Building The Canyon Diablo Bridge

[DKS]

Bob, I think you and I need to work out a deal on an N scale model of the Kinzua Viaduct.
It's been a dream of mine that keeps festering in the back of my mind...

Yikes! That sucker would be over 13 feet long and nearly 2 feet high if built to scale. I think "festering" is a good way of putting that idea...!

And now back to the awesome Canyon Diablo Bridge build.

[TrainCat2]

Yikes! That sucker would be over 13 feet long and nearly 2 feet high if built to scale.

Not if you build as-is 

[pjm20]

Not if you build as-is 

FTW. That's so awful, but so funny. 

[VonRyan]

Yikes! That sucker would be over 13 feet long and nearly 2 feet high if built to scale. I think "festering" is a good way of putting that idea...!

And now back to the awesome Canyon Diablo Bridge build.

Imagine it as 3 6' N-Trak modules.
Red line is the viaduct, and all other routes are diverted to the back of the module.

Nope, Nope, Nope! Ain't going to do it. No siree.

I may be teched . . . . I am not Masochistic.

Ok . . .  well maybe I am, but not that much!

I'll give you permanent advertising space.... 


-Cody F.

[TrainCat2]

I'll give you permanent advertising space.... 

A HUGE (aka Insane) wad of CASH would better suited to get my attention.

[TrainCat2]

The last series of Cap Strips is for the Bottom Chord Upper Cap Strip. As mentioned before, these Cap Strips do not have holes in them since maintenance personnel would be walking on them to inspect the junctions of the Posts and Diagonals. Here I have inserted all of the Cap Strips and gently pressed them into place.


You can see here where the Cap Strips for the Bottom Chord create the Lower Lateral attachment points at the Bridge Shoe pivot location.


As performed before, tacking the Cap Strips in place is the next task. After the Bottom Chord Upper Cap Strips are tacked into place, it is time to go back and begin to fill-in all seams with solder. All four series of Cap Strips need to be carefully “seamed” in small sections at a time so the metal components DO NOT separate.

[TrainCat2]

When all Cap Strip joints are soldered, wipe down all areas with lacquer thinner or acetone to remove any flux or rosin from the structure. Failing to do this will cause the tools to clog up on the next step. This is on of the steps that will take up the greatest time. Using a single cut file, file down the seams and excessive solder on the Bottom Chord Upper Cap and Top Chord Lower Cap. The excess solder will help in filling in low spots and no-so-perfect seams. Do this to all sections of the Caps. This will provide a nice clean flat surface for the detail overlays later in the assembly process.


You may remember I told you not to worry about the excess solder when tacking. We are going to take care of that now for the Chords. Lay the Truss Side flat on your work surface and LIGHTLY use a Dremel tool and 60 grit (#408) sanding drums to Carefully remove the excessive solder and any excess metal that keep the overlays from laying flat when applied. It is best to use a medium speed on the Dremel. Take your time on this!! Do this for both sides, top and bottom of the Top Chord and Lower Chord.

[Catt]

Mr. Knight,you have so convinced me to stick with plastic and/or wood kits . Bridge looks awesome but is way above my mental pay grade.

[TrainCat2]

John, it's easier than you think. Look at it this way, put tab in slot, solder tab & slot, remove excess solder.

Repeat for hundreds of tabs & slots

[Catt]

Yup, I am definately sticking with plastic and wood /cardstock kits.

[peteski]

Hmmm, being a model railroad meant that you were willing to use all sorts of building techniques (including soldering).  And here you guys wouldn't even be willing to try soldering?  This bridge doesn't look any more difficult to solder than soldering wire feeds to the rails.  Actually, as Bob pointed out, the tabs make this job even easier than soldering feeders.

Just think of the solder as yet another type of adhesive.  If you can properly build a plastic or wood kit, you can just as easy do a brass model kit.  I just don't understand this fear of soldering many modelers have.

[basementcalling]

Peteski, burned fingers and high electric bills come to mind looking at that masterpiece Bob is making.   

Awesome looking structure.

[VonRyan]

A HUGE (aka Insane) wad of CASH would better suited to get my attention.

Will you accept collateral? I don't quite know what channels to go through to sell a kidney, let alone an arm and/or a leg.

Hmmm, being a model railroad meant that you were willing to use all sorts of building techniques (including soldering).  And here you guys wouldn't even be willing to try soldering?  This bridge doesn't look any more difficult to solder than soldering wire feeds to the rails.  Actually, as Bob pointed out, the tabs make this job even easier than soldering feeders.

Just think of the solder as yet another type of adhesive.  If you can properly build a plastic or wood kit, you can just as easy do a brass model kit.  I just don't understand this fear of soldering many modelers have.

I'd be all over some of these kits like a hog to slop if it weren't for the price tag.
Of course Bob's product has to be THE best in terms of quality, and especially detail, but the price can certainly be unwelcoming to a jobless teen who should be more focused on actually completing some of his more simpler projects and actually getting some descent trains together.
Although after a good bit of railfanning in PA and I'm all set to buy up plenty of two-rail PRR handrails if it weren't for the family of moths who've taken up residence in my pocket after the money left. 

When I hit the big Powerball or just a nice Pick-3 jackpot...



-Cody F.

[TrainCat2]

Peteski, burned fingers and high electric bills come to mind looking at that masterpiece Bob is making.   

Awesome looking structure.

Thanks all,

Peter, I use a Weller WTCPT 60W Soldering Station. It has a magnetic tip that when it reaches temp, it shuts the power off until it cools off and must go back on. Save a HUGE amount of electricity. It is also nice when it senses a heat drop due to activity and boosts the wattage up to remain at temp.

Oh and I don't burn fingers, I actually use rail cutters to bring the pieces together when I need to. [back pat] Most of the time, everything . . . . . . . just fits.[/back pat]

[Catt]

Having a willingness to solder and the ability to do it well are two different things.I have no problem with a ugly soldering job attaching feeder wires to the bottoms of rail,but the skill to do the type of soldering required for a kit like this is beyond my ability.