Gary S' 2010 Summer Challenge - Bridge

[Gary S]

Hey Kevin - Yep, that is EasySand 20 being used as the water. Thin layers will dry in 20 minutes. Thicker layers take longer - quite a bit longer. You can help it along with a hair dryer. You'll still have to sand it, and I did get a few air bubles in it, so had to refill them. I don't think it is as strong as plaster, but that may be a good thing in some cases, for example, I used a hobby knife to cut the rectangular holes for the bent footers.

[Drew]

I was wondering about the “Easysand” also…is it like a joint compound, or more like a molding plaster?

Btw….I really like what you did with the drain pipe! What did you use? Is that electric conduit pipe?

…Is that Hendrix I see on the wall behind you? I assume you are rock 'n roll and rhythm and blues?…

Yeah…there’s one that looks vaguely like Hendrix, & another that looks vaguely like Janis Joplin, so I’m guessing that they’re all musicians who’ve passed on…???
One of my daughters took that picture…We were playing at this little dive bar here in Louisville called Air Devils Inn, & yes we play blues, R&B, a little country, a little funk, maybe even a little jazz, & a lot of rock ‘n roll!

[Gary S]

Drew, EasySand is a drywall finishing mud that comes as a powder, mix it with water, there ya go. The difference from the pre-mixed stuff is the drying time. Whereas the pre-mixed stuff takes several hours or even days to dry, they make this with quicker drying times - 20, 45, 90 minutes. Of course, those times are for thin layers.

The drain pipes are 1/2" electrical metallic tubing. I would have rather used styrene tubing, but didn't have any of the right size. So, I looked around in the junk pile, and found that the conduit was just the right size.

Must be fun and gratifying to play in a band. I do hack away at a Stratocaster on occasion, but when I say hack, I mean hack! never took the time to get any good.

[Gary S]

Well, made satisfactory progress today. The water is smooth and flat and level, got the drain pipes in, put more weathering dust on the slabs by the aisle, and put a primer coat of paint on the water. Need to mix some paint to match the real thing though. Tomorow, will do another few coats of paint on the water, then the water-based glossy varnish. Then the bridge will be set in place. After that, tie the layout and roadbed into the bridge abutments, and put the track on.

Hmmm.... probably won't be able to run a train across it this weekend, but maybe next weekend?

Here's where it is now:

   

And a pic of the real bridge, mainly to show the water color I need to match:

   

And my secret weapon.....

   

[Gary S]

A little progress today. Filled in around the bent footings in the water, will put another coat of paint on that shortly. Drilled holes in the bridge for the feeder wires and am pulling them in. Will glue the track down in a little while too.

   

[nachoman]

Why are you adding feeder wires to the bridge? Are you making it so it is easily removable?

[Gary S]

The power district that feeds the bridge ends just on the right side of the bridge. I could just feed the bridge track through the joiners to the track on the left, but the bridge is over 3 feet long meaning I would be relying on two sets of joiners to power the right end of the bridge. So I decided to run wires into the bridge and feed the track closer to the middle. Now certainly, the soldered rail joners would have been enough, but I am just being anal about the wiring. Every track section on the layout, well, almost every track section, has a feeder.

[Gary S]

Got alot done today but not many on-going progress photos. Here are some current photos:

First, an overall shot:

   

And a "down the side" shot:

   

An "under" shot:

   

And a pic of the left end of the real bridge:

   

And the left end of the model. I notice that I need to change the angle of the vertical post. Still have to add all the ballast and dirt - and that brings up a new question I will address in the next post. Just noticed that the slab in the photo needs more black on it.

   

[nachoman]

I'm having a difficult time telling which photos are prototype and which are model

[Gary S]

Since this is a structure contest and not a diorama contest, I'm not going to do any scenery around the bridge for now. I do feel that the ballast is a part of the structure, likewise with the concrete slabs and water below. Any body got other thoughts on that?

[Gary S]

Thanks Kevin! I have to tell you that I am pretty satisfied with this at the moment.

Still have to put the polyurethane on the water, ballast as mentioned above, add the railings, and whatever other details need to be done - and then run a train across it!

[cn nutbar]

Take a bow Gary---you deserve it ---can't wait to see your first train crossing picture

[P5se Camelback]

I'm having a difficult time telling which photos are prototype and which are model

Uh ... scroll up ... scroll down ... scroll up ... scroll down ... scroll up ... scroll down ... scroll up ... scroll down ... scroll up ... scroll down ...

Aha! The prototype one appears to have some sort of sign on a slightly angled post just off the left hand end ... other then that ...

... scroll up ... scroll down ... scroll up ... scroll down ... scroll up ... scroll down ... scroll up ... scroll down ... :?

[mountaingoatgreg]

Gary,

That is amazing!!!

:jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:

[eightyeightfan1]

---can't wait to see your first train crossing picture

Niether can I...How about it Gary? Even just posed so we all can drool over it?