All:
I very much appreciate the kind comments and encouragement. It means a lot to me. And if you haven't done so already, please "Like" the topic and follow along.
Thanks again!
George
Updated 11/10/2018:
Here are a couple more photos. I've propped up Pier 1.
More when I know it. 
George
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George, any progress?
Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:George, any progress?
Dave, unfortunately not. Thanksgiving was all about visits by the kids, grandson, and family. And I recently took a part-time job to support the train fix.
So, no. 
I'm doing some retirement related stuff this week and hope to get back into the layout next week.
George
Understandable George, we all have stuff like that which becomes more important than our train fix. I had thought my notifications were taking a dump because I was not seeing comments on some I follow. Good to know you're still out there taking time for the important stuff, and, all will come in due time as they say.
Updated 12/12/2018:
It's been awhile (a month 
since I posted some progress. In that time I have acquired a part-time job. Anyhow, I managed to get some time this morning to attach the bridge to its western (Steubenville) abutment.
The first step was to cut and place wedges at the correct angle between the abutment and the wall attached to the bridge.
This is the southern end of the western abutment (nearest the viewer). It shows the wedge from the top.
Here is the view from underneath (actually within) the abutment. I used a 3" screw to fasten the benchwork, the wedges, and the wall holding the bridge.
This photo shows a top view of the wedges at the northern end of the western abutment (farthest away from the viewer).
I used a piece of tape as the depth indicator when deciding how far I should drill. I didn't want to penetrate the wall holding the bridge.
Underneath the abutment we are looking at screw that holds together the benchwork, wedges, and wall attached to the bridge.
And finally, here's the "L" reinforcement holding the wall to the river bed piece of benchwork.
More when I know it.
George
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That looks like very good precision work to get the alignment correct!
Awesome George. Mark is right, precision work. At my work, we could use a guy like you. Unfortunately no trains are involved so that stinks. Keep up the great work.
P.S. I wish there were trains here. Only on is my deck top theme on my work PC, a Hudson of course. 
Thanks guys! The precision is necessary to make sure the bridge goes into the correct position. It's got to be a certain distance from the wall at the eastern end to allow for the proper roadbed cross-section. So my work needs to be precise for that as well. And for the placement of the piers relative to the bridge.
George
G3750 posted:Updated 11/10/2018:
Here are a couple more photos. I've propped up Pier 1.
More when I know it.
George
Now thats what I call a bridge!!
Updated 12/17/2018:
Over the past few days I have re-thought my plan of attack for installing the bridge. Specifically, I have decided to construct the C&P River Route tunnel portal and surrounding scenery below the western end of the bridge, as well as the terrain on the WV side BEFORE putting the bridge in place permanently. These areas will be difficult to reach and work with if the bridge is there.
Photos of the western area:
Photos of the eastern area:
I want the area east of the stone arch to have a cross-section that looks like this:
All of the above means that while we have the bridge and piers in place temporarily, we must mark those locations, remove the bridge, delineate the river boundaries, perform the western portal and track work, do the eastern landscaping (rough), and then put the bridge in place permanently. That's the rough order of things, near as I can figure it. I'm sure there will be some adjustments.
I was originally going to plant some cat-tails along the banks of the river, but it is moving water (pretty good clip 2-4 mph?). Cat-tails do not thrive in moving water. Looking at some photos of the riverbank, it seems that trees grow right up to the bank and overhang it, so that's what we're going to do as well. There will be a dead tree near the base of Pier 1 (the shorty) as well as some junk.
More when I know it.
George
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I definitely agree it looks like the bridge would make it difficult to do the scenery in the portal area! Good plan!
Mark Boyce posted:I definitely agree it looks like the bridge would make it difficult to do the scenery in the portal area! Good plan!
Thanks. I came to this realization after fiddling with the mock-up of the tunnel portal. This weekend I also visited a couple of open houses (Ohio Valley Lines Model Railroad, Beaver County Model Railroad); that helped me better understand how scenes like these are constructed.
Yeah, if I wanted to take up ship-building in a bottle, I would have done that. 
George
Yeah, that does make sense as well George. Sometimes scenery is the last thing to be done. In this case I suppose most of the scenery but not all would need to be done. I'm sure that some touch up stuff would be the last thing in that area if any were to be needed.
Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:Yeah, that does make sense as well George. Sometimes scenery is the last thing to be done. In this case I suppose most of the scenery but not all would need to be done. I'm sure that some touch up stuff would be the last thing in that area if any were to be needed.
