As most know I'm coming back to N scale. With a new restart on a layout I'm looking to add a section with 2 or 3 double track truss bridges. Can y'all let me know what's available on a limited budget.
Vince, you can find a double track truss bridge for about $20 to 150. All I did was Google it. I had the Walther's double track bridge kit and the only problem I had was a couple of the beams were warped. After glueing the parts together and holding it with close pins for clamps until dry the warping wasn't noticeable. Once glued make sure the bridge deck is square and adjust if necessary. I would rate this kit 4 out of 5 stars. Joe
Okay those help anyone familiar with the tomytech double track arched truss. What length does it scale out to IE 150 foot 200 foot ?? ??. Also does anyone know if the tomytech track can be replaced with ME bridge flex. As if i'm not mistaken the tomytech stuff is 1/150 yes/no.
I believe you are referring to the Tomix bridge. The span is 22 inches which scales out to about 293 feet. The track is held on by screws from underneath and can be removed and replaced. You will have to glue the ME bridge track to the bridge. The track centerlines are 1.5 inches apart which matches the Ntrak standard. The biggest drawback to the bridge other than it is spindly and appears designed for light rail such as the commuter trains in Japan rather than mainline U.S. railroading, is the overhead clearance. I could not get my Walthers' double stack cars to clear the cross braces at the bridge ends. My NMRA clearance gauge indicated the cross members were approx. 1/8 inch too low. I measured with the Tomix track in place so you may gain some additional clearance using the ME C55 bridge track depending on the thickness of the ties. Even then I don't know if it will clear double stacks, auto carriers or other high and wide loads. Hope that helps.
@Inkaneer Thanks yeah i'll be running auto racks eventually as i model the fall of 1979. No well cars thankfully. Continuing on then with a bridge search. And yes I meant tomix not tomytech my minds elsewhere lol.
@Hardcoaler Thanks but looking more for a heavy arched bridge might end up having to get central valley parts to build my own. As i need arched bridges about 200 scale feet long, double track, and able to clear auto racks. The search continues.
You might want to check out what's available in HO. Sometimes certain structures in HO can be kitbashed into N scale. Railroad bridges are usually composed of heavy structural elements which may work in N scale. I am not personally familiar with what is available in HO so I can't help you there.
It's an all brass budget-buster at over $300, but it's 200 FT long and might clear auto racks (an old BLMA YouTube video claims that UP runs stacks through it), but I wanted to add it to our list in case one of us hits the Powerball or becomes an NFL QB: https://shop.atlasrr.com/p-47874-n-scale-200-brass-truss-bridge-assembled-black.aspx
One suggestion might be to slightly slope the track upward at each end of the bridge thereby raising the bridge slightly. On my rear double main I have done just that and the slope starts back far enough to not be noticed at all. At the rear I am running a double track Kato bridge while at the front a much shorter kitbash of two Atlas bridges. One can also reduce the height of the bottom track in this manner again gaining clearance.
I don't think the OP was referring to clearance under the bridge but rather the height clearance from the bridge rails to the cross members of the superstructure on the bridge, At least, that was I was referring to in my initial reply.
Here is a couple pictures of a Tomix bridge on a extended T Trak module I built . I replaced the Tomix track with atlas code 80 flex track . Note that there is plenty of room for auto racks
Tooly That right there helps big time. I can deal with the length just needed to make sure it clears the Auto Racks. Thanks again for posting
Glad I could help Vince . Sorry for the late post ( I wanted to post earlier ) the auto rack is an unmodified micro train . They run a little higher than red caboose cars . Not sure about the concor autoracks though haven’t run any of those .
an alternative to two seperate tracks normally spaced, would be a modified 'gauntlet' style, where the two [seperate] tracks share a single width bridge crossing ... the two tracks don't actually touch, but only one can be used at a time, not both at the same time ..
@wvgca Gauntlet won't work for me as the region I model in West Virginia is double track passing the majority of the route. So kinda need that 2nd track. Thanks though. @tooly As for auto racks most of mine will be either RC enclosed or MTL open or closed as my era of therapy of 1979 they were just starting to get into the fully enclosed racks, but the open racks were getting corrugated side paneling also besides having a few open cars. Thanks all.