# Pratt truss bridge dio



## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Starting dio using a 150’ single track Pratt truss bridge. Weathering base now and then I will start on the ties.


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## 65steam (Dec 18, 2019)

It's looking good so far!


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## Bigfoot21075 (Aug 7, 2021)

Your weathering looks GREAT!


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

Very nice!


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Not enjoying this process and I have to make four of these🤬


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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

If you don't enjoy this, then why build this bridge?


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

bluenavigator said:


> If you don't enjoy this, then why build this bridge?


Just because I don’t like a certain portion of the build doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the entire build…this particular kit lacks detailed instructions which causes frustration…but once completed it will be a fabulous structure.


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

Looking good!


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

One more to go


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## LeopardArchModels (10 mo ago)

Some fine craftmanship!


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Keep up the pictures. I've always want to build the Central Valley 200' Parker Truss and use a Gauntlet track! Keep up the pictures and you weathering looks realistic.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

What a pain…glad that is over 😃


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Ahh yes... the bridge from hell


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

Now weathering time!


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

All done let dry then prime, paint and weather


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

A beautiful bridge! Mabey a few words on how the construction went? I need to get a set of 123 blocks, they look really useful.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Lemonhawk said:


> A beautiful bridge! Mabey a few words on how the construction went? I need to get a set of 123 blocks, they look really useful.


it’s a pain but worth it. The key is keeping the model square. Like instructed you need to make a jig to keep everything straight. You might want to invest in a miter box such as this one.









Test fit everything and plan on many hours of construction.


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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

Lemonhawk said:


> A beautiful bridge! Mabey a few words on how the construction went? I need to get a set of 123 blocks, they look really useful.


Same here! I am considering to buy 1-2-3 blocks, too. However, there are too many sites selling that which were made in China. I am more concerned about their quality of work.


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

I got these... Ultra Precision 1-2-3 Blocks, 5 threaded holes on each block to allow bolting to create a jig, perfect for quick check for square

No idea where they're made, but they are true.

Another very useful tool... Thin-Beam Square, Use for marking and cutting thin materials, The thin profile of the beam keeps the edge close to the material, mark strip stock as thin as 1/16 inch


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Started weathering


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Starting base…building up height of base…will have murky river with truss bridge overhead and a small roadway bridge crossing river. I will have a small cabin with pier and rowboat 🛶.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Doing some shaping…waiting on bridge abutments


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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

Nice! It would be stand alone layout? Or link to the main layout? Just curious of your plan on this mini-layout.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

I do not have a layout. I make dioramas.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Waiting on bridge abutments…Now I have to start designing roadway bridge


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Using flat car kit as auto bridge. Now to get some bridge abutments for the auto bridge.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Didn’t like the wood so I made some plaster abutments


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

I am so excited to see your progress, can't wait to see color in the valley and a babbling brook. I can see salmon jumping out of the water and swimming upstream already!!! Are you modeling the scene in your head or from a picture from printed literature? So exciting!!! 😀
Where did you get the vehicle bridge railing? ...from a slotcar track kit? The road planks came out nice too.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

The idea came from a photograph and the bridge railing is offered by Pikestuff.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Bridge abutments finally arrived…now to cut, paint and install


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Now I need to build up some foam around the abutments


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Tv


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## bluenavigator (Aug 30, 2015)

Nice WIP! Can't wait to see the final diorama!


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

Can you elaborate on what you used to cover the styrafoam... did you use Hydrocal? Plaster of Paris? As you know, white is so uniformed I am curious what you do to define rock from unmoved earth to graded terrian when molding the final terrian before paint. Or is it just "do it" and add or flatten as needed? Looks like you already have some tire ruts in the earth so it looks like you already have the plan in you mind. I have problems envisioning things when everything is the same color, especially white while working with hydrocal.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

I used Sculptamold. As for the terrain on this diorama, I will use a combination of grasses, bushes and trees along the hillsides and river embankments. The season I will be depicting will be late fall early winter. There will be no rock outcroppings. I still have to add a pier along the riverbank.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Placing trees. Still need to clean and straighten them. After that I will paint the trees. I will not be placing too much foliage if any since this diorama is set during late fall.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

My dear friend, you do have a vision!