Dave, I expect that the vast majority of scenery work (98%) will take place after the plywood jungle (benchwork and track) has been constructed. But this is the right time to address these specific areas.
Updated 1/17/2019:
Sorry it's been awhile, but the holidays, family, and work have been keeping me busy. Over the past few days I have been busy sampling color candidates for the Ohio River. I have also decided upon a product for modeling water - Crystal Sheen. Below is my sample pallet.
My choice for the color of the river is #9 - Nantucket Blue.
I still need to paint a representative section of river bottom from shore to deep water.
More when I know it.
George
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Updated 2/24/2019:
There's a new sheriff in town on the Panhandle! That would be my 3rd Rail PRR I1sa Decapod (2-10-0) that just got fitted with TMCC.
More when I know it.
George
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Sweet looking loco, George. 
Tom
Updated 2/24/2019 (2):
This is what I originally wanted to upload - a movie of my Decapod crossing the Panhandle bridge.
George
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MNCW posted:Sweet looking loco, George.
Tom
Thank you! I absolutely love it. It's going to look great hauling a coal or ore train.
George
very NICE George
George, The Decapod looks and sounds great! It is really impressive going over the bridge. The whole scene is excellent!!!
That is a beauty...and I'd give important parts of my anatomy to see that scene in real life....wonder if the 4483 would make a run down here?
Now that is progress. Great bridge action and wonderful engine. I love dry fit testing if you would call it that George.
Steamer posted:That is a beauty...and I'd give important parts of my anatomy to see that scene in real life....wonder if the 4483 would make a run down here?
That’s somewhere in NY, right?
George
Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:Now that is progress. Great bridge action and wonderful engine. I love dry fit testing if you would call it that George.
Thanks. I think the test fitting is crucial to building a smooth running and reliable railroad.
Looks great George!
Andy
G3750 posted:Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:Now that is progress. Great bridge action and wonderful engine. I love dry fit testing if you would call it that George.
Thanks. I think the test fitting is crucial to building a smooth running and reliable railroad.
Got that right George. In my HO days my brother and I had some interesting things going on in the layout room(it took up almost the whole 10x10 space). Never had any derailments, but every now and then there would be a wandering caboose or freight car at the end of one of the many sidings. Bumpers were installed after all that.
This Saturday marks the end for the Weirton Steel Basic Oxygen Plant (BOP). In 1967, Weirton Steel erected its "Mill of the Future", replacing the Open Hearth with what was then a state of the art facility. Pieces of it have been demolished over the past year or so, but the rest goes on Saturday.
https://observer-reporter.com/news/loca ... 5ccdd.html
George
saw that on the local news. The last time they blew up part of the mill they didn't let anyone know...scared the pogis out of a lot of people. This time there are several houses close by that the owners don't think will survive the big blast.
On a bridge related note, my late Uncle Jim hauled beams for the Veterans Bridge. You might notice something familiar in the background....
Steamer posted:saw that on the local news. The last time they blew up part of the mill they didn't let anyone know...scared the pogis out of a lot of people. This time there are several houses close by that the owners don't think will survive the big blast.
On a bridge related note, my late Uncle Jim hauled beams for the Veterans Bridge. You might notice something familiar in the background....
Yes, I'm guessing it will be quite an event. I am debating going to it, but it's not going to be a happy time.
Thanks for the great photo.
George
This sounds a little less controlled than the Three Rivers Stadium implosion. So what is Frontier Group going to do with the site?
Dave, Nice photograph indeed! However, I am still not used to seeing these single upright support suspension bridges. I guess I'm an old codger!
I driven across that bridge for many years, and I hate crossing it when the roads are covered in snow. Always feel like I'm out in the open and nothing to stop me if I would start to slide towards the river. I'll take a nice closed in bridge like the Ft Steuben was.
Dave,
I understand! The photograph makes it looks rather narrow too.
Wow! I see! The dust and maybe debris went way out over that street and the buildings along it! Do you know what they are going to do with the site?
Mark Boyce posted:Wow! I see! The dust and maybe debris went way out over that street and the buildings along it! Do you know what they are going to do with the site?
Mark, I don't know that anything has been announced regarding the future of the site. Obviously though, when you spend a bunch of money to demolish a structure like that, there must be a plan. The cost of scrap would not justify the demolition costs, I don't think.
George
Yes that makes sense.
some of the houses close where damaged as well. Sad to see more of the mill come down. I haven't heard anything planned asd yet to take it's place, but I hope it's something good and not another dollar store.
