Viaduct Closet Module

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
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Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
Hey Guys, I have a closet that has nothing in the bottom half of it. The top half is just my shirts. The closet is 5' long x 2' wide. The bench work would be built in two small modules, one 2’ and one 3’ so that I can get the thing in the closet. I am also going to install a small light source in there for pictures and to see what I am doing better.

The Viaduct I will be using is the Micro Engineering 210’ Viaduct Bridge (back), http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/255-75515. It will just be a straight shot across the valley. The valley is going to be 29” long and 11” deep, the same as the viaduct. The valley will also have a small river running through it and a gravel road leading to the highway bridge under construction (front). There are 3 mainlines that converge into 1 track to go across the bridge. Those are #6 switches drawn to scale to and the #4 switch is also drawn to scale using switches I have.

There is a warehouse that will also be on the module (dimensions are written on drawling) with a boxcar siding in the rear of the building. The front of the building has some truck docks (a must have lol) and the complex is surrounded by a concrete wall and a steel gate to enter the yard.

The tan area labeled “bridge construction yard” is for the highway bridge that is under construction. It will have pre-cast concrete girders, steel beams, re-bar, and many other bridge parts. Yard will also have a small crane (http://www.dhsdiecast.com/shop/product_detail.cfm?product_id=5164) and some Gradall forklifts (http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/284-61009).

Part of the bridge will be completed and another small crane will be at the end (same as above) along with some bridge frame work; steel beams, re-bar, wood frames…. I also plan on putting a concrete pumper near the end of the completed section with it’s huge boom extending to the frame work with some cement trucks feeding the pumper.

Below there will be the main crane, a crawler crane (haven’t decided which one yet). That is what the gravel road is for in the valley. Most of the materials will be brought to the end of the completed parts of the bridge and then hoisted into place by either the main crawler or small canes. There will be 6-8 piers total, which ever looks better and some of them will be complete and some will be being built and poured. On the opposite side of the valley, there is the foundation for the bridge also under construction, just like above with frame work and another small crane.

What do you guys think of this idea?
 

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COMBAT

Member
Oct 28, 2006
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Phoenix
LOL, Thats my idea, well kinda..... sign1

BTW, have you shopped around for the best prices on that construction gear???
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
4,073
0
36
34
Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
COMBAT said:
BTW, have you shopped around for the best prices on that construction gear???

Yep kinda. Peachcreek has some good kibri cranes, as you already know and they say that if they don't have it in stock, they can most likely get it from somewere. I will probly get the crawler crane from them if that is the case, http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/405-13006 or http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/405-13013. For the smaller cranes I''l go with DHSdiecast. The smaller cranes are made by NZG and I have not been able to find them any cheaper than the price on DHS.

For the Norscot construction equipment, I'll probly end up getting them from DHS too to save on some shipping and they are about $6 cheaper than retail.
 

COMBAT

Member
Oct 28, 2006
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Phoenix
CRAWLERS LOOK GREAT, Only issue is what else can you use them for but this???

I love it, but I want to be able to reuse my crane as time goes on.

One thing that is really important to me is having my layout evolve with time. With that in mind remember my bridge under construction, well it will be finished one day and then that crane will have to move on to the next job site. That way I get a lot of use out of my $90.00 crane. Its just a thought... :)
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
4,073
0
36
34
Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
Good Point COMBAT. Never thought about it that way.

I am thinking of using this on a bigger layout in the future and hey, if I get bored with it, I could always finish the bridge and build another somewere else :D :D :D
 

COMBAT

Member
Oct 28, 2006
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Phoenix
sign1 I always try to think about the items replay, yes PLAY value before getting it. I mean lets face it, I am never going to grow up and I like it that way. My wife says I am going through my second child hood. I tell her, "Hell, I havent left the first" :D
 

oldtanker

Member
Feb 24, 2006
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West central Mn
Trucklover, I loved your other threads, but I think the only reason you are into the model railroad stuff is to show off your vehicles....of which you have a fantastic collection!

You wouldn't know who carries decent M1A1 tanks and supporting vehicles in HO????
 

KCS

Member
Nov 23, 2004
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Shreveport, LA.
COMBAT said:
sign1 I always try to think about the items replay, yes PLAY value before getting it. I mean lets face it, I am never going to grow up and I like it that way. My wife says I am going through my second child hood. I tell her, "Hell, I havent left the first" :D


announce1 I also have to agree with this. Ya know, A few years ago I bought the Kibri "Spacelifter" crane that was about $160 retail. After pulling a few string's and being owed a favor I was able to get one for $80. That thing was monsterous! I believe it was somewhere between 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall once it was complete. Boy the amount of black thread that went into building it. It was a chore and it was fun and I would sure do it again. Sad part about it was while I was waiting to get a display case to keep it stored in while it wasn't at a show I had it on top of the entertainment center and about 2am the cat went on the prowl and though "0o0o0o0o look! A new toy!"

That was the end of it.:cry: Oh how PO I was.:curse: I loved the cat but was about ready to kill. I miss that thing. It drew more attention on the club layout than then entire layout it self. Talk about stuck out worse than a sore thumb too. You could see that thing standing tall clear across the convention center againest the back board.


