Wood trestle question.

Train Fan

New Member
I am wanting to build a HO scale wood trestle and have some round 1/8" x 12" bamboo skewers left over from another project. Could I use these for the bents or stick with 1/8" x 1/8" basswood strips instead ? Or what size should I use for this project. Any advice would be helpful . Thanks , Train Fan :wave:
 

Sawdust

Member
Either one would look good depending on how high your trestle will be. Some of the more smaller ones use basically fallen trees & I would roughen skewers up slightly to keep them from looking too cylindrical. I would use the sguare stock for the much taller trestle because more of your work would be visable. I hope this helps, let us know what you do & post some pics.
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
I am wanting to build a HO scale wood trestle and have some round 1/8" x 12" bamboo skewers left over from another project. Could I use these for the bents or stick with 1/8" x 1/8" basswood strips instead ? Or what size should I use for this project. Any advice would be helpful . Thanks , Train Fan :wave:


I have been guilty of building trestles with whatever is at hand, choosing sizes by eye, either from stock at hand, or as I set up my table saw.

Trestles were made using square timbers or round piling, so either could be used for building a generic trestle. to accurately model a specific bridge or a bridge on a specific railroad, at a specific time, some research would be needed, which is why I freelance


I have in my hand a document entitled standard plans, from the Atlanta West Point Railroad The Western Railway of Alabama and the Georgia Railroad, dated Jan 1st 1900. their plan fro a trestle bent show 12 x 12 square timbers in the bent, with the bents on 12 foot centers.

the stringers (timbers that span the bents, directly under the ties) are listed as 6x 15s, and there are four of them under each rail.


Remember bridge ties are longer than regular ties (10 ft on the A & W P plans . I thin Micro-engineering make flex track with bridge ties.

When I model a trestle I build the scenery first, and then cut out the semi triangular bent shapes out of foam core, and then trim them to fit the scenery exactly, number them for location, and build the wooden bents to match them.

My bridge work is visible in the logging mining and industrial RR section, in Logging in eastern TN on the DG CC & W RR in 1928, and in Bill and Tom's excellent adventure.


I'd post my reference sheet here, only it was copyrighted in 1900, and that may still be in effect.

need more specific info or help just ask.


Bill Nelson
 
Also as with most wood structures be sure to stain or paint the parts first as the paints / stains will not ahere to white glue well.
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Also as with most wood structures be sure to stain or paint the parts first as the paints / stains will not ahere to white glue well.


This is mainly an issue if you are using a stain, or a watered down glue. I lots of times make my own stain with turpentine and artists oil paints. I have also used commercial wood stain from the store to good effect. If making your own stain, be sure to keep some extra around to stain the edges of the wood, after cuts have been made.

you can buy stain applicators that are foam rubber encased in cloth that you can dip in the stain and wipe around most of a piece of stripwood to stain it. I like to wear latex gloves, and have a bunch of paper towels to wipe the excess stain off the wood.


alternatly sometimes I get lazy and build stuff out of unstained wood, and spray paint it with grey , tan, and sometimes brown paint. the spray paint will cover white glue. While I claim lazyness with this technuige I have gotten some impressive results, ( see my Surry-Parkers in the Your unique logging and mining equipment thread over in the logging mining and industrial subdivision.

Bi;; Nelson
 
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