I am almost set on my track plan and am now thinking about starting to build some bridges and other piece for the soon to be railroad world I am going to build. In one spot I would like to span the gap with a straining-beam pony truss set of bridges from the book Model Railroad Bridges and Trestles from Kalmbach. I would be running mostly GP 35 and GP 38 with a few RS2's. Would this bridge be way out of time for this type of train engines. The track plan will be the Granite Gorge and Northern from the Atlas book. I will be making changes to make it mine but the bridge question is still holding me back from starting to scratch build the bridges and other building while I get the track and DCC stuff together. I am not modeling any set time period but if that type of bridge was not used for 50 years before the GP's came out, would it still look like it was real or would it make it look more toy like? Thanks for your ideas. Dru.
If this is the type of bridge I'm thinking of (made from wood, that is), then it's definately too old. This type of bridge would have been replaced by the 1920s, at the latest. Wooden bridges were built because they were cheap, and the materials were usually available nearby. A steel pony truss, like the Atlas model, a plate girder bridge (either above or below the track, but watch the clearances below!) or a through truss like the Central Valley Models truss bridge would be more appropriate for a 1960s-or later era railroad. Pat
Dru I think you are right on the edge from a prototypical point of view. I wouldn't say it was definitely too old as some wooden bridges (certainly covered ones) were still in light railway service into the 50's at least, but it doesn't appear that anything bigger than short beam bridges were being built after about 1940. In a book I have there is a picture of a covered bridge with a pair of 70 tonners using it in 1952. A GP38 sounds a bit late/heavy, but I can't even find a vague date for when the last timber railroad bridge retired. Timber road bridges were (are?) around much longer as they don't need the strength, so you could probably have it as an overbridge if you just want the thing as a visual treat. Can the bridge be on a branch line? That way you could restrict use to lighter engines which would be quite prototypical. If you like the bridge and are happy that whatever happens it's 'your' railroad, go for it . But if you are concerned about being rivet counted and would be upset if someone could categorically prove that this is a 'never happen' , perhaps you shouldn't risk it. However, I don't think it would be as far off-centre as some of the bridgework in the June MR (it also featured in an earlier Garden Railways issue) .
I was unable to find any kind of date with the bridge so I figured I would ask here and see if some one had any idea. I don't think that it would be as bad as George Jetson driving a model A Ford to spacely's Sprokets, but I did know that it was on the extreme fringe. Where the bridge would be used would be for one, two track siding to get to a industry yet to be built. It would not be on the main line. I may build it just to the side of the track to make it look like the bridge and tracks have been relocated with new stuff. It is still a ways into the future so I have some time to figure it out. Thanks. Dru.
While I'll agree that wood truss bridges went out by the 50s, there are several wood trestles in this area (western Washington) that are still in daily service, inclusing a very large one (300' high by close to a half mile long) east of Seattle. There are also smaller wooden trestles all over.
For what its worth, there was a wood trestle crossing the Passaic river between Garfield and Clifton on the ex Erie Dundee branch until the mid 80's. I lived in the area and took many photos, most showing EMD switcher (SW8?) in EL colors with Conrail decals applied over faded out Erie Lackawanna lettering. Also a Conrail blue U boat. Nearly 20 years later, I am finally about to model this scene, with track running down the street, wooden trestle over river and concrete road bridge behind. I haven't seen wood trusses, but for a lightly travelled branch think you could get away with it.
Wood trestles is different. They are definitely still in order. E.g. this is an extract from Trains magazine earlier this year: CSX will reopen its fire-damaged bridge at Rigolets, La., about 25 miles east of New Orleans, at 6 a.m. on Friday March 29 [2002]. That will allow the railroad to restore service on its Montgomery (Ala.)-New Orleans main line for the first time in nearly two weeks. The March 18 fire destroyed 500 feet of timber trestle. In total, the bridge is about a mile long, with nine steel spans and a 424-foot steel swing span in its center, and long trestle approaches. Thirty freight trains ply the line on an average day ... which CSX now calls the NO&M Subdivision ... The article is on the Trains website. This is the URL from my browser http://www.trains.com/content/dynamic/articles/000/000/002/308rgzzs.asp but as I was 'logged in' it may not work as a link. Hmm. Timber, steel AND a swing bridge - now THAT'S a prototype for a model
Ok, newbie question here, whats the difference between a truss and trestle? I've looked in several places and I see pictures of what people call truss or trestle bridges and they look the same.. long bridge with latticework of wooden beams below them to support...
