I'm going to order a Kato N scale Unitrack 9-3/4" truss bridge (single track) soon. I was wondering what type of bridge abutments I could use for it. I can't seem to find out what Kato offers. Any advice? Thanks.
Depending on what you want for the abutment, that bridge incorporates a modern abutment (or at least the bridge side of one). Kato's incline pier set (23-015) includes a pair of abutment complements that make up the approach side of an abutment, and mate up nicely to their bridges and Viaducts. They're likely Japanese prototype, but it may be close enough to what you want. They are unpainted gray plastic.
Abutments are an easy scratch build project. Save your cash for the stuff you cannot build. You will not only save money but get more enjoyment out of your efforts.
That sounds like a good idea, scratch building the abutments. Except I don't know what I could use for the abutments. I'll ponder it for a few months and make my decision Hmm... that soon...?
I used "Chooch" abutments and piers for my 3 bridge span over the Housatonic River. This scene is only roughed in and is far from finished, but shows the piers and abutments in place. These are Kato single track through truss bridges. I took off the attached Kato abutments, plus I shortened the length of each span to better match my prototype. Once they were sufficiently weathered, I installed them, using white metal cast bridge shoes from MicroEngineering on the piers and abutments.
I used...Chooch Single Cut Stone Bridge Abutments. They look great and work just fine with Unitrack. https://shop.fiferhobby.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=15594 Fifer shows 0 in stock but if you contact them I am sure they can get you what you want. .
I think you have two bridge pier choices with Kato -- 23-017 and 23-047. The 23-047s are getting hard to find. I went with the Kato piers because the bridges easily snap into the piers, but as you see above, better alternatives exist. I'm just getting lazy. I chopped 3/8" out of the center of my Kato 23-047 piers to lessen my grades. Here's a comparison, which also shows how the bridges attach to the piers.
The grey pieces shown atop the piers are the attached abutment piece on the Kato bridge I referred to. Apparently they snap off easily (I've never tried).
I guess technically, they are only abutments if the bridge end is at ground level (more or less). Atop a pier, I'm not sure what they'd be called. They do match the outline of the other, Kato Unitrack piers (modern, pre-cast concrete piers, available in full height or inclined sets). Kato also has a gradual incline pier set that adds intermediate height piers that fit in between the standard incline set's piers.
Use sheet styrene over a wood core then paint it a concrete color. Works for abutments as well as piers.
The abutments on this pair of deck plate girder bridges were made from shaped wood blocks, which I covered with Plastruct random cut stone pieces, painted and weathered with pastel chalks. They very closely resemble the prototype.