Model Railroading > Fubar Flats Duck Beater (Say, what?)

TO ex-pat SP 4360 asked me to send this along...

My solution to get past the door. The hinged end has a bevel of 45 degrees to allow rail to get past framework. Also, notches are cut into the bevel under each rail so there is no chance of rail being snagged. Frog tape was used to cover the notches and hold the end tie and ballast. Other end of the bridge has a 10 degree angle to slip past the benchwork. Since this photo was taken, a wye switch was added to the outside lead and cut in half, with the points on the bridge and the frog on the stationary benchwork. No problems with rail gaps and wheels on straights or curves.

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That is one heck of a lift bridge. Prototype for everything !!! Doug

Well,SR I did not know you were a modeler,also.
Too bad I did not get to meet you two years ago
at Sacramento.Also,back in the 70's when you were
on the Freedom Train while I was working at Sanford
Fl.when the train over nighted.
I have a lot of internet friends that I hope to
meet some day.


Uncle Joe
12 miles East of Tampa,way down in FLA.

PS I model too.

Well, I do, but have been far busier with photography & learning to sail without sinking the thing.
This a friend’s layout.
SR

Really, really neat. I am in a similar situation and would like to take this approach. What makes up the hinge/fulcrum point?

Have you posted construction photos of this a few years back? If not, would you mind posting some more detailed photos?

Thanks!

Use the search and look for SP 4360  and/or Fubar Flats.  There have been several threads on Dale's layout.
SR

Excellent design and craftsmanship. That is one heck of a bridge.

Nathan

Posted from iPhone

Good workmanship, and innovative ideas were shown in the photo. I was starting to doze off when a thought entered my head, and startled me awake. I hate to be a wet blanket, but here goes. The scenarios involve you, and or others during an Op Session.

With a lift bridge with a single track, you’ll have to wait for a train to pass or stop a train while on approach to the bridge before you get to go to the bathroom. With a yard on a lift bridge, you’re gonna really hope everything gets moved off the lift out before it’s too late for you to reach the bathroom in time. I’d hate to be in the going home carpool with a guy that didn’t make it in time. Even worse if it was me!

⅂ɐɹɹʎ

Wellllll.....  I took my own liberties in naming this thread "Duck Beater".  It was sort of a word play on solving the problems inherant in building a duck under, ie: beating the duck (under).
Okay, so here's the deal...   it's kinda simple.
Sometimes the Duck wins.
And so, if you find you really really have to go-
then you're gonna have to bend over first.
SR

Here are some close up photos of the bridge joint & indexing.

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Dale sent me these photos in this order, but I suspect this last one is before track was laid and therefor should have been first.
SR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/18 10:20 by BoilingMan.

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Thank you!

I built a proof of concept model using 1x4 about a foot long and once the minor adjustments were made then it went full size. The trick is getting the pivot point so that it lifts away from the stationary edge. Took about an hour to get the thing right.

Some one has too much time on there hands or just like challenges in that bridge joint thing. Wow wonder how long that took to do with every thing that has to take place for it to work.
Great job goes to the builder, thanks for the pix you have shown. Gives hope to those who just want two sets of rails across that gap.

It's a little bit of both,  Dale is a retired signal maintainer.  Check out that wiring- top notch SP practice!
SR

BAB Wrote:
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> Some one has too much time on there hands or just
> like challenges in that bridge joint thing. Wow
> wonder how long that took to do with every thing
> that has to take place for it to work.
> Great job goes to the builder, thanks for the
> pix you have shown. Gives hope to those who just
> want two sets of rails across that gap.

It really wasn't that long of a time frame once the hinged end was proofed out. Electrically it is straight forward using cat 5 jumpers as you can see. Track, switches and operating lower quadrant signal don't care if they are horizontal or vertical. The reed switches (Shellville Interlockers) cut power to the track so there won't be any runaway units heading for the drink, that and the fact that an SW900 made an unscheduled landing........



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/18 17:47 by SP4360.

Nice job! I had to look real closely at the 2nd and 3rd photos to see the structural element nearest the wall that carries the hinge pin. The one nearest the camera appears to be a wood 1 X 4, but the other looks to be aluminum bar about 2 x 1/4 maybe?

Kimball Wrote:
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> Nice job! I had to look real closely at the 2nd
> and 3rd photos to see the structural element
> nearest the wall that carries the hinge pin. The
> one nearest the camera appears to be a wood 1 X 4,
> but the other looks to be aluminum bar about 2 x
> 1/4 maybe?

Both hinges are actually 4 hole straps. The wood is a facia piece to match the rest of the front of the layout. I didn't trust wood for the hinges. The wood was drilled and a threaded insert was epoxied in, then a 5/16 screw is the 'pin'.