Hinge out, decorating? Solved!

Simplest would be a faux thru-plate girder bridge with vehicles held in place via screws up through the roadbed into bottom of cars. Old photos below, cars are currently removed. A "Drop Section" shown but same concept applies for attaching vehicles and bridge sides to lift up. After Holidays you then have vehicles with "Holy" bottoms.

Good idea and job on the"Hinge out".

Neat idea Dewey, I like that. Are the commercial units, or did you make them?

In a pinch, I could always cut some flat boards, paint them gray, and tack them on.

Getting close to Christmas now, and I have to push on.

Thanks for the idea, Greg

Greg   

   Basically made out of 1/8" and 1/4" Masonite and small wood strips of Basswood from Michaels Crafts Store[1/4" plywood works for sides also].  Side plates are 1/4" Masonite with top and bottom wood rail caps fastened with small brads and glue. Small vertical,outer basswood strips[Store] and inner 1/8" triangular gussets are super glued on. Sides are fastened to the plywood floor with brown Carpenter's glue and small brads. Center dividing plate/rail where kid is sitting is 1/4" Masonite.

   Plywood right-of-way/roadbed is covered with 1/2" blue foam w/ poly skin removed, heavy skim coated with drywall compound,sanded and painted with black "Asfalta" paint..... ["blacktop" in English] from Ace hardware---a small sample can. If you wish to put cracks in your pavement, press on the skimcoat and crack it, mark cracks with black Sharpie to simulate asphalt road cracks.

Photo shows bottom of "Drop Section" removed and upside down, with piano hinge,release lever,cables,guides,rollers, railpower wiring's slack loop and spring-loaded transom catches [built from a Jim Barrett idea published long ago in OGR Magazine--now on Backshop DVD #11].

Dewey, this is what I finally went with, nothing too complicated on a temporary layout, just up and down.

Thanks for your input. If I ever do another, I will start earlier and try to incorporate your bridge...or maybe just build a couple of small ones for some 24" openings.

Merry Christmas, Greg

Looks good Greg--I like the "snowfall" and trees.

Merry Christmas and Happy 2013 Railoading.

Dewey, excellent job on the "drop section"! I have the same video from Jim Barrett and I am trying to build the drop section.  At first I was going to up with the moveable section but I don't have enough ceiling height so I changed my plans to build the "drop section". The main reason I wanted to go up was because if you notice on Jim's video the lever sticks out of the benchwork. I was worried that someone could by accident lean on the lever and release the drop section while trains are on it. I have tile floors and you know what tiles floors can do to expensive locomotives or rolling stock. The way you did it someone has to reach under the drop section to release the lever which is a much safer way of doing it. Very clever idea!!

I just got back from a local hardware store and a separate lumber yard that specializes in windows and doors. At the hardware store when I asked the owner about the transom catch the owner told me, "I've been in this business 40 years and I have never heard of that." We looked all over and even on the website of his supplier and couldn't find it. I knew it was a longshot at the lumber yard but I asked anyway and they had never heard of it either.

Where did you find the transom catches? Also where did you find the white plastic rollers? I did find rollers at the hardware store but they were the ones with bearings inside. I know I can use these but they are $4 each and since Jim Barrett said it isn't necessary to use the rollers with the bearings I would rather use the ones without bearings if I can find them.  Thanks in advance for any help.

Dewey, I've been searching for the transom catch on line. I've found prices from $15 all the way up to $48. Since I need two of them I guess I will order the $15 ones. Just curious, but how much did you pay for yours?

Most of the more expensive versions seem to be made from solid brass or bronze. This version: 

http://www.kilianhardware.com/no88trca.html

Has a solid brass catch but the box is sheet metal made to look like brass. I figure since it is going to be under the layout no need for the higher priced versions.

Steel cable will hold a magnet, stainless usually will not or will have very little pull, depends on the grade of stainless.

Phil

The rollers at Lowe's are $3 per pair or per package of two.

Also, photo of the adjustable strike plates/keepers I used when I recycled my Drop Section to use on a new layout. They are not essential but help fine tune the rail height----easier than using shims.