CP Flog Subdivision

[35tac]

Jeff, I am enjoying the pictures of your layout. Very nice work. If I might enquire about your background construction details, what is the height and composition and most of all how you chose the height? Thanks very much.
Wayne

[Scottl]

Jeff, BTW, the air brushed clouds look good.  I found that worked for me as well.  My first efforts with a paint brush were like cartoons, but the airbrush made natural shapes possible for me.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

Jeff, I am enjoying the pictures of your layout. Very nice work. If I might enquire about your background construction details, what is the height and composition and most of all how you chose the height? Thanks very much.
Wayne

Thanks Wayne,

I used 1/4" hardboard in 4'x8' sheets. Had it ripped in half by Home Depot so they were 2'x8'. So with 1"x3" benchwork + 3" from bench work to track = Backdrop 18" tall. Then i just screwed the hardboard to the 1x3 bench work and it holds up great. Back drop has been up for a year now and all good so far.

[C855B]

The Bridge is 120' long so i think it needs something in the middle. I am no bridge expert but i am sure it will look safer if it has a support.  ...

Not to beat this up too much... I finally ran across something that refreshed my rule-of-thumb on steel plate girder bridges: 1:12. That is, the web (height) of the girder should be 1/12 of the length. If your girder is 10' high, you're golden, though it appears from the picture it's about 8'. Otherwise, center support. Exception to rule for multiple girders - such as could be used under a deck bridge like that - is at 1:15, where any more than that the span has issues supporting its own weight.

So, bottom line - at 120'x8', if there are three (or four) beams underneath that span, it's "legal" in the engineering sense, but right at the max assuming conventional materials.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

Not to beat this up too much... I finally ran across something that refreshed my rule-of-thumb on steel plate girder bridges: 1:12. That is, the web (height) of the girder should be 1/12 of the length. If your girder is 10' high, you're golden, though it appears from the picture it's about 8'. Otherwise, center support. Exception to rule for multiple girders - such as could be used under a deck bridge like that - is at 1:15, where any more than that the span has issues supporting its own weight.

So, bottom line - at 120'x8', if there are three (or four) beams underneath that span, it's "legal" in the engineering sense, but right at the max assuming conventional materials.

Mike I do like the feedback as i want it to look as "real" as i can get it. But like always I didn't do enough research before i built the bridge. When I get home from Thanksgiving dinner tonight i will take some measurements. I am confused about what you mean about 3 or 4 beams underneath the span. What beams are you talking about. So you know it is the Micro Engineering 80' open deck bridge that i used

[C855B]

For example, a through girder has two beams, one on each side. Popular with railroads because the structure is above, providing maximum clearance below, not popular with highway construction because of the run-into factor. A deck girder can have multiple beams supporting the load.

In the case of the Micro Engineering bridge kits, it has two beams. You can bash a third beam down the middle, or, since nobody's going to explore your layout with a dental mirror , you can tell everyone you did it and nobody would be the wiser.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

Ok that makes sense now. I just measured the girders and they are 9.5' so i would not need the center support? 

Thanks for the help.

[C855B]

Hmm. Close enough. At the max spec it probably wouldn't pass muster on a heavily-trafficked main where it would take a beating, but on a lighter line it would probably be fine.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

Well after a year and a half of waiting Santa dropped off a small package for me today.



I am still waiting on #10 turnouts but i can start laying track and cut them in later when they show up.

[mu26aeh]

Holy $$$$ , small fortune there !

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

I have named the layout the CP Flog Subdivision and also have trains moving.

Here are some updated photos.

First the City.







The track







The start of the wiring



And a video update.

Jeff

[Scottl]

Great, trains are running!

[Kevin C]

Well Done Jeff. Your layout is looking very impressive so far.

[rodsup9000]

 It is great to see that your finally laying track and can run trains.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

Well I have been working on the layout a lot lately but haven't posted much in updates, so here is a small update.

I have been running train to test the track and so far i have had 0 derailments, knock on wood 





Now i have started to install slide switched to control the turnouts.