve!" NOOOOOOOOOO, you actually expect me to do it right! sign1........Seriously though, pointers Like yours are what I need to hear, otherwise I'll cut more corners than I already am and the layout will lose it's credibility (and so will I!). tooth1 Keep the suggestions comin'!

 

[91rioja]

Steve,

The bridge looks great on the dirt; right where I would have placed it. Was that better?sign1 Sorry Galen, but I HAD to do that

Your layout is still looking great, keep up the good work!

 

[ocalicreek]

bridge snob

Yep, I guess I'm a bridge and trestle snob...sign1

But it doesn't stop me from saying "Looks Great Steve!" whatever you choose to do...no matter how it upsets the prototype police. Keep up the good work and never stop having fun.

Galen.

 

[Nazgul]

From Chris:

Steve,
The bridge looks great on the dirt; right where I would have placed it.

NOW THAT"S WHAT I'M TALKIN' BOUT!!!

 

[Nazgul]

First try at weathering

Hey guys,
I had an Atlas thru girder bridge and I figured I'd experiment with it. I cut the sides off and they were a perfect fit for the bridge to the mine. I painted it and the truss bridge a very dark gray and then tried my hand (and airbrush) at some weathering. In this case, RUST! And lots of it. Those guys better break out the paint pretty soon or there's going to be a PROBLEM! Thats what you get for putting steel bridges that close to waterfalls! sign1

 

[wickman]

The weathering looks great those bridges look great in front of that nice waterfall . I have a brand new passhe airbrush in the box but I'm too scared to use it ops: Just curious what kinda paints do you use?

 

[91rioja]

Steve,

Those "experimental" bridges came out looking great! If that was something you just threw together and painted, I'd hate to see what you could do if you really put your mind to it.

I really like the bridge with the turnouts over it; I have a few spots like that on my layout.

 

[Nazgul]

Thank you Lynn and Chris

Lynn I use the cheapest craft store paints I can find. For the rust color I mixed yellow ochre and burnt sienna. I used the airbrush for most of it and a toothpick dipped in the paint for the streaks and joint work.

Chris, A bridge at that point wasn't in the original plan but I wanted a little longer mine area so I pushed the river to the right. I honestly didn't know what else to do for a bridge there...I believe I saw a picture somewhere of a layout that used girders around multiple turnouts. When it's ballasted it should look better. I took a pic looking down so it's easier to see the set up (and the "cheating" I did)....shhhhhhh...don't tell anyone!
I also decided to add lettering so it could be a focal point with the name of the Layout.

 

[wickman]

Nice Pics Steve the waterfall looks awsome combined with the bridges :thumb:

 

[91rioja]

Ballasting the WS Risers

Steve,

Have you decided if you are going to lay down ballast on your track going up the WS risers? Curious minds (mine mostly) want to know. I was looking at mine today wondering how to proceed; roadbed and ballast or just track and ballast.

How's the "wife"? She certainly scares me!sign1

 

[green_elite_cab]

Hold off on the ballast until you have everythign wired for sutomated signals. Its cheap and quick to do so, and it will be worth it if you ever want to use operating signals.

also, on industrial sidings, it looks more realistic if the road bed is a little lower.

 

[Nazgul]

Chris
I'm going to ballast all my track including on the risers and inclines... just going to do it last. I used roadbed everywhere I put track. As for you...It depends on the look you want. If it's a well traveled section of track (mainline ect.) you'll want to use roadbed for the raised, well maintained look. The only places you don't need it are for lightly used spurs and sidings (that's probably an over simplification). You have to cover the top of the risers and inclines anyway....why not with roadbed? If you decide later that you want a flatter look, you can build the surrounding terrain to the elevation of the roadbed. G.E.C.'s recommendations are, of course, right on the money.

PIC
There's a riser somewhere under there just waitin' for ballast!tooth1

 

[91rioja]

Steve:

Aaah; the blind man can now see. I see that you put plaster cloth over the risers. I am putting the roadbed over my risers as well; just wondering how to fill in the holes.

 

[Nazgul]

Chris,
In tight or narrow places I've been putting masking tape to cover the holes and troweling a little Sculptamold or P.O.P on top.

P.S. SNOOKUMS sends her regards.............help meeeeeeeeeee!!...........................................