My plan is to take a double tracked Atlas 40" bridge and have it lift off so that I can have a walkway. The ceiling is too low to have it simply flip up. My thought is to have dowels that extend down from the bridge and that would act to lock it into place on the layout. Any ideas on how to modify the bridge to do this or any thoughts on a better way to do make it removable?
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Also - anyone know where to pick one up?
I did this with mine - I will post pics later as Photobucket is down, but I made U shaped brackets at the ends the bridge sits in and it works great with plugs on each end for power. I just unplug the bridge and lift it out.
I got mine on eBay.
Slideshow. Atlas lift out bridge. Click on the underlined phrase to access.
Here are the pictures of mine. The first two show the U brackets. The last shows the bridge in place - I have since leveled the bridge by adjusting the risers. 
Here is my very simple lift bridge arrangement. 30" Atlas dual track bridge. Two slots cut in to each side of the table. 4 Finishing nails with trimmed top. This has been in operation for 5 years and I lift it out every time I operate or work on the layout, which is close to a daily basis.
I built my lift out bridge to be idiot proof. Alignment pipn made of brass fit into sockets that convey electrical current to the rails of the bridge as well as the rails on the approaches to the bridge. With the bridge out. the current is cut for approximately three feet on either side of the opening. This prevents me from running a 400 + dollar locomotive off the layout. While it is still possible to back a train into the opening, I would rather have a $50 car hit the floor than a loco.
Bottom of bridge showing alignment pins on each end. This is a prototype bridge that will be replaced with a new one with more detail and better alignment pin mounting.
These are the sockets that the alignment pins fit into. The brass alignment pins contact phosphor bronze strips when inserted into the holes. The phosphor bronze strips are connected to track power.
A closeup view of the bridge in place. In addition to the alignment pins, the benchwork is cut to make a secure fit.
A view of the bridge in place
Tom
(Sorry about the duplicate photos)
We build a lift-bridge module for our modular layout, it has a bridge and 3/8" Lexan as a base and lifts up to walk through. It's great not to have to crawl under the modules when we're at a show. I'll have to get a picture, we don't seem to have them up on our Facebook page yet.
Here is a small bridge I made this week for one of my club members. The aisle and bridge are 21" wide.
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