Ok guys I need alittle help here, you all know or most of you know I'm an HO scaler. I recently got into building a garden railway for someone, that I have a few questions (I know most of what I need but a few dimentions. On this garden railway, I have to build a quite long trestle, which is 22 to 24 feet long 4 feet high at the highest point. But, it has a 32 inch span that is a covered bridge that goes into the trestle. My question is what is the needed or recommended height for clearance for a G scale bridge? 8 or 10 inches? This is the INSIDE measurement of the bridge from bottom to top, that I need. Which is what will clear the bridge for G scale equiptment, loco's cars, etc. I gave the width of the bridge 7 inches, from side to side, INSIDE measurement. So its 7 inches wide on the inside, I think this is plenty of side to side space, with the track being center of the bridge. I need to know if 8 to 10 inches is plenty with inside measurement in height, top to bottom. [ 08. October 2004, 01:28: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
John, may I suggest if the bridge cover is more than 24" long, that you hinge it on one side. If leaves, dead squirel, derailed engine, sleeping cat, or snow and ice get inside; lifting the "lid" is an easy fix. The hinges will anchor the cover against high wind that might blow away a "sit-on" cover, see?
I'd go with no less then 10 inches.. But you might ask if the owner intends to run container trains, I hear those are tall
Thanks guys, phewwwww I was a bit worried at first, (I didn't have any "in-hand" items, cars or loco to use to make the size of height needed), so, I guessed at the size, (before I posted my first message above). Well with my thoughts, I made the bridge inside height at 11.75 inches INSIDE height measurement, but only went so far, an stoped the building of the bridge till I made the above post and got a few answers on it, and it seems my judgement was right. If I would have went less then 10 inches, I wasn't that far along with the building of the bridge that I couldn't stop and make it higher on the inside measurement from top to bottom. Watash, ole buddy, I am one step ahead of ya! I will be using hinges on both ends of the bridge as mounts to the supporting "double" trestle bent (I made 2 special trestle bents to support the covered bridge, that are like 2 bents made into one.) So, I'll mount the hinges one small hinge on each corner of the bridge that will mount to the trestle bent on each end, with removable pins incase the bridge would need removed for any reason, and plug in wire connectors for the rail. As for the roof of the bridge, I to were going to hinge it as well, with the hinges facing the same way the wind blows against the bridge, so if the wind blows against the right side of the bridge, the hinges will be on the right side of the bridge, and vice-versa. This (as you said) will help the roof from getting ripped apart from the wind, or blowing down the street! I may even add some type of small inside latch right on the very inside of the bridge to lock the roof in place on the other side away from the hinges, to lock like a door, an work like one. I thought all that work was a good idea to have on the covered bridge, for maintenance, re-railing loco's or cars if needed, and to clean track, etc on the inside of the bridge without having to reach into the ends of the bridge itself, but to to un-latch the roof on one side, an flop it to the other side an do inside what needs to be done an then close it an make sure it latches again. As for the owner of this. It belongs to my mother an father in law. So.... I don't believe they'll be running any newer stuff, they (like me) likes the looks of steam! So.... look out 2-8-8-4 "Yellowstone" in G scale, EM-1 in G scale, here I come! Ought to be a BIG loco when done (I want to build this one like brass models are, with the use of factory parts from Aristocraft, from 2 of their Mikado's, all the rest of the loco, made by me!!!!)
