# Alteration to my flyover.



## traveller1949 (Feb 7, 2011)

Hi Everyone,
I have a HO scale layout and included is a flyover which is actually a loop. This flyover goes over the top of several tracks including 2 main lines.
The flyover (for want of a better term) is a loop which of course comes back on itself and is made of 3/8" ply and painted a grey color to represent concrete colored girders. I find that the whole thing does not look realistic enough although the loop itself works and runs well. It would be hard to put bridges etc in for the flyover as there are just too many tracks underneath. Has anyone got any clues as to how I perhaps could reconstruct this flyover to look more realistic or perhaps what materials are available that I could use.


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

Best thing to do, is post pics if you can. Especially close ups of the area you're talking about. Would help to get an idea.

Carl


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Ditto .. pics of the rest of the layout will give us some sense of the level of realism that you're aiming for.

TJ


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

You've done something like this, right?



















...been longing for a solution myself, ultimately I think I'll be putting in something that looks like pre-cast concrete...but for now, 5 years on, except for the arch bridge, I'm still not happy with anything I've come up with


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## traveller1949 (Feb 7, 2011)

Thats right, it is something like yours only yours is far more realistic. I am going to try and put some pics of mine on..thanks


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Thank you for the kind words...the piers are just scraps of wood from my train cabinet project, I painted them and the roadbed with tan craft paint. The loop of track was from a previous Christmas setup...hating to waste good track, I carefully cut it out and mounted it on the piers. The bridge is a free hand cut with my then new jig saw and belt sander. It's actually quite strong and acts as a carrying point---an accident of design and not a stroke of genius...


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## traveller1949 (Feb 7, 2011)

Hi, I have just posted a couple of pics of the loop. Hope you can make it out ok.. Thankyou


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## traveller1949 (Feb 7, 2011)

Hi, I have just posted a couple of pics of my loop. Thankyou


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Traveller secure some strips of thin wood to the sides of the track bed on both sides about an inch or so highas far as you want to go. Add some narrow strips of wood to look like girder frames along the top and bottom and then some intermediate bracing at angles. Make it look like a bridge with sections coming together over the piers. Maybe use 1/8th panal board for the sides and balsa strips for the girders and bracing.Paint it all flat black and put the name of your railroad on in big letters for effect.
I'll post a picture of what I'm thinking about. Pete

Here's a link to a picture that should give you some ideas. 
https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/i...Cv8kgoUEXI4TF3-qlKlkSRnhpgg8ziHbmgKyEykc5VPlH


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## traveller1949 (Feb 7, 2011)

Thankyou very much for that info. What you suggested is certainly a way to go. the effects would certainly smarten up what I have.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

shaygetz said:


> Thank you for the kind words...the piers are just scraps of wood from my train cabinet project, I painted them and the roadbed with tan craft paint. The loop of track was from a previous Christmas setup...hating to waste good track, I carefully cut it out and mounted it on the piers. The bridge is a free hand cut with my then new jig saw and belt sander. It's actually quite strong and acts as a carrying point---an accident of design and not a stroke of genius...


You could have fooled me Bob. Looks great. What have you used for roadbed where the tracks are up off the table? pete


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

traveller1949 said:


> Hi Everyone,
> I have a HO scale layout and included is a flyover which is actually a loop. This flyover goes over the top of several tracks including 2 main lines.
> The flyover (for want of a better term) is a loop which of course comes back on itself and is made of 3/8" ply and painted a grey color to represent concrete colored girders. I find that the whole thing does not look realistic enough although the loop itself works and runs well. It would be hard to put bridges etc in for the flyover as there are just too many tracks underneath. Has anyone got any clues as to how I perhaps could reconstruct this flyover to look more realistic or perhaps what materials are available that I could use.


I'd like to see some more pictures of your layout traveller. Looks very interesting. pete


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

norgale said:


> You could have fooled me Bob. Looks great. What have you used for roadbed where the tracks are up off the table? pete


Thanks Pete...it's just standard cork road bed the track is sitting on, glued to the plywood below. It was mounted to a small rectangle that sat under the tree for Christmas, when I built the new loops, I was too frugal to throw perfectly good roadbed and track away, so I cut it out. Took just a moment to realize that it could be worked into the other, the rest is history...


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

Travler I too agree with norgale, more pics of your layout are needed! anyways I am assuming your from the euro part of the world?

anyways to help you out with some more pictuers of the various types of flyovers, which could be done any way you want honestly! you have a truss style, gurder style, wood, and others!!

this looks close to what your flyover looks like so far!










