Is your Hellgate elevated?

Here’s mine Joe. 

George

If you are planning on running Standard Gauge, I wouldn't use a graduated trestle to climb to it. You could run on an elevated trestle, but make sure the trestle is very sturdy. Standard gauge trains are heavy and the torque can cause shifting of the trestle.

George

George S posted:

If you are planning on running Standard Gauge, I wouldn't use a graduated trestle to climb to it. You could run on an elevated trestle, but make sure the trestle is very sturdy. Standard gauge trains are heavy and the torque can cause shifting of the trestle.

George

Thanks!!

Yes, it is elevated. It is in New York City and has appeared many times on TV and in programs.

Dick

TypeHxfmr posted:

Yes, it is elevated. It is in New York City and has appeared many times on TV and in programs.

Dick

So you have adopted the real one? I think Joe was talking about the one made by Lionel.

George

I too really like the look of a well placed ****gate bridge, but sadly, I have no space for one of these. Of the applications I have seen that look best to me, the use of a land mass was modeled, not a trestle system. 

Honestly, you may want to post some images of the space you are trying to install this on and maybe the forum can provide some feedback or options. I also have seen several used in a row, which is also very impressive.

Good luck.

Charlie

Charlie posted:

I too really like the look of a well placed ****gate bridge, but sadly, I have no space for one of these. Of the applications I have seen that look best to me, the use of a land mass was modeled, not a trestle system. 

Honestly, you may want to post some images of the space you are trying to install this on and maybe the forum can provide some feedback or options. I also have seen several used in a row, which is also very impressive.

Good luck.

Charlie

Thanks Charlie, wish I had room to string 2 to 3 of them together. I am doing layout l with input from Tom Snyder's layout. I have been leaning toward supports created for his bridge, but always looking for other options.

Joe Gozzo

George S posted:

Here’s mine Joe. 

George

Whoops, meant to post together. I have a small width layout, so ran lower level tracks underneath the hellgate.

Trainlover160 posted:

Thanks Charlie, wish I had room to string 2 to 3 of them together. I am doing layout l with input from Tom Snyder's layout. I have been leaning toward supports created for his bridge, but always looking for other options.

Joe Gozzo

Hey Joe:

Understood and good luck with the design. I would say to make sure the trestles are substantial looking enough to support the bridge ends (not sure what that part of the bridge is called) with all the concrete work.

What ever you choose, I'm sure it will be fine as the bridge almost stand alone as a focal point on any layout.

Charlie

Our was placed in a 14' viaduct that we installed on our garage layout. Very effective!

c.sam posted:

Our was placed in a 14' viaduct that we installed on our garage layout. Very effective!

Really nice Sam, Thanks!

Joe Gozzo

I meant to say it is also seen in many TV ads. I don't have a Hellsgate bridge, but I have Lionel's  newer version of a bascule bridge--I like it very much.

Dick 

Viaduct on one side... earth on the other... and they're twins!

Rob English posted:

Viaduct on one side... earth on the other... and they're twins!

That’s fancy. Is the platform on the left side of the picture custom? Did you make it out of wood? If so, it’s pretty fine work.

George

Obviously not a Hellgate  but the same principle applies as to what you were asking. I just used some scrap 2x & 1x I had and covered with simulated brick paper.

Agree, the Hellgate needs to span someting

For now, my Lionel 305 Hellgate is part of the duck-under for my "in-the-round" layout. Being a 305, it accommodates a double-tracked O-gauge mainline, which is sweet:

Definitely the highlight of the layout, the idea that these were made as toys still amazes me.

PD

George S posted:

Rob English posted:

Viaduct on one side... earth on the other... and they're twins!

That’s fancy. Is the platform on the left side of the picture custom? Did you make it out of wood? If so, it’s pretty fine work.

George

Thanks George... I had it custom cut by TW Trainworx.  They do great work.

Rob English posted:

George S posted:

Rob English posted:

Viaduct on one side... earth on the other... and they're twins!

That’s fancy. Is the platform on the left side of the picture custom? Did you make it out of wood? If so, it’s pretty fine work.

George

Thanks George... I had it custom cut by TW Trainworx.  They do get work.

 

Ahh, yes! They did a very professional job. Great cut and finish. I'm trying to imagine how they cut the railing with such precision and detail. Definitely some high end power wood working tools and a master craftsman. I assume they used a high end scroll saw. An Excalibur 30" can run over $1000. Even after the cut, the sanding and painting are furniture quality.

