Hellgate Bridge Track Install?

I used a sheet of cork and cut it to size.

Bob,

I installed GarGraves track on the 1990's Lionel remake of the bridge. That's the one that allows two O gauge tracks side-by-side.

I removed the plastic pieces meant for tubular track and put the GarGraves down right on the metal girders.

To secure the track, I drilled a hole in the tie and inserted a long 4-40 screw. This bolt goes through the tie down between the metal girders and through a rectangular piece of styrene that acts as a big "washer" that grabs at least two of the metal girders. 

A 4-40 nut from below secures everything and any excess length of the bolt is snipped off. When the styrene washer is painted the bridge color it disappears from view. 

I used two of these fasteners for each track, each about 1/4 of the way from the bridge ends.

The only problem with this method and RealTrax or Fastrack might be the width of the plastic roadbed. It might take some trimming of the edges to fit the two tracks side-by-side if you have the two track version of the bridge.

An advantage IMO of putting the track directly on the metal girders is that you maintain the see-through appearance of typical bridge track. Any sort of roadbed would block the view down between the ties.

Jim

Why don't you want to lay old 3 rail track on the metal bridge frame? You're asking about plastic or wooden ties. Are you concerned about scratching the base with the metal ties?

Bob,

I agree with Dennis and recommend you forget about a roadbed and install your tinplate track directly onto the Hellgate Bridge's girders as it originally was.  I wouldn't use "old" track but instead use a single length of "new" Standard Gauge (or O gauge) tinplate track made to your specs by USA Track LLC.  Their track is all-american-made and is truly a superior product to the other tinplate track available.  Contact them and I'm sure that Kirk Lindvig, the owner, will be happy to work with you to deliver precisely what you need from insulated rail tinplate track, to extra long tinplate track, to SGMA track, etc.   

Here's the link to their website which shows their 'standard" line of Standard Gauge tinplate products but they also make custom pieces of Standard Gauge and O gauge tinplate track as well and they sell separately all their tinplate track components (ties, rails, paper insulators, pins, etc.), which is ideal for those who want to fabricate 5-rail tinplate track.

http://www.standardgaugetrack.com/

Bob

Thanks for the replies and ideas. I was hesitant to put tubular track to the metal bridge base because of noise and scratching of the bridge. I can definitely see what others have said about looking between the tracks to the view below.

I'll have to do more experimenting and see what looks best.

Thanks,

Bob

Bob,

You can always cut some thin strips of rubbery material, such as kitchen shelf liner, to fit only under the metal ties where they will be almost invisible. The track can still be held in place like I described using the existing holes in the ties.

Jim

The Hellgate Bridge on out Tin Plate Trackers layout is hinged and to allow access to the inside of the layout without crawling on the floor. From the opening, youngsters  can look up and see the trains passing above. This is a very popular viewing point for the littler ones.

Steve

The Hellgate, and also the 101 and 280 tinplate Lionel bridges, were all designed to have the tinplate tubular track ties snap right in over the bridge girders.  You really don't have to screw it down, you should find that the track won't go anywhere once it is snapped in.  I would definitely agree with navy.seal that this really is the best way to do it.  

Using the tubular track as it was intended will also give you the best height clearance in the bridge - any roadbed will raise the track and diminish clearances, which are small enough in any case.

Is this also true for the Lionel Hellgate reissues with lighted towers?

Perhaps I'm missing something- but the MTH 300 repro bridge does not look like 3-tie tubular track can "snap right in." There are some mounting tabs, and perhaps they are designed for Standard gauge tubular. I'm using O gauge, and it doesn't fit very well. I'm sure I can figure something out.

Thanks again,

Bob

I use Atlas O track on my layout and while not prototypical I decided to lay roadbed and ballast right through the bridge. I first cut into the layer of ground foam (pink foam) at either end of the bridge so it sits 1/2 inch below the surface. This allows the edges at each end of the bridge to be flush with the surface that the adjoining roadbed and track will lay. I then filled the gap in the bridge where the track is supposed to lay with cardboard. This brings it up to the level to the rest of the bridge base (the red part) and also gives the glue in the next step something to bite into. The cardboard is held in place by the metal tabs. I then glued Woodland Scenics foam roadbed onto the cardboard. This layer of roadbed is flush with the adjoining roadbed coming in from each side of the bridge. I then glued - with "Gorilla Glue" (from one of the big name home improvement stores) - Atlas O track right to the roadbed. Ballast is then laid (very carefully and slowly) straight through the bridge and secured with first a spray of "wet" water and then diluted Matte Medium. So far it has worked out great and is very secure. Below are some pics to help see my explanation above.  -Len

Just an fyi if you are running TMCC: A fellow here in town was losing signals on his TMCC as it went thru an all metal 100 Year Bridge item. I call the owner of the bridge company and he said that the tubular track that my friend was using had to be insulated from the metal track. He laid carpet under the track and no more trouble. We fastened the track down with small elastic electrical strips.

If anyone is having problems with their TMCC due to their tubular track coming in contact with their Hellgate bridge and want to fully insolate the rails from the bridge, you can do this very simply and without installing any roadbed by custom ordering from USA Track LLC some fully insulated tubular track where all three tubular rails are insulated from the metal ties by paper insulators.  Just contact Kirk Lindvig at USA Track LLC and ask him to insulate all three rails.

Bob

There are numerous threads about TMCC signal and metal bridges and chicken wire mountains. Isolating the track from the bridge does not solve the problem. What happened was most likely involved other things in play.

Back to topic. A Hellgate bridge true to the original and not the Lionel version is designed for 2 four tie STG tracks.

If scratching is a concern then placing window weather stripping under the ties would help reduce sound and give scratch protection. I would fasten the O-gauge track to the layout before and after the bridge and everything would be locked in.

If using Lionel plastic track one could cut the roadbed to fit around the tabs. Fastening as above would lock everything in.

Thanks to all for the great ideas. I figured that the reproduction bridge was designed like the original Standard Gauge bridge, hence the tabs that don't align for O gauge- thanks for confirming this. I was afraid I was getting dumb in my old age. Its great to see so many creative solutions to this problem.

Bob

You could mark the track, loosen the ties and re crimp them to fit the plastic insulator built into the bridge.... then use some tie-wraps to hold it in place...

Bob, you are correct and I apologise for the confusion, I was talking Standard Gauge track, as Jim says 2 sections snap right in.  My assumption, but I should have asked.  Of course, if you are O Gauge, then the height clearance I was talking about is also not such an issue as with STDG, you should have plenty of room to do whatever.

Gilbert Ives, I know the MTH 300 Hellgate repro also takes 2 sections of STDG track.    The Lionel with the lighted tower, I don't know.

The Lionel version does take either SG or O, but there might be some tweaking needed.

I used some of USA Tracks superb SG track to run a single piece across the bridge... I had to move some ties but it worked great!

I have the Lionel repro that takes two O gauge tracks. I use three 10" O gauge straight sections and the ties line up fine with the bridge mounts. I also put electrical tape on the bottom of the ties to keep them from scratching the bridge.