NOTE TO ADMIN: could you please resize the image or some how force it to resize, it seems like it won't go any smaller then its current size!!!

Done.

TJ


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## traveller1949 (Feb 7, 2011)

Hi, Will put some pics on in the morning. Thanks


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Ok it's mornnnningggggg. I see nooooooo pictures! Ha! Pete


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

You could make it look like an elevated line. These Micro Engineering kits are pretty versatile for making straight or curves bridges and with varying the clearance under the bridge as well (can eliminate cross-bracing and still have a strong structure.)

I would think that a double-track bridge would give you enough room for a wide-sweeping single-track like you have.


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## traveller1949 (Feb 7, 2011)

Sorry...Am from down under...lol.
Hope the pics are now on. Managed to up load a few. I model American railroads but not any particular one. The layout is my own design and not of any area either.
I have 2 lower tracks which are a continuous circuit and run underneath the main town which is on an upper level.
To get to the main town you come off the lower main tracks and rise up through a tunnel across a bridge and around the helix, through the main town and then continue on to the loop which is the overpass or flyover. The layout may be a bit hard to follow by just looking at a few pics.
I still have to install signaling and a couple of tracks into some industries.
Thanks everyone for all your help too. Much appreciated.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Traveller is it true that Australia confiscated all guns in the country and the crime rate went up 20%? Imagine that if it's true. I read that online and am just curious. Pete


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## traveller1949 (Feb 7, 2011)

Yes, they did confiscate all guns and now we just have more stabbings and why would criminals hand in there guns to be confiscated anyway. Never made sense to me.


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## traveller1949 (Feb 7, 2011)

I like this idea too...Looks great.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

traveller1949 said:


> Yes, they did confiscate all guns and now we just have more stabbings and why would criminals hand in there guns to be confiscated anyway. Never made sense to me.


Hard to believe that could happen in Aussie Land. The Australian Army has great fighters and I can't imagine after all the wars that the populace would allow that to happen. Cost $500 mil to get it done too. Is there a penalty for not turning in your gun? Pete


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

traveller1949 said:


> Sorry...Am from down under...lol.
> Hope the pics are now on. Managed to up load a few. I model American railroads but not any particular one. The layout is my own design and not of any area either.
> I have 2 lower tracks which are a continuous circuit and run underneath the main town which is on an upper level.
> To get to the main town you come off the lower main tracks and rise up through a tunnel across a bridge and around the helix, through the main town and then continue on to the loop which is the overpass or flyover. The layout may be a bit hard to follow by just looking at a few pics.
> ...


Very nice looking layout Traveller. I like the trainroom too. Is that a building separate from the house? Is it all metal? Lots of room in there and you've filled it up very well. Thanks for the pictures too. Pete


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## traveller1949 (Feb 7, 2011)

Hi Pete,
The layout is in a 9m x 6m shed separate from the house. Around 28' x 19' in your language. However the layout itself is in 6m x 6m of the shed. The shed is made of steel but the layout section is enclosed in insulation with the walls lined in plasterboard. Bob


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

very nice layout, what trains do you have from your area? I like to collect trains from all over the world, I mainly specialize in German (Deutsche Bahn) rail/trains and American rail power, but do want a bit from various other countries like Aussie land and Asian places possibly!

also if you ever want to I can send you some american power in exchange for some aussie power if you ever need more american power


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## traveller1949 (Feb 7, 2011)

New Berlin RR said:


> very nice layout, what trains do you have from your area? I like to collect trains from all over the world, I mainly specialize in German (Deutsche Bahn) rail/trains and American rail power, but do want a bit from various other countries like Aussie land and Asian places possibly!
> 
> also if you ever want to I can send you some american power in exchange for some aussie power if you ever need more american power


In Australia each state has there own locos and also gauges. The state of Queensland where I live chose the narrow gauge of 3'6". New South Wales is 4' 8 1/2". Victoria is 5' 3".
Not really ideal having all different gauges. Some of our locomotives are similar to the American locos but most are built over here.
We also have some long distance trains such as the Indian Pacific which travels from Sydney to Perth a distance of 4352 klms or 2462 miles. The Ghan travels from Adelaide in the south to Darwin in the north a distance of 2979 klms or 1846 miles.
Some train modelers here model Australian trains but they are considerably more expensive than modeling American. Maybe its because there is more choice in the American. If you google Queensland Locomotive or Victorian Locomotives you may get an idea of the type of locos in this country.
Bob


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