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
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