Bridges

In playing with an Idea of a Layout I want todo and I'm still just in the planning, I would like to have a Bridge span roughly 2 feet, over a river/waterway. but I want to be able to pass 2 trains one over the other, basically a double decker bridge. I'm sure they don't exist in real life, just not sure what type of design I should use. since I realize I'll have to kitbash/scratch build this.

Pher

[ 30. April 2003, 19:10: Message edited by: Pher ]

 

Dou't be so sure! The Steel Bridge in Portland ORegon is a double-decked telescoping lift bridge over the willamate River just south of Portland Union Station. THe lower deck carries a double tracked main line and the upper is a road bridge. When boats need to pass the loger deck can be raised flush with the bottom of the upper deck, and if that doesn't do the job, bith can be raised even higher!

 

It'll be in HO scale. Is the layout.

Where the tracks seem to come together on the right side is wher they will join up to a bridge.


Pher

 

The old Milwaukee Road bridge over the Wisconsin river had auto bridge on bottom and train on top!! I would definatly go with a steel truss set up.

 

Ref the bridge in Portland, am I right in thinking that there is also light rail on the road deck? (I'm thinking it was in Trains mag a while back?)

If so there are steel rails on two decks there for a start!

 

In Sacramento, CA the former SP, now UP, crosses the Sacramento River on a swing drawbridge called the 'I" Street bridge as I Street crosses on the upper deck. This bridge is right next to the California Rail Museum.

 

It seems to me Duluth had one very similar out in the far west of town that crossed over to Oliver wisc.It was similar to the above described except it was all wood trestle.Its gone now,but i believe it was around into the 60's.swing bridge at the bottom for the RR and vehicle traffic up top.Pretty rickity ol bridge if memory serves

 

This is a double decker and is about what I pictured to want todo, tho I would probly move the Arch to the middle section.


Pher

 

Now that I think about it, I believe you're right, Martyn. The Portland MAX light rail trains use a center lane over the upper deck of the Steel Bridge.

 

In downtown St. Louis the
Eads bridge is open deck on top auto traffic and the rail line runs under. Now Metro Link light rail uses the lower rails and I believe they are still working on the traffic lanes. this bridge was built in 1874 and is still in use. [/LIST]

[ 02. May 2003, 02:47: Message edited by: rksstl ]

 

Thats a pretty nice looking bridge Pher. For a double decker rail bridge that should look realistic. Have fun building.

 

There is a double deck lift bridge at Houghton, MI. This bridge connected to Hancock and provides the access to the Keewanaw Penninsula that sticks out into Lake Superior from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and was at one time the richest copper mining area in the world. My understanding is that it is no longer used as a railroad bridge. Maybe someone has more complete knowledge on this than I do. I haven't been there for almost 15 years.

The upper deck is a highway and the lower deck was used by the railroad. It is unique in that the lower deck is also paved for highway use. The bridge was only fully lowered when there was train traffic. This allowed the smaller boats to go through without having to raise the bridge for them. The bridge was only raised when one of the great lakes ore carriers or similar large ships were passing under. When it was fully lowered for railroad use the highway traffic could continue on the upper deck. The bridge would not be raised at all during the winter ice period when there is no water shipping.

I don't see any reason that this couldn't be adapted to a twin rail bridge fairly easily. I imagine that there are pictures of it someplace on the net but don't know where. I would start by checking the SOO Line sights. I wish I had a scanner so that I could send mine. It is twin tower lift bridge and has quite a lift range as the track level is very near to the water level.

Hope that this gives you some ideas.

Doug

 

There is that type of bridge in St. Louis south of the Eads bridge that was mentioned earlier. It looks like the bridge pher had a drawing of but it has four of the arched truss sections.