Kitbashing Newbie...(bridge)

ATSF-Loco

New Member
I have read the "Bridges and Trestles" book and have been searching the threads here, but I need some "newbie english" explainations. I would like to scratch build a Continuous Bridge like that shown on page 6 of the B&T book. But I can't find any documentation on how to build one.....

I don't understand the whole Angle and channel gages and what size to use. C-C girders etc....


Maybe I should just buy a kit (if I could find one for a continuous bridge, which I can't) and leave it at that.
 
N

nachoman

when it comes to bridges, I have always just tried to make something that looks plausable and possible and not get hung up on too many details. Timber trestles almost need to be custom scratchbuilt to fit the space required. Steel bridges, however, are more standardized. Plate girder bridges are easy, truss types take more work. I have kitbashed cheap atlas bridges together to get something longer. One thing I have learned is - raw materials for a scratchbuilding project can be expensive. You are likely to spend more on just the plastic shapes than you would just buying several kits. Unless you have a cheap source of raw materials - my recommendation is to see what you can make from several kits.

kevin
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
I don't have that book, so I'm not sure what a continuous bridge is, or what the one on page 6 looks like. Generally the railroads want to use the least expensive easiest, and quickest to construct bridge that they can. They prefer steel, because it is fireproof and stronger than wood, but the San Diego branch of the Santa Fe which was sold to Am Trak has some low wooden trestles over streams and marshes. The reason for the wood there is that steel would rust out sitting in salt water. In most situations if a wide shallow river or draw needs to be bridged, the railroad will use concrete piers with truss or girder type bridges like Atlas sells, and use as many as it takes to bridge the opening. A huge single span bridge like Santa Fe's bridge at Diablo Gorge is built only because the gorge is too deep and wide to bridge it with anything else.
 

siderod

Member
nachoman said:
raw materials for a scratchbuilding project can be expensive. You are likely to spend more on just the plastic shapes than you would just buying several kits


Kevin,
I'd like to know where you buy your scratchbuilding materials! :eek: I've bought enough styrene to build a dozen truss bridges for less then the cost of TWO of the Atlas Bridges.

AR
 

ATSF-Loco

New Member
Bridges

That's a great idea...buy some cheap bridges from Atlas and cut to fit...AWESOME, thanks for the idea
 
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