Everything on model trains, model railroads, model railways, locomotives, model train layouts, scenery, wiring, DCC and more. Enjoy the world's best hobby... model railroading!
How To Build Rail Bridges
Ryan has a question for readers:
“I am a very new beginner. My train room isn’t built yet but is underway. My HO layout is going to be an L shape and I want to know how to add a couple bridges and waterfall features. Will I have raise my layout up from the beginning and make a gap along the track to implement a bridge? What’s the best material and any advice is appreciated. Thanks.”
3 Responses to How To Build Rail Bridges
Leave a Reply
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
Download Your Free Catalog
Use Tiny Railroad Micro Controllers
Model Train Help Ebook
Ryan, first a couple of questions. What size of a layout are you planning and is it going to be multi-level with raisers or flat with just hills and mountains on top of the base? I, my self am in the process building a layout that will be a combination of shelves above a wider flat base level. I am going to use 7/16ths inch plywood (5-ply) as my normal base. It will give me a strong base but is still flexible enough to allow me to make cuts that I can bend to make raisers or dips in the table. Most of the plywood will be covered in 1/4 inch foam core craft board. This can be cut away to form creeks or rivers with a shallow bank. If you want to make deeper banks, you can either cut out the river shape from the base board and lower it or use 2 or 3 inch thick foam insolation board over the base that can be carved to the desire depth or combine both for a deeper ravine. I am going to use 3-ply veneer and the 1/4 inch craft board on a 2×1 frame on shelf brackets for the narrow part of the upper shelf that I can gap to make a high tressel over a lower shelf with a background picture of a ravine. I hope this gives you some ideas to consider. Tim
“What eva” as miss Gen Y says. I’d build the track work even across your rivers and canyons, get trains running, that’s where the fun begins. Spend time thinking about the geography of your chosen location and the type of bridge you intend to build. Don’t leave a gap for your trains and enthusiasm to crash into.
Hi Ryan,
I build my bridges from Balsa wood using 1/4″ square as the main runners under the track and 3mm for the ties or sleepers usually hand lay the track onto the sleepers to add realism Look at pictures of different types of bridges and build one that suits the era that you are modeling in, Mine is around 1936 steam