Let’s see your Bridges

                            S.I.N.Y. 1933 Concrete, still standing today!

Watch this video and see my George Washingmachine Bridge:

LOL, Arnold

Cool video, Arnold and I love the bridge's name

Nice job with the Erector Set.  Being new to the forum, I have not seen your layout.  Busy place and colorful.

@SIRT posted:

                            S.I.N.Y. 1933 Concrete, still standing today!

Amazing detail.     I see your weathered track.    A lot to see in those photos.     Thanks

My modest attempts....

I consider bridges to be the focal points of my two model railroads, both of which have been the subject of articles in O Gauge Railroading Magazine (Runs 214 and 304).

The first six pictures show the three bridges (two truss bridges with a girder bridge between them) on my 12’-by-8’ layout completed in 2004. I built them from spruce wood kits by Miami Valley Products. They are 36 inches in length (144 feet full scale).

The next three pictures show the trestle and truss bridge on my 10’-by-5’ layout completed in 2019. I designed and built these basswood bridges from scratch. They are 24 inches in length (96 feet full scale).

MELGAR

Her's mine over "Laundry Tub Canyon" with a lovely young couple waiting to, uh, take a dive.

@Wood posted:

Nice job with the Erector Set.  Being new to the forum, I have not seen your layout.  Busy place and colorful.

By the way, the Erector set bridge was put together, and given to me, by Leroof who visits this Forum.

@howardih posted:

Her's mine over "Laundry Tub Canyon" with a lovely young couple waiting to, uh, take a dive.

Outstanding, Howard.

Just a small bridge, Made from a HO thru girder bridge turned upside down and the abutments are made from real cement.

Note the ties are spaced closer than on the track off of the bridge.

My piece de resistance bridges:

Progress views of an assortment of bridges I placed or hammered together and their functional purpose:

7'span

Something to bridge an inside corner.

Access to Bilco MechanicalCleanout

Utility closetAccess turnouts8' span

Traversing Cherry Valley namesake.

@Tom Tee posted:

Progress views of an assortment of bridges I placed or hammered together and their functional purpose:

7'span

Something to bridge an inside corner.

Access to Bilco MechanicalCleanout

Utility closetAccess turnouts8' span

Traversing Cherry Valley namesake.

Wow, some serious stuff there.    Looks amazing

Here is a Bollman Truss Bridge which sits prominently on my layout.  This is a replica of a prototype bridge use on the B&O during the 1800s.  Designed by Wendall Bollman, this type of bridge was the first railroad bridge application in the US to be made of iron.    The B&O used about 100 of these bridges throughout its' system.  The last remaining example of this bridge sits two blocks from my house.  It's on the National Register of Historic Sites and a Civil Engineering Landmark.  

The Bollman Truss bridge in Savage, Maryland carried the B&O RR across the Little Patuxent River.  Seen here in holiday lights.  Each holiday season the parks & recreation dept adorns the bridge in lights.

@trumpettrain posted:

Here is a Bollman Truss Bridge which sits prominently on my layout.  This is a replica of a prototype bridge use on the B&O during the 1800s.  Designed by Wendall Bollman, this type of bridge was the first railroad bridge application in the US to be made of iron.    The B&O used about 100 of these bridges throughout its' system.  The last remaining example of this bridge sits two blocks from my house.  It's on the National Register of Historic Sites and a Civil Engineering Landmark.  

The Bollman Truss bridge in Savage, Maryland carried the B&O RR across the Little Patuxent River.  Seen here in holiday lights.  Each holiday season the parks & recreation dept adorns the bridge in lights.

Gorgeous bridge on your layout, Patrick.

Arnold

@trumpettrain posted: ...snip...

The Bollman Truss bridge in Savage, Maryland carried the B&O RR across the Little Patuxent River.  Seen here in holiday lights.  Each holiday season the parks & recreation dept adorns the bridge in lights.

I have walked across that several times when visiting the antique mall that was (is still?) across the river in an old mill building.

SIRT

A beautiful series of pictures!

Jerry

Built this girder bridge from scratch last month (July) for a road to cross over the tracks going over the cut. The area is still a work in progress.

Here’s a couple on my layout…scenery still in progress…

Road bridge on the On30 Utacolzona & URR.
Pop cycle sticks, dowel rods, & scrap pieces of wood.

