N-Trak Signal Bridges

[CRL]

A train can derail right under the signal bridge and the individual re-railing the train can snag the signal bridge.  I've seen it happen more than once.

Yes, but at least that damage is prototypical. 

[Erik aka Ngineer]

This looks pretty close to what you want:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/P8Z8JHWEM/n-quad-signal-cantilever-2l-2t-rh?optionId=92658961

I made that model because I too couldn't find the other one. If I leave out the ladders it would probably be printable in nylon, which is pretty strong. It would be cheaper than detailed plastic. But I won't guarantee it will survive the elephants and hippos 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ok, now I will throw this out as a counter point to what I said earlier.

There was a guy in my old NTRAK club that had probably at least a dozen signal bridges over his handful of modules.

I think they were kitbashed from Bachmann or Model Power bridges. I don't remember any serious damage of them over the years. Maybe hear and there, but I think the fact that there were so many of them helped make sure that people were much less apt to accidentally bump into them.

[John]

Ok, now I will throw this out as a counter point to what I said earlier.

There was a guy in my old NTRAK club that had probably at least a dozen signal bridges over his handful of modules.

I think they were kitbashed from Bachmann or Model Power bridges. I don't remember any serious damage of them over the years. Maybe hear and there, but I think the fact that there were so many of them helped make sure that people were much less apt to accidentally bump into them.

I remember those modules .. they were a set

[alhoop]

Yes, but at least that damage is prototypical. 

Yeah!!
Consider it tornado damage and rebuild.
I built two for my layout 30 years ago from plans
by Gordon Odegard in Model Railroader Dec 1979.
No tornado or anything else has damaged them so far.
Al

[peteski]

I built two for my layout 30 years ago from plans
by Gordon Odegard in Model Railroader Dec 1979.
No tornado or anything else has damaged them so far.
Al

Um, are we talking about a home layout or an NTRAK module here?

[alhoop]

Um, are we talking about a home layout or an NTRAK module here?

Home layout -- you think the signal bridges know the difference??
Al

[peteski]

Home layout -- you think the signal bridges know the difference??
Al

No, but the errand hands (both NTRAK members' and general public) which can wipe them are better controlled in a home layout environment, than at a public NTRAK showing, where the modules are hurriedly set up and torn down, and the (often uninitiated) attendees can sometimes get a but too intimate with the fragile items on the modules/layout.  I guess you missed the point.

[alhoop]

  I guess you missed the point.

I, guess you did or I wasn't clear enough. Those bridges that Gordon wrote about and two

of which I have on my HOME layout are much more rugged than the spidery things being placed today.

They are not contest quality but how many visitors would know.
Regards
Al

[randgust]

I remember being out to John Coots (N Scale of Nevada) home layout in Reno, and he had a couple of those 3-track etched brass Ntrak signal bridges on his layout, lit up and functioning.   Wow.  gorgeous, if a little odd because of the wide size for 3-track Ntrak.

He opened up a closet and showed me a 'floor to ceiling' pile of them as kits, said it was an expensive mistake, used it as an object lesson to me at the time to 'mind your inventory'.   So if those are surfacing, don't sit around thinking too long about it, they won't last forever.

If those weren't secured to the top of the layout and had loose mount/breakaway, they'd probably survive.   Brass can take quite a whack, and you can straighten it back out and touch up paint.

I've had an NGI cantilever signal for years and made it removable, basically because it kept getting damaged and I had to repair it regularly.  That was styrene.  I just can't imagine how brittle a Shapeways FUD one would be as you can sneeze at that stuff and it breaks, but if the design could be made in the new resin stuff (with support legs during printing) it would probably work.    Add your own brass ladders from GMM or somewhere else.