George

George S posted:

Rob English posted:

George S posted:

Rob English posted:

Viaduct on one side... earth on the other... and they're twins!

That’s fancy. Is the platform on the left side of the picture custom? Did you make it out of wood? If so, it’s pretty fine work.

George

Thanks George... I had it custom cut by TW Trainworx.  They do get work.

 

Ahh, yes! They did a very professional job. Great cut and finish. I'm trying to imagine how they cut the railing with such precision and detail. Definitely some high end power wood working tools and a master craftsman. I assume they used a high end scroll saw. An Excalibur 30" can run over $1000. Even after the cut, the sanding and painting are furniture quality.

George

CNC Routing.  The majority is cut from MDF, some from plastic called Sentra.  I have over 100 hours in sanding those little slots and 20 hours in painting.  That being said, the work they did to bring my viaduct to life was outstanding.

CNC machines are not inexpensive. Patience and hard work pay off.

George

Mine is raised up 12" from the table surface. Piers made of crown moulding pieces from Home Depot.

Since the real one was designed to be elevated, if I had one it would also be elevated.

In a rural setting on my old layout.

The locals called the gorge "Hecksgate" in order not to ruffle the sensibilities of some residents.

Jim

Jim Policastro, Beautiful scenery, great setting for the Heckgate bridge, your layout is so cool. I wanted to use my H-Bridge but could not find a good place on my layout for it. So, it’s still new in the carton high up on a shelf, so, I guess it’s elevated. Everyone, your layouts are looking good. Great Question, great thread, Happy Railroading Everyone...

Here's my elevated Hellgate:

@shorling posted:

Here's my elevated Hellgate:

Shorling - your photos didn't show up.

Not Hellgate but close.

Bob Nelson

On my small layout the Hellgate is on the table top.  I did build a water scene beneath it with canoes, fish and ducks.  The grandkids love this!

Jim Z

@W&W posted:

Another GCT owner.  At least we know where two of them are !!   You can see mine peaking out in my photo's in this thread.

@fcavolo posted:

I like the green girder.  Maybe I should have gone with the green instead of black.  Your elevated roadbed fabrication is similar to mine also.  See my photo's in this thread.  I used 450 signal bridges as elevated roadbed supports.

@fcavolo posted:

Love it!

Joe Gozzo

Thanks for all the photos of your bridges! My wife and I recently streamed a series in which the protagonist lived in a house immediately next to, and almost under, the viaduct that approaches the bridge, in Astoria, Queens. (The bridge itself even appears in some shots.) I could not believe how TALL that viaduct is, and how it dominates the neighborhood. Also, its very noisy when a train passes, which seemed to be quite often. Very cool.

In any event, the bridge deserves to be elevated, and, the taller the better, IMHO!

@jay jay posted:

Thanks for all the photos of your bridges! My wife and I recently streamed a series in which the protagonist lived in a house immediately next to, and almost under, the viaduct that approaches the bridge, in Astoria, Queens. (The bridge itself even appears in some shots.) I could not believe how TALL that viaduct is, and how it dominates the neighborhood. Also, its very noisy when a train passes, which seemed to be quite often. Very cool.

In any event, the bridge deserves to be elevated, and, the taller the better, IMHO!

I know well (and thoroughly enjoyed) the series you were watching, John. I wonder if anyone other than train buffs and neighborhood residents would get the symbolism of the house being so close to the **** Gate!!! A friend lives in Astoria and my brother and I occasionally drive down to visit. Parking is a nightmare, and on a couple of occasions we had to park a block or more away and we were under the viaduct. And, yes, it is quite loud - one night, when walking back to the car, I saw an Acela zipping toward the bridge. One of these days, I want to go down just to do some train watching. And, more toward the topic, I have a modern Lionel Hellgate which I haven’t installed on the layout yet, but when I do, it will be elevated, but will carry street traffic instead of trains.

@Apples55 posted:

I know well (and thoroughly enjoyed) the series you were watching, John. I wonder if anyone other than train buffs and neighborhood residents would get the symbolism of the house being so close to the **** Gate!

I immediately got the symbolism, although I had to explain it to my wife, who was more concerned about a derailed train falling on the protagonist's house! 

My #305 bridge is elevated and installed over a parallel track shown in the attached photo with a train running on the lower level. Note that I added a red blinking LED at the top. A friend custom made the lower piers for me. 

Bill