Here is a link to a picture of a bridge that looks close to the one I was/am going to build. http://www.midwestproducts.com/eagle_pass_truss_bridge.htm Are there any good plans to build a steel type of bridge out there on the net or should I just order/pick it up at the train store. Dru.
Well, there is a prototype for wooden trestle's still up today! It is the E&N railroad on Vancouver Island in BC. There are many avid railfans and modeler's into this spectacular line. If you go to the CN forum here, and post a question to E&N, you will get lots of links and advice from him, he lives and breathe's E&N. There is one spectacular trestle that the RDC's stop at so the passengers can look down and see the bridge. You can also add another bridge close by and have bungee jumpers jumping off, and you will have the prototype for it. The conductor points out the bungee jumpers to the passengers! What more could you ask for....lol!
Hi SD Welcome to Trainboard. I know where you are coming from . What you describe ( long bridge with latticework of wooden beams below them to support ) is a classic wooden trestle. (Steel trestles tend to be more like a series of steel lattice towers with plate girder spans jumping between them.) A truss is an individual bridge, with a lot of diagonal bracing between top and bottom members. It clear spans a gap between 2 supports. It's probably the next most common type of bridge after a plate girder, and used for longer spans than a pg can handle. Where confusion can set in is that a trestle may contain a truss. E.g. crossing a wide valley with a river in it there may be trestle coming out from each valley side, but with a truss to span the width of the river. If a picture caption then says "This is a truss over ...." without reference to the rest of the structure, you will be misled. Can't put my finger on a prototype example picture, but this one is of a wooden model (described as "80' Compression Truss Bridge & Trestle") and is linked from the Garden Texture website at www.gardentexture.com Hope this helps you. [ 16 May 2002, 15:45: Message edited by: Mike Sheridan ]
There are still a lot of wooden trestles in use today on mainlines. Most are "Pile Trestles" which comprise of a series of 5-8 pillings (generally poles which are skinned and preserved, straight tree trunks) driven into the ground with a "Cap" on top and "Cross Bracing" timbers placed diagonally from the top on one side to the bottom on the other and crossing on the other side again from top to bottom. These sets of legs are called "Uprights" and are spaced 12-15 ft apart. On top of the Caps are placed 2 sets of long timbers, generally 3 peices bolted together with (quite often) a spacer between each of the 3 timbers and held together with "Large" bolts. These are called "Stringers" They are placed, one set per side on top with the center of each stringer below where the rail on each side is to be layed. On top of the stringers, the ties are placed and the rails are spiked in. Pile trestles are commonly used to cross areas of soft and marshy ground which will not support the weight of concrete abutments because the pillings can be driven deep into the ground and will support the weight of heavy trains. Some timber trestles are still used (mainly) on secondary mainlines and branchlines and, as has been noted, above, several are (were) in use on the E&N on Vancouver Island, however, the bridge mentioned which the VIA RDC's stop on over the Niagra creek canyon is not (As the media keeps telling everyone) a "Trestle" but is, in fact a "Cantelever Bridge" which came origionally from Cisco B.C. were it served as the CPR's only crossing of the Fraser river untill it was replaced by a larger, stronger structure early last century. It was used to replace a large timber trestle which kept getting washed out by the large quantities of "Liquid Sunshine" so prevelent on the "Wet" coast and which has the habit of turning small creeks into large rivers. The bridge shown by Mike is indeed a Pony truss as noted by the lack of cross beams on top between the two lattice sections on each side (Each lattice is lower on a pony truss as opposed to the higher, connected truss sides on a Warren, Howe, or Pratt Truss). Also the approach sections of the bridge are Frame Timber Trestles and, by Canadian Pacific terminology would be considered 3 seperate bridges. Hope I haven't confused you too much . Terry
Gary, I was wondering if you might be willing to share your photos? I am modelling the EL/CR transition period in upstate NY, and pictures of some of the transition paint jobs aren't always that easy to find. -- Joseph
Joseph, I just got back from vacation and saw your post. I have prints of the photos I took but the negatives are misplaced. I could try to use my cheapo digital camera to take photos of the prints and email them to you. It will be another week or two before I can do so. I'm buried here at work now and also have contractors doing some work at my home to contend with. Gary
Gary- Thank you very much! I look forward to hearing from you. --Joseph [ 11 June 2002, 20:02: Message edited by: JosephFerris ]
In a lot of Oklahoma and parts of Missouri, there are still a lot of smaller wood trestles in use on main lines. Just a bit of info.