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

👍


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Ok…I used my soldering iron to straighten the sea foam trees…then I submerged them for 30 plus seconds in a matte medium solution 1:7 ratio. Letting dry then paint and flock.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Looking nice. 
You ought to add words to your pictures, be nice to know how things were done, unless that is top secret. 
What did you use to make the bridge abutments in the one picture, the rock abutments for the bridge?


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Hello Big Ed…On page 2 I discussed how I made two roadway bridge abutments out of plaster. The block style bridge abutments were purchased through debenllc (Scale model masterpieces). They are specifically made for the Pratt truss bridge.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Finished painting the trees…I used matte black, brown and grey. I put a wash of driftwood on the trunk base. Now I just have to buy noch fall leaf colors.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Adding more trees…building pickup


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Adding leaves on ground with additional ground cover


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Going to place either a grader or a dozer within the trees


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Added some tread marks for the bulldozer


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Sprayed river bottom…waiting on some ducks and rowboat to put in the river. Once those arrive I will pour the resin.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## Raege (Jan 7, 2022)

Beautiful all the little details add up drawing me into the scene. Certainly set the bar high on what can be achieved.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Thank you…still a lot more to go 😊


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## Roundhouse Foreman (Jan 6, 2015)

Gifted, truly amazing sir!


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

]


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

still need to add a few more pieces of wire


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

I like the positions of the trucks and wagon you have in this post.

Magic


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

Looks like you are having a lot of FUN with the details!
Love the dirt clumps on the tracks.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

I really like these construction vehicles offered by GHQ. They have great detail. I am in the process of making the backhoe, bulldozer, road grader, two trailers and a front end loader. The road grader pictured above was a kit from Woodland Scenics.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Just waiting for some larger beakers to arrive so I can start pouring the resin for the river.


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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

Do you prefer resin for water, or do you use a variety of products for water? I'm going to be doing a fairly large river scene (Ohio River but with forced perspective), and right now I'm leaning toward Acrylic Gloss Medium as opposed to resin, simply because I don't think I can mix up enough resin to get a good pour. The space I'm doing is about 15" wide by 54" long. I figure about 1/8" deep on average (it's a flat surface with river banks on either side).

Just curious if you have had success with any product other than 2-part resins to do your water. By my calculations, I'm going to need a half gallon of product just for the first pour, before adding any water effects, if any.

Thanks for any advice you may have. I enjoy watching you create scenes.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

I like resin for small pours. A large one like yours you are probably better off using the acrylic medium. If you don’t know there is a man on you tube who goes by the name of boomer. He is a professional artist. He has great how to videos on a similar project as yours.


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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

Thanks! I'm now trying to determine if "gloss pouring medium" is as good a "acrylic gloss medium." The "pouring pouring" seems to be half the cost as "gloss medium." But the desription of the "pouring medium" says something like "reduced crazing."

Would you happen to know if the pouring medium is more prone to crazing than regular gloss medium? I'd like to have money, but not if it's going to increase the chances of my river getting cracks on the surface.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

I have never done that method before but if I was I would do it exactly like Boomer instructed. It looks fabulous and there are no long term problems he noted using his process.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Okay the only problem I see with these kits is that you have to buy multiples if you want to position the buckets and blades differently 😂. Other than that these kits are fabulous! I know what Santa is going to bring me😃


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Adding cabin


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## Raege (Jan 7, 2022)

Nice touch with the busted chair


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Finally poured resin. Let dry for three days and then I will put down the ripples.


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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)




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## 71596 (Feb 12, 2021)

Added ripples to one side


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## Roundhouse Foreman (Jan 6, 2015)

What amazing holiday things could you possibly have for us next Santa?

RHF


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