# Beginner Q& A



## Billy 2 Wolves (May 22, 2018)

Using HO scale. What material is best to scratch build bridges and/or tressels?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Most hobby shops have a variety of balsa and
plastic materials in HO scale. There are various
types of girders and beams in plastic; ladders,
steps and many other shapes. They have a number
of different sidings, including brick, as well as windows,
doors and other building materials.

If you plan scratch building do visit a hobby store
and check the materials available.

You can also see these items on line at Walther's
and other on line retailers including Micro Mark.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Billy 2 Wolves said:


> Using HO scale. What material is best to scratch build bridges and/or tressels?


"Best" is a term that is best forgotten as soon as possible in the context of model railroading. Every hobbyist has his own preferences that are right for him, but not necessarily for anyone else.

As Don says, you have lots of options.

So called "stripwood" (basswood or balsa) is one. Since it is already wood, you don't have to work too hard to make it look like wood. It's tougher to make this look like metal, though.

Steel bridges can be built from stripwood, or from styrene or brass shapes. Brass is tough to make look like wood, but styrene isn't too tricky to do. Brass also generally requires soldering, which may not be your thing.

A good variety of brass, styrene, and stripwood parts can be found at a decent hobby store, and the options that can be found online are huge.

If you're more particular, you can look into making your own molds and casting your own parts of resin or white metal (you can cast plaster too, but it's dicey for something as thin as truss work).

And finally, for the tech savvy among us, 3D printing is becoming a more and more accessible, either with your own printer or a commercially-printed item that you designed. Several companies also offer copies of things others have designed for sale, though I have yet to find any bridge parts on those lists.

The choice is yours -- experiment with different techniques and use the one (or ones) that work best for you.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

For trestles, I use basswood strips and stain from Micro-Mark.

https://www.micromark.com/hobby-supplies/wood

https://www.micromark.com/Railroad-Tie-Bridge-Stain-3-1-2-fl-oz-_2


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

http://www.cvmw.com/ Besides realistic steel bridge kits they have all the steel beams separately. Also will give you some ideas on what to build!


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Bridges & Trestles*



Billy 2 Wolves said:


> Using HO scale. What material is best to scratch build bridges and/or tressels?


Billy 2 Wolves;

The modeling material depends on what real material you want to represent. As Don and CTV have pointed out, you have a choice of wood, plastic, or brass. The other option suggested was specialty bridge beam commercial shapes like those from Central Valley or Micro Engineering. The photos below show some of the bridges on my layout. The big steel trestle was kitbashed from several Micro Engineering plastic kits. The other bridges, and the wood coal dump trestle are all scratchbuilt from bass wood.

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

I have also seen some amazingly realistic bridges built from card stock! I know most of the bridges here were from card stock
https://www.suncoastmrrc.com/slideshow.htm
Especially the red one with the stone entrance portals!


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## Billy 2 Wolves (May 22, 2018)

Thanks everybody. Gave me a lot of info & a lot on which to ponder


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