Uphill trestle & coal ramp trestle bents built from dowel rods & 1/8 strip wood.

Utacolzona Railroad in On30 (2020 - 2022) Update 8/25/22

@ryanexpresstrains posted:

Here’s a couple on my layout…scenery still in progress…

Ryan, I love that WM I-2.  Overland?

@Bob posted:

Ryan, I love that WM I-2.  Overland?

Yes sir! One of my favorite locomotives.

@PRRMP54 posted:

I have walked across that several times when visiting the antique mall that was (is still?) across the river in an old mill building.

PRRMP54 - small world as I live near the bridge.  The antique mall is still there in the old mill building. I walk across the Bollman Bridge practically everyday when walking my dog.  

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Gorgeous bridge on your layout, Patrick.

Arnold

Thanks so much Arnold!   I love your George Washingmachine Bridge!!!  Such a wonderfully imaginative name

Staining the wood planks now and then paint and install.

Some stuff I have built in the past

From my old layout

These are all awesome bridges. My approach is a bit different. I bought a single through plate girder, made a mold and started casting my own girders (for the number of pieces I need it would've cost me a fortune!). I added the internal plates/support cut from sheet plastic.

Here's some pics of the build under way. Yes....I have quite a bit more to do.

Standard Lionel with rock piers and flashing beacon. I custom cut and weathered the rock piers to match the height of the MTH trestles and for a more realistic look and then added the SF signage.

I do love bridges. This one is a working miniature.. everything is there where it should be.

We have here 3 views of "The Crossroads of Commerce".  The first is Grif Teller's painting for the 1953 PRR calendar.

The second is one photo (I have taken hundreds) of the actual structure (Winter 2018).

The final view is of the model bridge, which is the centerpiece of my PRR Panhandle Division.  The bridge was constructed by Custom Model Railroads / East Coast Enterprises to my rough specifications.  It measures 11' 9".  I designed the bridge piers, arch, and bridge shoes.  The Ohio River is 93" wide (2400 square inches) of 3/8" deep Woodland Scenics Deep Pour Murky water.

George

I have 2 bridges on the layout.  The first is an MTH 32" lift out bridge and the second is a 9' Trestle Bridge from Boston to Alberta, CA.

bridging the gaps! Excellent topic fantastic photos!

btw, thank you Arnold for the mention on your most excellent Washing-machine bridge!  I did not build It. However it was an abandoned item in a antiques mall here in Camden. Naturally it had your name on it the minute I spied it! Lol.

Here are a few pictures of my bridges.  I have scratch built all my bridges using my own designs.

This bridge spans Teddy-Bear Gap.  It's 6' across with an 0-72 radius. It consists of only 6 pieces of wood.  The sides and top are cut from 1/4" plywood and bottom 1/2" plywood.

My cable stayed bridge is 7ft. long and the cables are weed-eater twine.

The Yellow Cable Stayed bridge is only 6ft. long and is part of my portable O & S scale layout.

This Truss bridge is made from 3/4" X 1/4' pine and is 5ft. long.

This little one is only 20" long.

A couple more, this one is 35" long

This is my only gridder bridge.

I was having such a good time making these I have some extras, so if anyone is interested in one let me know.

Doug

@Leroof posted:

bridging the gaps! Excellent topic fantastic photos!

btw, thank you Arnold for the mention on your most excellent Washing-machine bridge!  I did not build It. However it was an abandoned item in a antiques mall here in Camden. Naturally it had your name on it the minute I spied it! Lol.

That Erector Set Bridge is a **** good bridge. It stabilized the track in that section of my layout so my trains run better there. Arnold

Good thing that bridge is sturdy too. That is a treacherous spot with the severe tides below! Lol.

My last layout I built this. Boy do I miss that bridge. Have big plans for my new layout bridge tho.

Bridge No1 a trestle bridge to Hoffmann 's grain company and Sky line steel

Bridge  No.2 offset truss bridge (scratch built) over the main line south out of Scranton (actually to the hidden reverse loop back to the main)Bridge No.3 standard girder bridge with the Scranton main and yard on top over  the 3 track entrance to Cedar Hill (New Haven)