Trestles

The bents you made look great.But blasted track is not really what you want over a trestle.I would transition that area to Gargraves,Atlas or even Lionel tubular with added ties.You will need structure installed over the bents to support the track and structure connecting your bents.If you make a post in the scenery and structure forum there are guys that can show you some incredible trestle work.Also your lower  lines look amazing.Obviously you have the ability needed.Nick

I was thinking of making a walkway around the upper tracks and basically covering the ballasted area on the top upper levels with wood, which may be a lengthy process but I think it would look really good. Build a base on the trestles for the track to sit on and then a cover I can lay over the track so all it would be is wood, rails, and a "walkway" on each side of the track. If that makes any sense?

And thank you!

Keep us posted on your progress!Nick

Here is one I built a while back. Running underneath the decking the length of the trestle are two "stringers" which I believe were 1/4 in by 1/2 in. The decking boards were laid on top of that.

I would second the suggestion made previously that you consider a different make of track on this section.

Good morning.....I use rails from Ross Switches spiked right to the deck...........Clem

clem k posted:

Good morning.....I use rails from Ross Switches spiked right to the deck...........Clem

Clem

That looks awesome.  Wish I was brave enough to attempt that.

clem k posted:

Good morning.....I use rails from Ross Switches spiked right to the deck...........Clem

Which is correct prototype practice.  Those long, closely-spaced, transverse timbers are Bridge Ties:  there is no separate deck.

That said, I haven't been brave enough to do that, either. 

Photo shows 24-inch scratch-built trestle on my under-construction 10’-by-5’ O gauge layout. The entire trestle, including the stone abutments at each end and the terrain on which it sits, is removable from the layout. A shallow stream flows beneath two of the sections, and gravel driveways run under the two end sections. Bents constructed of ¼”-square basswood strips for the main members and 3/16”-by-1/16” strips for all diagonals. Track ties rest upon two ¼”-square support beams (1-foot full scale) directly beneath the rails. No ballast necessary. Four-inch (16-feet full scale) spacing between bents is realistic for a wood trestle. I intend to add more details when the rest of the layout is completed.

 MELGAR

tr18 posted:

Here is one I built a while back. Running underneath the decking the length of the trestle are two "stringers" which I believe were 1/4 in by 1/2 in. The decking boards were laid on top of that.

I would second the suggestion made previously that you consider a different make of track on this section.

Just curious, is the track with the wheel flange rails (or whatever the proper term is?) available like that shown in your picture, or did you make it? It looks like Gargraves, but I am guessing here. Either way it looks very nice. Thanks!

The extra rails are "guard rails". Not sure anyone makes them RTR, all the examples I've seen had them added after the fact.

As I looked at the photo, I considered their function (keeping derailed wheelsets from straying off the track structure--especially important on a bridge) and wondered if they should extend a few ties farther than where they end in this example.

---PCJ

RailRide posted:

The extra rails are "guard rails". Not sure anyone makes them RTR, all the examples I've seen had them added after the fact.

As I looked at the photo, I considered their function (keeping derailed wheelsets from straying off the track structure--especially important on a bridge) and wondered if they should extend a few ties farther than where they end in this example.

---PCJ

Those were purchased as is from either Gargraves or Ross, can't remember which. They both offered them at that time, not sure about now.

Railride, yes if I were to do it again (and I did) I would extend these tracks a few inches onto land like in this picture.

 Apologies for the flagman sleeping on the job.

tr18 posted:

RailRide posted:

The extra rails are "guard rails". Not sure anyone makes them RTR, all the examples I've seen had them added after the fact.

As I looked at the photo, I considered their function (keeping derailed wheelsets from straying off the track structure--especially important on a bridge) and wondered if they should extend a few ties farther than where they end in this example.

---PCJ

Those were purchased as is from either Gargraves or Ross, can't remember which. They both offered them at that time, not sure about now.

Railride, yes if I were to do it again (and I did) I would extend these tracks a few inches onto land like in this picture.

 

 Apologies for the flagman sleeping on the job.

Yes, Gargraves still offers track for trestles. $11.65 for the 37" wood ties     

Tom N

$12 for 37" of track isn't bad actually, that looks really good! 

Do they also make turns in the same liking with the ties or no?

You can also "roll your own" guard rails using these 12" rail sections from Gargraves.  They also work great for PW slider shoe activated accessories.

Thanks, RailRide, TR18 and TN. Good information there, hope to add some type of trestle someday.

Madgrty posted:

$12 for 37" of track isn't bad actually, that looks really good! 

Do they also make turns in the same liking with the ties or no? 

 

TN posted:

Madgrty posted:

$12 for 37" of track isn't bad actually, that looks really good! 

Do they also make turns in the same liking with the ties or no? 

 

I believe the trestle track can be bend like the 3 rail track.

Tom N 

AMAZING photos all..Nick

tr18 posted:

Here is one I built a while back. Running underneath the decking the length of the trestle are two "stringers" which I believe were 1/4 in by 1/2 in. The decking boards were laid on top of that.

I would second the suggestion made previously that you consider a different make of track on this section.

John would love to see a full side view of this trestle you built.Amazing work Nick

Nick,

Thanks. Here are some additional pictures. The first ones are from when it was initially being set in place and the rest are after all of the surrounding scenery work was done.

Milwaukee Road used ballast on their trestles. Don

John-WOW-WOW..Nick

If I read you correctly as to what you're trying to make, I have an idea.  If you use really thin strip wood, like the type used in ship modeling cut to match the height of the ballast, and soak it for awhile in warm water, you could make form fitting vertical side strips to cover the Fastrak ballast base.  Then it would be fairly simple to create the decking of the walkway you want to build.  Of course some of the edges may have to be sanded to fit the plastic track bases closely.  A trim strip along the top edge of the walkway would help disguise the gap and give you something to attach a railing to.

What you need is the flexible girder bridge plate. It's 26 inches long, can be cut or made longer by glueing two together. Scenic Express sells them. Here's the page on their web site. Don    http://www.sceneryexpress.com/.../productinfo/RR0010/

With Fastrack, you should model a "ballasted deck bridge".  I used to live a stones throw from the wooden trestle over the Cardiff lagoon in Southern California.  It was a ballasted deck.  Most of the timbers were 12x12 or larger.

I think I'm going to try what PennyTrains said, and TR18 that bridge is amazing!

TR18; John, awesome trestle. Very nice work. What standard are the bents patterned from?

Only thing I would do is remove the plexiglass in front, so it can be seen better. I mean what could possibly go wrong?

Rod