# Scratch bilt trestle bridges



## Driveline

Does anyone ,or has anyone built there own trestle bridges,.Iwould like to build a few stright and a couple curives but Iam not the best design scale builder,.If anyone has a scale plan or knowes someone that I could get a copy of a plain from please let me know.
Thanks Ray.


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## T-Man

Here are three examples in N scale. 
A classic pile setup is the A frame. One center post, two leaning, a cross in the center, and the top cross that supports the train.










18 inch by 18 inch beam is about 3/16 inch to 1/87 cale
More examples.
http://www.hobbylinc.com/prods/uv_jvm.htm


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## Driveline

Thanks, T Man ,Idid see the trestles made by J V and they are what I want to build for my layout,.I would like to try my hand at scratch building the trestles first .One has to take it all a part to measure it all and then build it up. Thanks ray


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## AyTrane

Each series of supports are called bents. I would recommend at least two vertical beams, and two angled beams for your trestle, these will form your bent. At the top and bottom of the vertical beams you have what are called chords, or ledgers. The pieces that connect everything diagonally are called links.

Here is a nice site that gives you step by step instructions on how to build bents, and put them together in a trestle. Or you can get ideas and build your own. Here is a curved trestle I've built. I'm not done with it yet, but you get the idea.



































I chose to hang the trestle before building the scenery. This proved to be both good and bad. As you can see I got plaster all over my bridge when I was adding scenery, but it comes off very easy with a toothbrush. The good side is that I could build a bridge a lot easier and cleaner looking this way. I made a stencil on paper that allowed me to mass produce the pieces in six hours.

I had to build some bridges across my doorways so I came up with a double platform truss. Build one level at a time, and combine the two. Then meet your track appropriately. These bridges are lift out to allow for walking. I'll have to load them later.


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## Driveline

AyTrane Thanks for the reply this is what I would like to build . You have done a great engineering job on yours ,you must have some experience in doing layouts ,. Again thanks . could you show more pictures of your layout also what are you modeling ,year and line. 


Thanks Ray


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## Driveline

The step by step site , you forgot to include in the post .also can you pm me your stencle so I can do the same. 
Thanks Ray


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## AyTrane

http://www.blackbearcc.com/trestlebuilding_barrett.pdf

Is it working now?


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## Driveline

Thanks all is good ,have a great day, Ray


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## Southern

AyTrane said:


> http://www.blackbearcc.com/trestlebuilding_barrett.pdf
> 
> Is it working now?


 
Thanks for that pdf. file. I am planing to build a curved trestle


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## T-Man

I found this example in the gallery. A B&M creation.:thumbsup:


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## Driveline

Thanks T Man , That looks great ,I have not started yet to build but have gathered a lot of visuals ,and with what everyone here on site have put forwarded has been great . I have ordered a tool for building from bear. Thanks to all for valued input.

Ray


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## Boston&Maine

Driveline said:


> Thanks T Man , That looks great ,I have not started yet to build but have gathered a lot of visuals ,and with what everyone here on site have put forwarded has been great . I have ordered a tool for building from bear. Thanks to all for valued input.
> 
> Ray


I do not know if you have seen these, but I have a few more shots of that trestle here: http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showpost.php?p=4642&postcount=10


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## Southern

here is the one that I am building. 










I still have to add some more supports under it. Then make some foam hills to get that ugly thing out of sight. The track to the right of the truss bridge will be climbing a hill. The left side is where I want to scratch build a curved trestle.

There are more pics in the Galley


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