Bridges in the garden - some ideas needed.

[stockers]

i intend to get back to developing the extension in 2015 (my resolution!)
I will need several significant bridges and for variety and interest they will probably be of different types.
To inspire me to move forward and to give me practical ideas i would appreciate some pictures of interesting bridge - real or model.
I`ll stick in a few that I have already found.

 

[Rhinochugger]

The issue with structures like bridges, is that in G scale they have to do two things:

Firstly they have to look realistic - in other words, appear as if they are structurally sound (being in the trade, you`ll understand that bit)

Secondly, they actually have to do some work - G scale trains involve a fair bit of weight.

I settled for the impressionist take - a bridge that worked, looked structurally capable, but was devoid of scale detail.

Made out of aluminium sections for greenhouses 

 

[gregh]

I`m sure you`ll find plenty of pics on the web of bridges you`d like to build.  But in the interests of prototypical representation (and the laws of physics) I put together this list of the different types of bridges and the span lengths that can be used. (note I haven`t included masonary viaducts of steel arches. Masonary arches can be from 6 to 20m diameter.  )



Here`s a link to pics of all my bridges:

http://www.trainweb.org/SaTR/BridgesGall.htm

 

[trammayo]

Most of my bridges look like something but are built to suit a need;-

Pallet wood and 18g nailer brads. Been outside for 7 or 8 years....



Scrap iron (old bed frame found in hedge bottom .....



Railings made from Soffit vent strip, arch uPVC fascia cut off, ply deck, and scrap wood (for rest of arch and boxes for bridge abutments ....



And the big one - 11ft swing bridge made from new 25x25x0.5 galv angle bead (dry wall material) plus 25mm square box for support frame....



Plus I have a concrete viaduct and a single arch bridge - made from modular concrete castings.

Largest investment was time.

 

[trammayo]

the concrete bridges.....





and another, mainy scrap wood (apart from the 9ft longitudinal pieces), based on the Connel Ferry bridge, just cut and nailed up with nail gun....

 

[dunnyrail]

My new line has some, on my old line I made one up out of Meccano. It lasted 10 years and was still functional when I moved here. Sadly it did not find a use in my new line but parts of it are in use on the first picture. Just some 8x2 Wood with the Mecanno Sides to represent a Bridge. The others have been talked about on my new line.





Next is my Large Steel Bridge that was advertised and bought from this Forum.





Here is a rather nice Bridge that I photed on the Little Yellow Train in the south of France this year. So similar to my Green one.



Finally my Extruded Ally and Pop Rivet Construction. A friend has nicknamed this one `Belah Viaduct`



Hope and the other guys pics these give you some idea`s.
JonD

 

[Beddhist]

Something a little different:

 

[Rhinochugger]

Well, you've got a bit to go on there, Alan

 

[mike]

we likes bridges we do..

 

[Doug]

One cheap way of making bridges is plastic gully sections for making gullys in driveways. A trip to a friendly builders merchants will produce about 10 different types! Cost is around £20 for a metre length. They will take my weight so could be used as they are or you could add cut up square downpipe for walls to keep the trains from falling off.

 

[Robert Howard]

Oooo those plastic drainage channels look like a good source of raw materials. Couple of plans forming.

Roll on spring

 

[Philbahn]

Mine is 12feet long 30inch high and cast on site.
350 kilos of concrete!
Was going to be embosed with brick , but was too expensive.
18mm mdf to form the shutter, made out of two sheets and produced on a CNC router.
"windows " made by using "bendy" plywood,
No rebar because it is all under compression. no frost proofer.
Just a length of plastic conduit for cable

 

[ge_rik]

My model of the original Southwold Railway Swing Bridge was constructed using uPVC trim and cost under £20. I used the method first described on GSM by Rod Hayward - http://www.smegworld.org.uk/spaf/gb/gb.htm



Videostory showing how I did it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82xsv3obxwo

Rik

PS - Interesting - looks like embedded videos are back by default

 

[Andrew Foster]

My approach to bridges is that they are small working structures, because true scale models don't work in the garden: partly because they would be too delicate, and partly because if you stand back a few yards, then you can't see the detail anyway. Understanding the environment is essential. One customer asked what would happen if a moose trod on his bridge, and I had to tell him that the warranty stopped just short of that. That was where a good, rugged steel bridge was needed. High winds can do damage, so proper footings and holding-down bolts are important. Washouts affect model bridges the same as full size ones, so good storm water management has to be part of the installation design. Corrosion protection and mould resistance are important, so the choice of materials always matters. The basic rule is that this is real railway engineering, and the same things happen to our bridges as happen to the full size ones - sometimes worse, because the animals are proportionately bigger.

 

[viaEstrecha]

And the humble arched bridge - two offcuts of fence post, topped by marine ply and roofing felt, scribed plastic sides and arch, plus electrical conduit for the parapet, finished in masonry paint.

 

[peterbunce]

Hi,

Perhaps a truss bridge?

2 attachments of the bridge are attached; one of the side panel and one of the complete bridge.

 

The bridge is 4 foot long - any longer and you cannot clean the teack.



Yours Peter

 

[Nodrog1826]

I made mine out of a combination of uPVC sections from a neighbours conservatory that collapsed a few winters ago, cable trunking, stud bar, wood, recycled ridge tiles with concrete infill.

Photos explain it better, I hope.















To me it has the look of modern pre cast concrete beams on old abutments, and that is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

 

[The Devonian]

Oooo those plastic drainage channels look like a good source of raw materials. Couple of plans forming.

Roll on spring

Construction of my railroad, some nine years ago, meant that a bridge was needed to span a path which runs the length of the back garden. There is a slight fall in elevation in the garden meaning the bridge would adjoin embankments on both of its approaches. This path. taking the appearance of a road, solved the 'dam' effect that results from embankments without a break.
I had a metal drainage channel, about 4" square with a low relief channel at its top. This channel ideally takes 45mm. track but would take gravel, or similar, when installed in a driveway.
I found the metal to have distinct advantages - over plastics or timber - in that the box section resonates when a train passes over and being of sound construction does not move easily and is treated with caution by those who have to pass over it. It has the appearance of many overbridges found in the USA.
The bridge is, therefore, quite simple - cost nothing - and is friendly to other garden users.