Okay, while the plaster and glue is drying on the other bridge,figured I would get a start on this one. I never really liked deck girder bridges, but when I saw this one, I really liked it. It's got alot of character with the concrete segments on the ends, and the big concrete piers that are perched atop the steel pipes.
Here is one of the transition piers for the concrete to girder transitions. The little steel pipes holding this whole thing up just don't seem like a good idea to me. Notice the channel iron from pipe to pipe near the water.
Another part I am looking forward to modeling is the old pilings left from the original trestle:
I am wondering about the concrete octagons laying on the bank. They are the same size and shape as the concrete pilings, but in distinct sections - these aren't just broken pieces. Surely the pilings being used aren't made of these short segments bonded together? I can't see any obvious lines on the real pilings which would indicate that. So the question is, why are these short segments here?
Okay: Spent some time last night getting started. Took a Central Valley 72 foot Thru-girder bridge I had on hand and spliced the girders together to make the length close to the prototype at nearly 90 feet. Also modified the ends to get rid of the curves on the CV kit. Then built up the transition supports from sheet styrene, and made the concrete segments from sheet and strip.
They don't make octagonal shaped styrene in a big enough size for the columns, so I'll take some .250 square styrene and shave the corners down. Not sure how to do that accurately, but will figure out something. Here's a photo of the pieces set together to see how she is looking:
Gary, someone has to stop you doing this again and again! This is getting addictive! Well, I am not talking about you , it is me that is getting addictied to watching you build these beauties. You new project looks like it is very interesting to build and again, your speed is overwhelming. I am expecting nothing less than another masterpiece!
What'd you have. Bridge gnomes coming in at night and building these for you?
I think the short segments might be the pilings. If you look closely, you can see the seperation lines in your picture. Even the closest one next to the water you can see the line of seperation.
Torrington, Ct.
NARA Member #87
I went to my Happy Place, but it was closed for renovations.
Gary S Wrote:I am wondering about the concrete octagons laying on the bank. They are the same size and shape as the concrete pilings, but in distinct sections - these aren't just broken pieces. Surely the pilings being used aren't made of these short segments bonded together? I can't see any obvious lines on the real pilings which would indicate that. So the question is, why are these short segments here?
If the concrete pilings are actually Pile-Driven, then they would have to be cut down to proper length once they are installed.
By looking at the concrete octagons laying on the bank, you can see that one end is nice and square as cast and the other end is chipped and broken. It looks like they used jack-hammers to cut the pilings to length.
Even if the pilings are not Pile-Driven, they are pre-cast and then set into drilled holes. Then cut to length.
cnw1961 Wrote:Gary, someone has to stop you doing this again and again...
The scary thing is the space he has available. That will go on for month... (at least). And did you see the free space on his property? How many additional model railroad buildings might fit?
eightyeightfan1 Wrote:What'd you have. Brridge knomes coming in at night and building these for you?
I think the short segments might be the pilings. If you look closely, you can see the seperation lines in you picture. Even tn closest one next to the water you can see the line of seperation.
More likely that the lines are from the mold that the pilings were cast in...
88, my first thought was what you said, but then I had to wonder how the segments would have been bonded together. There aren't any holes or any other visible means of attaching them together. I think TinGoat nailed it. The pile driver probably drives them in until a certain pressure is reached, or until the things aren't going down any further, then they have to cut them off.
On the cut-off segments, the reinforcing steel isn't rebar, it looked more like large cable that was cut off with a torch. These were located only around the outer perimeter of the column.
I always enjoy sharing these builds with you guys, and I always appreciate the input and comments. After this, there is only one other bridge to be done, so the builds will come to an end, then it will be structures and scenery.
Again, I always look forward to the comments you guys give me!
Concernng modeling the octagonal columns, I just finished cutting the corners off of some .250 square styrene. Used the table saw with the blade retracted almost all the way, then carefully pushed the styrene perpendicularly across the blade. It leaves a rough cut, but then scraping it with a hobby knife is cleaning it up pretty good.
faraway Wrote:The scary thing is the space he has available. That will go on for month... (at least). And did you see the free space on his property? How many additional model railroad buildings might fit?
Reinhard, the scary thing is that last night I dreamed I was knocking the back wall out of the building to add on for more space. Yeah, that is CRAZY!
Why is there a deck girder in the middle? There is more vertical clearance on the side segments. Is the waterway used for any boating? Why not continue the piles all the way across?
David Moderato ma non troppo
Perth & Exeter Railway Company
Esquesing & Chinguacousy Radial Railway In model railroading, there are between six and two hundred ways of performing a given task.
Most modellers can get two of them to work.
Bruce, I still have a long ways to go on this one. Have to finish the concrete pilings and supports, theend abutments, and then cut into the layout benchwork to make room for it.
David, this bayou would see only recreational boating traffic, and not much of that. I'm certain that in the past, there was small barge traffic, but no longer. I guess that they went with the girder so they wouldn't have to drive pilings in the deep portion of the bayou.
Oh... the waterway is called Brays Bayou. I suppose this waterway would be called a river in most places, but not here. Now, the Houston area does have rivers too, but that name is reserved for long waterways that originate many miles from the Gulf. Anything that starts in the Houston area is a bayou. And the pronunciation is "by - yo".
Gary S Wrote:... Anything that starts in the Houston area is a bayou. And the pronunciation is "by - yo".
My understanding is a bayou is man made. it is some kind of a canal. Bayou is the southern states word for canal. Louisiana is full of them and "some" of them do not originate in Houston (but we may change that...)
Gary S Wrote:... Anything that starts in the Houston area is a bayou. And the pronunciation is "by - yo".
My understanding is a bayou is man made. it is some kind of a canal. Bayou is the southern states word for canal.
Agreed. These waterways existed naturally long ago, but over the course of time they have been managed, widened, deepened, and maintained by various flood control districts and the Corp of Engineers.
faraway Wrote:Louisiana is full of them and "some" of them do not originate in Houston (but we may change that...)
I think Louisiana uses the term "bayou" much more liberally. It also replaces the terms "stream", "creek" and "small river" regardless whether man did any rerouting or manipulating. And many of the folks down on the bayou pronounce it "by u".
Gary S Wrote:David, this bayou would see only recreational boating traffic, and not much of that. I'm certain that in the past, there was small barge traffic, but no longer. I guess that they went with the girder so they wouldn't have to drive pilings in the deep portion of the bayou.
There is also the possibility that the girder bridge/concrete and steel supports,are original and only the wood trestle was replaced. That would explain why no concrete pilings under the bridge, and why the octagonal pilings had to be cut. The cables, vice rebar, would indicate the octagonal pilings are prestressed. These are cast in one length, and excess is cut off at the construction site, and the concrete cross member cast over and around the cut tops, in the same manner as with the steel pipes.
The hardest part of this project will be reproducing all that graffiti.........then again, you did get all the rust spots on the first bridge.
We always learn far more from our own mistakes, than we will ever learn from another's advice.
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!
Well, I am not talking about you 
, it is me that is getting addictied to watching you build these beauties. You new project looks like it is very interesting to build and again, your speed is overwhelming. I am expecting nothing less than another masterpiece! 