Here be my next crane project but lucky now I don't have a cat to worry about because no kid's or animals allowed in the hobby room. http://www.texnrails.com/images/construction/tms/2100202.jpg 248 crawler crane Etched Brass Kit, 200 Ton, 130ft Movable Boom, Operating Winches & 6 Shive Hook Block, Highly Detailed
TrainCat Model Sales : HO-Scale $379.95 + S&H

So next to being a train and big truck junky, I'm also a LARGE crane junky.:D :thumb:


But anyway back to the topic of discussion. Boy it's easy to get off topic. :D I like the idea you've got. However will it be connected to the layout you already have? That would be neat. Ship your crane in parts by rail back over to the other section and set it up to be used for a temp fix like replacing an AC unit on top a building maybe?
 

oldtanker

Member
Feb 24, 2006
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68
West central Mn
I got the Space Lifter and some other Kabri stuff on my last tour of Germany at a LHS in Mannheim. Waited till I got back to the states to build em....Very nice stuff. KCS, like you the cat got the crane, and the rest got broken up on my last military move. I really wanted to rename that darn cat.....TARGET!


Rick
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
4,073
0
36
34
Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
oldtanker said:
You wouldn't know who carries decent M1A1 tanks and supporting vehicles in HO????

Thanks Rick for the compliments, I think that Roco is your best bet as Russ said. I really have not paid much attention to military stuff in HO scale although WWII era to present day is my favorite subject in History class.
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
4,073
0
36
34
Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
KCS said:
announce1 I also have to agree with this. Ya know, A few years ago I bought the Kibri "Spacelifter" crane that was about $160 retail. After pulling a few string's and being owed a favor I was able to get one for $80. That thing was monsterous! I believe it was somewhere between 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall once it was complete. Boy the amount of black thread that went into building it. It was a chore and it was fun and I would sure do it again. Sad part about it was while I was waiting to get a display case to keep it stored in while it wasn't at a show I had it on top of the entertainment center and about 2am the cat went on the prowl and though "0o0o0o0o look! A new toy!"

That was the end of it.:cry: Oh how PO I was.:curse: I loved the cat but was about ready to kill. I miss that thing. It drew more attention on the club layout than then entire layout it self. Talk about stuck out worse than a sore thumb too. You could see that thing standing tall clear across the convention center againest the back board.


Here be my next crane project but lucky now I don't have a cat to worry about because no kid's or animals allowed in the hobby room. http://www.texnrails.com/images/construction/tms/2100202.jpg 248 crawler crane Etched Brass Kit, 200 Ton, 130ft Movable Boom, Operating Winches & 6 Shive Hook Block, Highly Detailed
TrainCat Model Sales : HO-Scale $379.95 + S&H

So next to being a train and big truck junky, I'm also a LARGE crane junky.:D :thumb:


But anyway back to the topic of discussion. Boy it's easy to get off topic. :D I like the idea you've got. However will it be connected to the layout you already have? That would be neat. Ship your crane in parts by rail back over to the other section and set it up to be used for a temp fix like replacing an AC unit on top a building maybe?

OOOOO NNNNOOOOO sorry to here about the crane KCS. My cat did some similar things when she jumped up on the layout, all she was really trying to do was getintothe window for some sun. Boy I miss her:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Does that crane have a website that it came from? I am not sure the Kibri ones I was looking at suit me. I was looking for a crane like the one in the pic you posted a link to and I have decided that I want something like that instead LOL. Yes I know it is around $400.00 but I can make it happen.:thumb: :D :D

This will not be connected to my current layout, I wi**** could but I just dont have any more room to expand. This is the closet and tucked out of the way. I was thinking and I have decided to move my shirts down below the table so that nothing "accidentally" drags and takes some stuff with it. Layout will be about waist level. I plan on adding this module to a bigger layout once I move out, who knows when that will be?
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
4,073
0
36
34
Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
oldtanker said:
KCS, like you the cat got the crane, and the rest got broken up on my last military move. I really wanted to rename that darn cat.....TARGET!

Sorry to hear that Rick, sounds like not many people have good luck with keeping there cranes "alieve" LOL
 

oldtanker

Member
Feb 24, 2006
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Truck, keeping cats alive too....LOL actually the cat is still alive, one of my sons and his wife wanted it. Don't know what would have happened if the kids hadn't been home....LOL

Rick
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Apr 14, 2006
4,073
0
36
34
Rancho Santa Margarita, Cali.
KCS said:
248 crawler crane Etched Brass Kit, 200 Ton, 130ft Movable Boom, Operating Winches & 6 Shive Hook Block, Highly Detailed
TrainCat Model Sales : HO-Scale $379.95 + S&H

Just found there web site. I noticed that it is $379.95 if you want it built-up and only $139.95 for the kit version and $159.95 for the crane + the 70' jib extention in the kit version.

The only problem is that even with the 70' extension, it is still not tall enough for the bridge. Do you know if there is any thing available from them to make it taller? I saw that they have tower extensions but it doesn't say if they match the one's found on the crane. Also saw on TexNrails that there was a kit available for just the 130' boom for $40.00. I don't need another 130' added onto the 200' that the crane is already, just something like another 40-60' to total 240-260' to make it taller than the bridge.

200' scale feet in HO is 14.5" and the bridge is 11" tall. The crane would only be 3.5" taller that the bridge and that would look funny and not work to well.

BTW, never herd of TexNrails.com, great site!!!
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Sep 6, 2005
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Canada, eh?
Chessie6459 said:
Now this is something different. Never heard of anyone doing this.:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

Years ago, and on more than one occasion, there was a photo feature (or maybe a layout tour) in Model Railroader magazine featuring a bridge under construction. The bridge was intended to span a modelled version of Lake Shasta, although I don't recall if it was a road or a railroad bridge. The name that comes to mind as the layout owner is Godfrey A. Humann: I believe he and his wife held annual layout open houses, and there may also have been other attractions at the Human Ranch. I'm not sure, but I think that the LPB's working on the construction gang eventually did finish the span. The layout was the South Shasta Lines.

Wayne