Something different. This Howe truss bridge had its start half a world away 22 years ago. I've had the three trusses for this project since 2000. The builder who started to make them decided instead to build a steel car float set up instead.
It's a bit short, as prototypes are usually 100' or more in length. This is where the workbench project stands as of yesterday. It's 15 1/2" long, and when set up for two tracks is about 8" wide. While not as super detailed as the one SIRT Steve showed us last month, it's quite recognizable as to what it is. Besides having a lot of wooden parts, it also has a substantial amount of detailed metal work to be done on it.
More materials are needed, including myriads of nut bolt washer sets and embossed metal work. More underside transverse beams are to be installed. Then will come rails, spikes, frogs, car float alignment toggles and two tie-up winches that were hand powered with geared steel ship's wheels, which I still need to find or make. Then some decking and signage.
That dowel rod in the last photo is for the land-end rocker upon which that end of the bridge sits in trunnion bearings below, on a supporting bulkhead. This enables the bridge to rise and fall at its water end with the tide and be at a height about the same as a car float deck. The water end is supported by a pontoon still to come. The final colors and finish are still a way off in the distance.
S. Islander