Model Railroading > Getting to that much-delayed project … SPLCo progress

It’s my guess that many of us have “that certain hobby project” we put off for far too long, yet we know it’s important, is not an option and needs to be done. In our case it was framing-related for our HO scale 1927-era Sugar Pine Lumber Company layout. Specifically, it’s the entry aisle lift bridge between the upper deck logging mainline at right, known by the SPLCo as the "9 Line," and the logging camps and staging yard above the helix at left.
 
The challenge is that the 9-Line is on a 3-percent grade and the log staging yard and camps are level, more or less, so the lift bridge needed to incorporate a vertical curve to transition from the 9-Line to the yard area. Nothing insurmountable of course but still something I had to ponder for awhile before diving in.

In this view the frame end boards are temporarily screwed to the layout.  The framing elements have been glued together and when dry, the frame will be removed and screws added along with the curved plywood upper deck – probably two layers of easy-to-bend 1/4-inch Lauan plywood laminated together -- topped by Homasote, suitably kerfed for easy bending to match the vertical curve. Hinges will be added at the right end so the bridge lifts to provide unfettered operator access to the logging areas at left.
 
It feels really good to get this part of the project almost behind us.
 
Jeff Johnston
www.trainvideosandparts.com
 

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Looks and sounds like a serious engineering project for a model RR. Appears that you have the project well underway for a solidly built bridge. Are you designing as you build or working from a set of plans?

I’m in the midst of my own much smaller HO scratchbuilding project: a 2 story SP depot in which the smaller 2nd story is perpendicular to the 1st. Further complicating the project, there is only room for about 40% of the depot at the front edge of the layout as the bisected building’s rear is against a control panel. I’m soon to start the fun part - cutting and fitting the roof. The preparation of the plans were more than half the work.

What other hobby can force you to stretch your mind to design and then build something for which there is no already built item and not even a set of plans for sale that match the exact thing you want or need?

I know that feeling well.

Westbound -- I didn't work from plans or exactly plan as I went along. I did a sketch or two before starting, which is my usual procedure, and the thinking about how it's going to go precedes the work. It would be a stretch to call my sketches "plans" though, but they help keep me on course as things proceed.

Hopefully, it'll all work in the end.

Jeff

Very nice work.

Uncle Joe
Seffner,Fl.