# Want to try a bridge project?



## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

I found this picture and think it wold be a great bridge to model.

1940's Utica, NY


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## old_toymaker (Nov 10, 2012)

*truss bridge*

It looks like a series of a design called a warren truss although there are a lot of other different truss styles. There is a lot of info online about the design and look like a lot of fun to make a model I am also going to try a double truss bridge for my O scale. Here are some other small truss bridges.
It shows how they can be combined.


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## I Am Fasha (Apr 2, 2013)

You two are braver than I.


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

oh no not me. I just put it up there if somebody else wanted to try a nice project. No way I could do something like that.


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

Looks like a great project. However, I got a BSEE so I didn't have to take statics and dynamics. :laugh:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Davidfd85 said:


> oh no not me. I just put it up there if somebody else wanted to try a nice project. No way I could do something like that.


Sure you can.

Have you ever seen this site?
I picked out the county that Utica's in, they do have a bunch of pictures from all over the states.

http://bridgehunter.com/ny/onondaga/

Do you know the street that the bridge is on in the picture?


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## old_toymaker (Nov 10, 2012)

*truss bridge*

The reason I jumped into this thread is because I have been working on a double track truss bridge, Its 39" long. and made of aluminum.








these are my latest acquisition. a williams PA and PB powered 

























I cheated on the bulk of the construction being a machinist/tool and die maker for almost 40yrs the program was rather easy for me to write and I cut the bridge out of scrape aluminum on a waterjet.
I still have to do a lot of detail work yet (add rivets and tie plates and the ends). 
does anyone have any comments suggestions or scrape it and start over?


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## I Am Fasha (Apr 2, 2013)

Looks pretty good to me :smilie_daumenpos:


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Scrap it and start over??? 
You gotta' be kiddin'........that sucker is a work of art!! :appl::smilie_auslachen:


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## old_toymaker (Nov 10, 2012)

*truss bridge*

Thanks but it still needs a little more detail


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

The bridge that is in the picture is long gone now replaced by a full concrete 4 lane one. Its located on N Geneese St, Utica. Its right next to the Amtrack passenger station.


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## apoc444 (Jan 28, 2013)

nice job man


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## I Am Fasha (Apr 2, 2013)

I agree, but that will come. How will you add the rivets? Decals?


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## old_toymaker (Nov 10, 2012)

*truss bridge*

When i was into RC airplanes I would use a fine artist brush and just put a small drop of paint where the rivets should go, Its slow and tedious but the small drop forms a half ball on the surface and after it drys it looks very much like a rivet head, slightly raised off the surface. I don't have the planes anymore but when I start on the bridge I will post pics but that won't be for awhile I still have to put together a layout. Would be open to suggestions if anyone has a simpler way of doing it.


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## I Am Fasha (Apr 2, 2013)

That does seem like a lot of work, esp on a project this size. The reason I asked about decals, and one that you may want to look into, esp to save time.

I saw these advertized in MicroMarks catalog a while back:

http://www.micromark.com/ho-scale-decals-with-raised-3d-rivets-and-other-surface-details,9968.html


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## old_toymaker (Nov 10, 2012)

Wow that looks great I never saw them before I noticed they have them in O scale too I will definitely give those a try looks like it could make the job go a lot quicker Thanks.
This is truly a great site with a lot of very nice and very helpful people again thank you


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## I Am Fasha (Apr 2, 2013)

:smilie_daumenpos:


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## gator do 65 (Jan 27, 2014)

Ok I'll jump in I built this truss in about four hours its a mix of basswood and balsa the hard part was finding 52" of flat area to build it! Sorry I don't have full pics of it


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## old_toymaker (Nov 10, 2012)

that looks great and only four hours, It took that long to come up with a program for mine. I did mine out of aluminum because I didn't know if bass wood would support the weight of my engines over a 39 inch span, did you have to add any support to yours?


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## gator do 65 (Jan 27, 2014)

Toy Maker,
That four hours was build time only no dry time! I just kinda designed on fly with what I had on hand! 
Being its no longer on the layout ( it got blown up ) I recycled it into the current girder on the layout! 

To answer your question I believe in the pic it does show a support it was cosmetic due to scale span was insane even for freelance!


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## I Am Fasha (Apr 2, 2013)

Good looking bridge Gator


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## gator do 65 (Jan 27, 2014)

Thanks Fasha


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## old_toymaker (Nov 10, 2012)

was still a fantastic looking bridge, might have looked really nice on an outdoor layout.


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## gator do 65 (Jan 27, 2014)

Toy Maker,

You must have seen the demo post, after having it up and running I found a serious design flaw at 48" long it was almost impossible to clean with all the super structure in the way I couldn't access from the top and location prevented access from the ends! ( no track cleaning car ) 
Its now been rebuilt as a girder, much easier to clean!!
I still have a small section I might use?


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