The Carolina Sandhills Lines in HO Scale

[davefoxx]

Seems like a no brainer for a 3 d printer...  design a pretty simple 3D section, then poop them out in quantity!
Would probably find a market for them.
Lee

I forgot to add that pooping them out en masse may not work out, since each bridge will require slightly different section lengths, just like on the prototype where they are set at a certain length to prevent partial sections.  In this bridge’s case, each section is a scale 18’.  On the N scale bridge that I’m giving to you, they’re about a scale 16’9”.  Those different lengths made for bridges with consistent full-length sections.

DFF

[Philip H]

I like your suggestions for cast resin and 3D printing, but wouldn’t that be cheating?  I want to call this project scratchbuilding

NO.  Its not cheating.  Its using new and innovative techniques to reproduce something not commercially available. 

[CRL]

Yeah, it is kinda cheating in that it’s not traditional modeling. It more like mini-manufacturing.

[davefoxx]

A railing section every night (or three):



This section went a little quicker, because I was able to use the first section as a pattern to mark the length of pieces before cutting them in the mitre box.  The hardest pieces are the angled railing bases, because I can’t cut a thirty degree angle in my mitre box.

DFF

[wazzou]

Like I said, just like trees.

[CRL]

The hardest pieces are the angled railing bases, because I can’t cut a thirty degree angle in my mitre box.

Sure you can... use the 45 degree mitre slots and make a jig with a 15 degree wedge to hold your stock against while you cut it.

[davefoxx]

Sure you can... use the 45 degree mitre slots and make a jig with a 15 degree wedge to hold your stock against while you cut it.

That’s crazy enough that it just might work!  Got a fifteen degree wedge I can borrow? 

Seriously, I’m using a gauge from The Chopper that has a thirty degree angle on one side.  I cut the angle first and then cut the square end in the mitre box.  Worked great, but it took a few pieces to hit the mark and get the length of that block correct.

DFF

[Steveruger45]

Or .. just make a 15 degree mitre block with a couple of dimensional wood scraps glued together to form a base and a backer and cut a 15 degree angle in the backer block with your chop saw.  Once that is done fix a stopper block to it so you can get repeatable lengths.
Then you only have to “measure once and cut hundreds of times”

[wazzou]

That’s crazy enough that it just might work!  Got a fifteen degree wedge I can borrow? 

Seriously, I’m using a gauge from The Chopper that has a thirty degree angle on one side.  I cut the angle first and then cut the square end in the mitre box.  Worked great, but it took a few pieces to hit the mark and get the length of that block correct.

DFF

I've got a plastic miter box that I just glue styrene shims to for this.
I just chisel it off and lightly sand the box when finished.

[davefoxx]

I made good progress tonight: two sections!  Note the end section has a double-wide post.  The curb will be cut back, now that I know exactly where the railings terminate:



Here’s the pieces, all eleven per section:



This bird’s eye view shows how the thin long strip makes the rail look like it projects slightly out from the posts:



A small piece on the end helps complete the illusion and really makes the rail look like it’s heavily dadoed into the posts.  The rail and the posts are not in the same plane, which is what really complicates the construction:



DFF

[Vince P]

Awesome Possum

[Chris333]

Now you can skip tomorrow 

[davefoxx]

Now you can skip tomorrow 

Well, if that’s the case, it’s time to JFRTM.  I’ve been reminiscing about the RF&P today, so I put together a typical consist that was seen a lot on the B&O, RF&P, and the SBD in the mid-1980s.  This must have been the power that was handed over to the RF&P in Potomac Yard but stayed on the train south of Richmond.  Next stop, Hamlet Yard.



In true fashion an EOT, is bringing up the rear:



DFF

[Steveruger45]

Looking good Dave.  You know, if you run out of patience and need a break on the new bridge construction you could stop/pause, paint it and set up a construction crew scene, “Your Tax Dollars At Work - Road closed, bridge under construction ” 

[davefoxx]

Looking good Dave.  You know, if you run out of patience and need a break on the new bridge construction you could stop/pause, paint it and set up a construction crew scene, “Your Tax Dollars At Work - Road closed, bridge under construction ” 

That’s a good idea, but I’m making decent progress.  Side 1 is complete.



DFF