Scratch building detailed bridge track

[Engfanuk]

Hi guys I could do with your thoughts or advice. As I live in the UK US track supplies are somewhat difficult. I chose ME code 70 and brought back supplies on a vacation in Orlando last year. Now I have decided I do want a through girder bridge on the layout so I am trying to decide what to do for bridge track. If it were inexpensive to get hold of ME code 70 bridge track in the UK I would go that route but as it isn't I'm considering scratch building.

Here's the plan. Buy a Central Valley through girder bridge. Strip code 70 rail from some flex track and apply to the bridge ties supplied with CV bridge kits. Then I need guard rail including the angle sections. As I understand it's usual to go the next code down I am unsure what rail to use. Code 55 rail is available from C&L in the UK <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.finescale.org.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=346&product_id=3296">http://www.finescale.org.uk/index.php?r ... ct_id=3296</a><!-- m --> but I am unsure how well that matches US rail profile or even if my skills are up to that.

I could go for the Walthers code 83 bridge track but I'm unsure how that will look on an un-ballasted track bridge transitioned to ME code 70.

Any other options or advice?

Many thanks,

Steve.

[Charlie B]

Steve, I know of one line that had 90 pound rail but when they got to one bridge they used 100 pound for the track and 90 for guard rail. I am not saying that was standard practice because the bridge at the KJR had 130 pound rail, same as the track, but had 100 pound rail for guard rail. So at least you would not be out of line using the Walters rail
Charlie

[doctorwayne]

If you're going to use code 70 for the track, code 55 should be fine for the guard rails. The profile of it doesn't really matter, as the trains don't run on it. It's also easy to pre-bend the angled-in ends using pliers.

Wayne

[Engfanuk]

Thanks Charlie and Wayne. I've actually found a German supplier who sells ME track including the bridge track so I'm exploring that. Postage is a more reasonable €17 for up to 10kg. If that doesn't work out I think I might try scratch building with C&L code 55. I might make a mess but it will be good skills to learn.

[Catt]

The guard rails would most likely be a nice shade of rust so the profile should not really .Depending on the era you may or may not need to use the guard rails.Quite a few of the newer bridges don't use them.

[Engfanuk]

The guard rails would most likely be a nice shade of rust so the profile should not really .Depending on the era you may or may not need to use the guard rails.Quite a few of the newer bridges don't use them.

That's interesting about new bridges not having them. I'm using the bridge over Rancocas Creek, Burlington County New Jersey near Hainesport as the prototype. Having found some photos today which I believe are the prototype and from what I can see it has no guard rails! <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.flickriver.com/places/United+States/New+Jersey/Hainesport/Rancocas+Heights/">http://www.flickriver.com/places/United ... s+Heights/</a><!-- m -->

It does have the ties closer together so having proper bridge track is accurate. I will however consider whether *my* bridge will have guard rails as I actually quite like them.

[Catt]

The railroad bridge I see in those pics is a ballasted deck bridge and that would use regular track and ties.If your planning on doing a open deck bridge then you need bridge track with the closely spaced ties.I'm guessing this bridge was updated since in some of the pics you can see the raised sides of a concrete trough holding the ballast for the track in place.

[nkp_174]

When in doubt, google the "Maintenance of Way Cyclopedia". It has both the AAR and AREA rail cross sections. You can measure any rail, compare it against these, and know how well it matches.

I'm not planning on using ME rail at all for my On3 empire...it isn't close to correct for O-scale at the sizes I need. There are only two sources for light O-scale rail, Right-O-Way and Karlgarin. I'm currently awaiting delivery of a fair bit of Karlgarin Rail (from the UK, appropriately!). It's taken quite a bit of effort to get it ordered (hard to get ahold of), but I've been assured that the products are more than worth the effort...they look like they are...and the guy, Richard, is a nice guy.

The take home message from my above "rivet counting" is that the vast majority of On3 modelers have never noticed nor cared about their rail profile being wrong...they've only cared that it is approximately the right height and that the trains stay on it. And On3 modelers are usually more demanding than any other modelers except P87 and P48 in this area. Nothing wrong with that. So if you find a convenient source of rail that is not quite right, you'll be doing the same thing that many MMR's have done...if you're happy, that's what matters!

[BR60103]

If they are optional, then I would go for them.
I think they should not be higher/heavier than the running rails. I have an idea that some bridges with metal decks and no ballast may have angle iron instead of rail.
The only common item is probably that the rails bend inwards at the ends, but they may or may not meet; may bend down into the ballast; have a formed, pointy end.
There are seldom tie plates under the guard rails (I won't say never).

[doctorwayne]

This is the CN bridge at Twenty Mile Creek:








Wayne

[Engfanuk]

The railroad bridge I see in those pics is a ballasted deck bridge and that would use regular track and ties.If your planning on doing a open deck bridge then you need bridge track with the closely spaced ties.I'm guessing this bridge was updated since in some of the pics you can see the raised sides of a concrete trough holding the ballast for the track in place.

Yes I think it has been updated.

[Engfanuk]

Thanks for the comments, advice and photos guys.