The Highline: How to attack an age ole problem: Progress

Here are some pics of the model.

How about your ideas? I  will get a photo of the curved area...

cut the girders at 22.5 deg. all curves that use 16 sections to a full circle are cut this way, the difference is the length of each end of the girder. the ones in the pic are 072, 054 etc would be the same, only shorter.

 

Thanks John. For the 22.5 angle and length hint trick. So for a radius with a lead in, My ends for of the bridge will be longer and the bridge bases will still meet?

My outer radius is 100 inches and will taper at the middle of the curve to a minimum of O90.

What JohnS said.

 

If you look at the prototype, whatever it looks like from the top, the underlying girder structure is normally straight, with angled ends like JohnS shows.

 

for the lead in you would add a small straight girder with 90 deg ends and matching length straight track. you are basically making the girders to match the shape of the track.

measurements taken from center of girder

Awesome. Thanks

Like the pedestals footings. How did you make these?

we make these, pretty simple, a little sanding and concrete finish and they look great. you could cut them from some thin balsa and glue them together.

 

Nice John, I like the way they interlock. I may put the kids to work and create a wood master and have them cut them out of 3X5 card stock.

J Daddy; that looks like it's going to be one heck of a layout. I love the photos I've seen so far from your posts.

Thanks Spence.

Here is another shot, The curved section is going to be a little more cut work.

 

 

Not criticizing, but have you thought about slipping some kind of scenery panel down behind that elevated track before you get too far?  Right now it is all sky back there.

.....

Dennis

John, looking great.  There is one other technique.  It's called "spline roadbed".  The other scales frequently use this.  Have not seen it much in O scale.

Google search Model Railroad Spline roadbed to get many examples.  

You could use a small spacer instead of solid road bed.  Some use this technique to avoid the wood warping over time.

Dan

Yes Dennis,  the "highline can be removed for its next step. Painting. Its constructed in 4 foot sections.

I can see why it takes us so long to complete a "train" project.

Last night all I could do was run trains on the new structure!

Something about the Lincoln top Hat on this engine...

 

 

 

 

 

This shot shows the curve I need to start focusing on: Notice the trio of American flyer accessories that will need to find a new home. Hard to get rid of them when your Dad had them and gave them to you when you were a kid...

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a couple more shots of the North End of Highland Yard.

 

 

Good Point Dan,

I have used this technique on a few curved deck bridges. I  have a had good success with this when the bridge abutments can be fixed and the lengths of the decks and be cut and curved. the abutments help hold the structure in place so it can dry... but this one has to have a pre-made radii, then suspended... that's where I was thinking of making a wood fixture...

Awesome layout.  Can't wait to see more progress.  The clouds are too cool.

Gorgeous!

 

Peter

Nice work, looks great!

Consider having those AF structures professionally weathered.  You would be surprised how well they could blend in in a distance location.

I used a banner advertiser, Harry Heiki who dusted up several pieces awhile ago and they fit right in.

Thanks for the compliments.

Right now I am tackling the 100 and 96 inch elevated radius.

 

The tough thing is drying time. And clearance for a big boy below on the radial tracks.

 

I prebend the radius of gargraves, then mitre cut each base wood structure (1x3 milled to 1x2) by approximatley 10.5 inches in length. then add the inner radii base wood structure and mitre it so the supports spans are parrellel. I am not a math major but each angle on the mitre was alternating ends 3 degrees, and 6 degrees, seemed to work out best.

It takes one day for each section to dry in its clamps. 3 down, 7 more to go...

Good news is if you have any variation in up down on the tracks it can be eliminated by clamping in each section and securing the track to the wood base sections with screws.

The overall track height surface parellism is controlled with a 3 ft level.

 

I will post some pictures.

 

Tom,

I think the three A/F structures will be displayed on a shelf for the "begining days" of my memory of trains. One day I'll get the needle for that talking station... That record and its recording I really miss.

Thanks again guys...

 

Here are some pics of the High line coming around the bend...

 

 

 

 

Checking clearances is a must...

I am using 21.5 inch Atlas cars, and a Captain High Pockets K line caboose with radio antenna as my worse case checks, until I can break out the Layout killers.... The Bigboy, Vision line Challenger, and "The Beast" ( the PRR S1 Duplex)...

Radii are approximately 100 and 096 respectively...

 

 

 

hopefully I will not have to model this....

 

Wow!  It really looks great so far.  You are doing a beautiful job.

 

Art

Looking good I really like it 

Here is a shot for inspiration...

 

 

I did get one more 'track base assembly' in there last night so 6 more to go...

 

 

John, this is a good day indeed!  I found two topics on building your upper level!!

 

it is looking great!  I really like how you are building a prototypicaly correct (as much as possible), you are involving your kids, and you have something your young son loves, which I saw a day or two ago!  Excellent family project!  Oh yes, you are including your American Flyer accessories that your dad owned!  It's great!

I love those wide curve arcs

nice work - beautiful layout

a lot of information and inspiration for a novice - thanks

rdeal

Thanks guys need the cheer section to keep things going sometimes.

Here I cheated and bought some clamps to help my process time go up!

 

 

And just when things started to look good I threw a curve switch cross over in there just to spice things up... hmm a radial cross over switch -cross that one off the bucket list...

 

 

 

 

Here the top brass in the Club car are checking out the new cross over...

 

 

Come on Dad just one more to do...

You can do it!

 

 

 

Your elevated lines look very prototypical, this photo shows two elevated lines on my layout.

 

J,

You nailed those upper track supports! They look great.

And a double curve switch crossover! As if the raised double tracks weren't already enough challenge.

One thing I was wondering, how will you paint the upper track supports?

 

Rod

Thanks Rod, I was thinking battleship grey with some weathering... or possibly a grimey black....the photo above looks to be a tan color with lots of chalk weathering? 

Tuff thing is holding off for paint until the details are done.