Curved Stone Arch Bridge Project (New Pics 2/14/15)

Art,

You are doing a fantastic job on this project. Enjoy it.

 

Alan Graziano

Here is an example of a bridge I built over ten years ago at Len's Train Shop in Irwin, PA.  It was my first attempt at a curved double line bridge.  Difficult part was the math necessary to make the inside arches which are very different from the outside arch arcs.  I used Scenic Express Pennsy Stone Walls cut very thin on a Band Saw then glued to masonite.

Beautiful work art.  Keep the updates coming.

OGRE Modeling,

WOW, your arch bridge looks great too!  I have made purchases from Len at Greenbergs Monroeville show.  I did not know he had a shop.  Does the shop and layout still exist?

 

Art, you's looks great with a different technique!

Thanks guys. 

 

One of the first decisions you have to make with a curved arch bridge is the shape of the arches.  If you make the arch the same on both sides, you have to make the legs wider on the outside.  That's what I chose to do rather than keep the legs the same width and vary the shape of the arches.

 

OGRE your bridge looks very good, thanks for sharing.

 

Art

Art, what are you using to make the stone foam front? are you hand carving the foam or pressing it into some sort of form?

That looks great!  Talk about an eye catching spot on the layout.....amazing work Art.

Matt - I am using 1/8" thin pink foam that is used under metal siding. Then I am hand carving it with a pencil and a carving tool.  I draw the pencil lines to outline each stone, then I shape all four sides of each stone.  Then I distress each stone with a blunt object and a scriber.  Next is a base coat of paint followed by a shading coat that is partially wiped off and then I hand paint random individual stones.  It is rather time consuming, but after having started I don't want to change.

 

Art

Absolutely stunning work, Art.

Mark Boyce, Yes Len's is a large Train shop and still has the 10 X 20 five level layout  that I built for him.  Max of 13 trians running at the same time.  Mostly all O-Gauge.  If you use GPS, go to the second address in the list, there are 2 Lauffer lanes in Irwin, PA...his shop is located between Herminie and Sutersville, PA.  Worth the trip.

Well that sure looks nice.  A lot of progress since you started this project.

I just finished reading all your posts Art.  Really fantastic work.  It is a monumental project.  What paint colors did you settle on for the stone?  Its fantastic.

I don't remember without going down and looking.  I made two trips to Home Depot and tried different colors each time.  It just wasn't looking correct.  Then my son-in-law, who has a great talent and eye for colors, agreed to try to help me.  He just took 3 of the colors that I had and started mixing and blending them.  He would paint a little, wipe some of it off, and then blend some more, and before I knew if it looked like limestone to me.  So I tried it and it looked good to me.  After I watched him do it, it seemed easy to me, but it wasn't before he showed me the way.

 

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Art

Thanks, Brian.  It means a lot coming from you, I really appreciate it.

 

Art

Thank you for the information!  I will defiantly make it a point to pay Len a visit some day.  Irwin is only one more exit past Monroeville?  Thank you!

WOW Art, thats gotta take some time

The base paint is Behr White Truffle

The second color is Behr Brown Teepee

The third color is Behr Dapper Dan

 

They are all at Home Depot and are flat latex.

 

Art

Sweet.  That is the coolest.  What a show piece for your talent and lest we forget, your hard work and persistence.  And you even got to use a paint color called Dapper Dan on it.  It doesn't get any better than that!

Chugman ,
I want to thank you for posting this. It has helped me with a very large problem I have with having so much elevated sections on my layout. I thought that I was going to need to spend a small fortune on some type of flex wall system to cover them up. I went out to Home Depot this past weekend and bought the foam board. Today I was able to get one section done and I could not be happier with the results! Again, thanks to you and all the forum members who post what their up to, it really helps!

 

some photos of what I was able to do:

 

That's great, Chip.  You are really doing a nice job on that.  It adds a lot to the layout.

 

Art

Chip, what colors did you use on your wall and mortar?  Did you paint before you installed the walls? Very well done.

 

Art: Thanks for your paint colors.  I may try working on this soon.

Here is what I used:
Behr paints:
Sparrow
Anonymous
Gentle rain

Craft paint:
Flat black and mixed it with gentle rain to get the darker color.

 

I painted first. Used a # 2 pencil eraser to give the stone contour.

Something to help make the alignment of the coarses go fast- I had a piece of 1/2 " aluminum angle that I used once I got the first coarse squared and lined up I could place the angle right into the groove and set the next coarse and cut it with the razor then follow with a blunt pencil and then put the angle in it and repeat. I made 3 sheets in about 6  hours

Thanks Chip.