Model Railroading > Bridge track completed

I had a question about bridge flex track options a while back. I ended up getting Micro Engineering bridge flex track, and think it worked well. It wasn't too hard to shape, and the detail is excellent. I'm a bit baffled about why Walthers version costs 3 times as much.

I went pretty far with this... I added joint bars both on the outer rail and guardrail. I used to live next to a big trestle and wanted to get the look right. I made the ties a bit shinier and blacker than usual, since bridge ties generally seem to be newer or look like the creasote is more fresh than regular times.

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Darn, that rusty appearance looks so real!!

CSX_ENG Wrote:
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> Darn, that rusty appearance looks so real!!

Thanks! I started out with two spraypainted brown/rusty colors out of regular Krylon cans. Being regular spraypaint, it adds a bit of texture that I thought worked. But I wasn't satisfied with just browns, after looking at bridges where there were steel colors that seems to have black, blue, and even hints of green. With artists acrylic paint I mixed some very dark blues, greens, and purples, with a little bit of metallic in them, and then dabbed them in the center of panels, where rust seemed to be less likely. Put another way, I spent way more time just painting this bridge than I expected!

Double-take time! Looks great.

Very good work.
UP4306

WOW!  "I can't believe it's butter"  WRONG.I meant to say REAL!
Great work.

Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.

Looks fantastic!  Are you modeling a specific railroad?

Martin

myoungwisc Wrote:
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> Looks fantastic!  Are you modeling a specific
> railroad?
>
> Martin

Thanks! I am not, this is actually a art project and sculpture that happens to have a railroad within it. My focus is more on the look of inner-city America, and I think rusty steel trestles and rails are part of that look. Also, it is a project that directly references politics, the economy, and war, which is why I don't show the whole thing here. I am using the full range of modeling supplies out there, which includes some mighty bizarre stuff... that I am often presenting in a different light. No FEMA trains though, ha!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/16 09:01 by inCHI.

A tip of the ole hat to ya for that bridge!

wow that's excellent work! the blues and greens really make the trestle look realistic - operation question: will the rail joints on the inside of the rail interfere or cause derailments when wheel flanges hit them?

Your bridge and track looks real good. Very authentic variations to the colours. I like thelook of the support column in the foreground, I'm guessing Micro Engineering bridge and supports.

Jim

You even hit the road and side walk spot on. Can you do how to explinations o things on all of that. Once i finish the ethanol complex, i will be tackling a city scene. Somilar to the highline in new york. Obviously. I would love to know more of your methods.
Shane

To answer some of the questions:

Rail joints: The outer rails are code 83, the inner are code 70. The joints are details west 6-bolt, and on code 83, they sit inside the rail enough that wheels don't nick them. I use code 83 wheels as well without issue.

Support column - it is a central valley piece, I think. This bridge is a mixture of what I had lying around, including those Central Valley parts, one Walthers 50' girder, and a couple other girders from other kits.

Sidewalks, streets - these are still in progress. Some sidewalks are downtown deco castings, which look great. Other sidewalks are my own plaster "castings" - really, just loosely held styrene guides. Once the plaster starts to set, I carve out lines. Steets are mostly the foam base itself, while some spots are plaster. I wanted well worn streets, so dark colors are only a base. Most the street ends of a pretty light grey. Then, I just took dirt from outside and glued it towards the edges (could be a little less.)

Time to watch "The French Connection" now. That bridge reminds me of what you'd see during the car chase. You really crushed it, you really did. Fantastic work.

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