# Elevated lines, picture and how to's please



## rboatertoo (Aug 5, 2015)

After seeing pictures of elevated lines and that I  need for more room, I decided that's my next project. If you can post pictures and explain how you made them or where you purchased them, I will be in your debt. 

My table height is 46" and I have some wall through areas so I am looking for maybe a 24 inch height. I am 6'2" and I don't' want to duck to much. Height suggestions are welcomed, like that is to high or too low.


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## Guest (Nov 4, 2015)

You have recently seen our elevated track system, Jim. It is very simple construction using 2" wood dowels and 1/2" plywood for the decking. The sides are 2" flexible wood strips with matchsticks painted flat black.

I decided to make the height 10" that allows you not to obstruct the view below. After 9 years of experience, I would not change this and use the same inexpensive system again.

View attachment 97050


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## Wood (Jun 9, 2015)

Good morning Jim, I used a system developed by Jim Robinson called Bridgeboss. It is an "Erector Toys" like project. Jim helps you design the project, he is very helpful, he compiles the components and then sends them to you. You prep the components and assemble, then glue together with Gorilla super glue. I choose this system because I wanted the trestle to look realistic and would elevate from ground level to the appropriate heights. My trestle is double track and 25' long. There are several videos that support the system and help you make good choices on how to snicker the pieces and build every thing. 

You can check it out here: http://www.bridgeboss.com/


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## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

I had elevated tracks using the Lionel parts and took it down. 

My table is 23" from the floor and my audience is 18 months on up. I sat at their level and couldn't see 1/2 of my layout as the elevated sections blocked the view.

I then went way up. 

My ceiling loop has 2 tracks


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## Guest (Nov 5, 2015)

Wood, love your photos and I agree, Jim (Bridgeboss) does a fantastic job.


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## Wood (Jun 9, 2015)

Jim, One more comment on Bridgeboss. You do not have to glue the parts together. They will lock in place so in the event you want to take it all down someday and move it, that can happen.


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## rboatertoo (Aug 5, 2015)

Wood said:


> Jim, One more comment on Bridgeboss. You do not have to glue the parts together. They will lock in place so in the event you want to take it all down someday and move it, that can happen.


LOL, I have changed the layout 4 times in the last year!!!!


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## JDaddy (Jun 8, 2011)

*Highline*

Here are some shots moved to this thread. 
I scratch built my elevated truss bridge, which is the "highline" on my layout. Its double tracked, the bridge base is constructed of 1x3's ripped down to about 1 1/4 inches. The cross braces are artist plywood 1/16 inch thick mitered and notched and spaced onto the bridge truss every 10 inches.
The supports are 1/4 x1/4 inch bass wood. I sanded and painted everything black. The lattice details and truss ribs will be added later, with some rust weathering.


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## rboatertoo (Aug 5, 2015)

Thanks Jdaddy! Question: I under stand the 1 x 3 ripped for the sides, is there plywood on top of the the ripped 1 x 3? Do you have a photo of the underside of truss system?


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## Ricky Tanner (Sep 19, 2015)

JDaddy-Excactly what I want to do! Thanks for sharing!


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## rboatertoo (Aug 5, 2015)

Jdaddy: another question, how high is track?


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## Yellowstone Special (Jun 23, 2015)

Wow, fine work on your elevated track systems, guys. Makes me want to redo mine so it doesn't look so much like child's play. Thanks for the ideas. :thumbsup:


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## Chugman (Jun 17, 2015)

Some beautiful examples of elevated lines. There is a lot of talent represented here.

Art


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## Wood (Jun 9, 2015)

JDaddy, That is very nicely done. It appears you have two different structures. One with 1/6" in ply as the track support and the other with some very nice 90 degree cross supports. Would you explain that cross support structure? Thanks


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## Guest (Nov 5, 2015)

John, extremely nice elevated track system. Thanks for all of the photos.


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## JDaddy (Jun 8, 2011)

The structure is all the same, the highline is 7.5 inches above the low line,

The straights are easy, they are the just the 1x3 ripped to the rail width. the curves are not so. They are mitered on and angle about 4 to 6 degrees on each end. 

The cross supports if you picture a notch on the cross support and a matching one on the bridge base, they lock like a puzzle piece. Very strong.

I copied it off an american flyer card board piers that I used to play with when I was a kid.

Each support leg has a base made from 1/4 inch plywood that is sanded and painted a concrete color... The detail are not on yet but I will add them while I am running trains.

Note that i built the "first long structure and then disasembled and painted... big mistake.

The second double S curve I painted each piece then glued in place...much easier.


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## JDaddy (Jun 8, 2011)

So the sketch above was a early concept but I found the cross supports would be stronger if I doubled them up and made the vertical legs in between them...

Any one remember these? I guess I am dating myself. I used these on my American Flyer trains when I set them up on the floor.


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## CincinnatiWestern (Jun 16, 2015)

JDaddy

WOW, this looks great!

Thanks for sharing so much detail with regards with how-to do this, it's fantastic.

All the best,
Jason


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## Wood (Jun 9, 2015)

Thank you for fleshing that out. I was looking at the shadow on the length support and misread the structure thinking there were two designs. It looks so nice and really not that complicated. Maybe lots of cutting, but that makes for a lot of satisfaction in scratch building. 

I got lucky and weathered mine before I put it all together. Your weathering looks awesome. Nice job.


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## Firewood (Nov 5, 2015)

Thanks for all the great pics and ideas, guys. Great subject!


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## rboatertoo (Aug 5, 2015)

Thanks JDADDY!!!! for all of the pictures and drawings. I like your plans, in my case it's may be a work in process for a while. My train room is in the attic space over the garage and I have to deal with angled ceilings. The back wall of the table angles up, and my table length changes from a length of 16' to 8'. Plus along the back wall I want to be at a minimum height and elevate to about 20" on the outside of the layout. 

I have attached a "rough" drawing. The dark line is purposed the elevated track.


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## Chugman (Jun 17, 2015)

Jim one of the fellows that is usually at the DuPage show has a fabulous layout with an extended el system running over it. His layout is a model of downtown Chicago. We can show you pictures of it on Sunday. 

On my layout my upper track is 8 inches above the lower level. We decided on that so we could get our hands under it to rerail cars and etc. I have two interchange tracks that connect the upper level to the main level and I didn't want to get it too high or it would hard to impossible to maintain not more than a 2% grade. I am happy with that ecision so far.

Art


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## Caen Hill Locks (Oct 30, 2015)

Wood said:


> Good morning Jim, I used a system developed by Jim Robinson called Bridgeboss. It is an "Erector Toys" like project. Jim helps you design the project, he is very helpful, he compiles the components and then sends them to you. You prep the components and assemble, then glue together with Gorilla super glue. I choose this system because I wanted the trestle to look realistic and would elevate from ground level to the appropriate heights. My trestle is double track and 25' long. There are several videos that support the system and help you make good choices on how to snicker the pieces and build every thing.
> 
> You can check it out here: http://www.bridgeboss.com/
> 
> ...


Wow, those under-the-trestle shots look fantastic!


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## Caen Hill Locks (Oct 30, 2015)

Chugman said:


> Jim one of the fellows that is usually at the DuPage show has a fabulous layout with an extended el system running over it. His layout is a model of downtown Chicago. We can show you pictures of it on Sunday.


Sounds interesting. Have folks seen the layout at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago? It includes a partial model of Chicago's Loop.


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## rboatertoo (Aug 5, 2015)

I haven't seen it since they switch scales. But I do remember Wabash avenue from when I used to work downtown. 
Another place to visit!!!


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