Model Railroading > Building a 200' HO scale bridge, just for the fun of it...

So about a month ago, I began a new project that had been increasingly catching my interest. Some context... A year or more back, my HO model train club in Norwalk, CA received a rather generous donation of HO scale items. This included model kits and structures, all from a family member in the region that was simply getting out of the hobby due primarily to their advanced age... (a reoccurring theme in this hobby, but that's a topic for another thread...) So anyway, among the kits were three HO Scale Central Valley Model Works 200' Parker Truss Bridges. The first two kits quickly disappeared off the club's sale table at our of our Open Houses, but the third kit lingered, I suspect it was due to a slight tear in the paper packaging, and a piece of scotch tape holding the box shut... big deal, I know...

So, long story short, after watching this poor kit languish on the table for it's third Open House, this past May, I bit. And below is the semi-complete photo essay of it's construction, assembly, and painting. Sorry, I failed to take any images of the initial bridge deck construction. Guess I didn't realize what all I was getting into at the time... So below is basically the construction of the 200' truss system after the bridge deck had already been assembled and painted...

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Just lots of careful gluing, measuring and cutting, then more gluing, and constant measuring and adjusting...

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The full scale paper diagram of the model is incredibly helpful in lining everything up and checking your cuts...

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Eventually, more paint can be applied, I went for Tamiya Silver Leaf (TS-30) spray paint, probably one of the smoothest silver finishes in the rattle-can market, in my opinion. Took about 2.5 cans to really seal all that detailed surface araa...

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Finally, it was time to install some rail, so some Tru-color Rail Brown painted runs of of Micro Engineering Code 70 and Code 83 were laid over the plastic Central Valley bridge ties. I previously painted the ties "otter brown" from a Krylon rattle can bought at Lowe's earlier. And, for anyone else that already knows Central Valley... Yep, I got to roll over all 2368 of those little plastic spike heads over the foot of the rails... Yay fun!

 This was a fun project. The club currently has no intentions of using the bridge anywhere on the layout. It was just assembled for my own enjoyment... It is fun comparing it to the BLMA's brass 200' bridge though...


Mr. MRL ~ happy modeling

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Thanks for sharing. That's nice looking bridge. If I were modeling that era, I would paint it silver and rust.

Victor Baird



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/25 14:58 by wabash2800.

Thanks for doing this. I own one of these things and have been thinking about trying to build it on a skew. Your pics make planning much easier. 

I enjoy putting these Central Valley bridges together. I use ME bridge track instead of the Central Valley tie "planks."

The silver looks great. Rattle can, huh?

Fine model. Thanks for sharing.

MrMRL Wrote:
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> Eventually, more paint can be applied, I went for
> Tamiya Silver Leaf (TS-30) spray paint, probably
> one of the smoothest silver finishes in the
> rattle-can market, in my opinion. Took about 2.5
> cans to really seal all that detailed surface
> araa...

The Tamiya Silver Leaf spray is the best silver paint. I used the paint on my circus cars. Nice even appearance. Only Tamiya paint I had difficulty with was the gloss white. I wound up using the white primer. It gave a nice even coverage.

Posted from Android

Nice build! The kit was an eye-popper when new, and holds its age very, very well!

Did a couple Mainline Modeler covers with a black-painted version with nice rust at the lower edges of the beams. One had a Jerry Spoelma weathered AC Cab-Ahead, one had an Athearn PA I'd modified to late SP looks.

Thanks for the in-process shots! Good work!

~ BZ

Great job on that bridge. This was a real nice show and tell thread on your progress right up to the completed project.

Very nice thanks for sharing 

Dave

Maybe you could put it on eBay. 

Putting the assembly photos with the item would help. Just put it on there for the price you want and don't put a time limit on it. (Let the cheapskates and flippers go somewhere else.) Someone will eventually see the value and be grateful they didn't have to built it--perhaps an elderly or disabled man that can't build kits anymore.

Victor Baird



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/25 14:59 by wabash2800.

Thank you, everyone, for your comments and input.

Again, this was basically just a fun personal project to tackle, after a couple of my own recent successful scale bridge assemblies specifically intended for my HO scale club.., There is the real possibility that this now completed 200' HO Scale single track bridge will be part of the train club's next sale at our November 2025 open house. If you're around, it may very well become yours!

I've already got the time (around 60 hours), and sweat equity involved in the construction, and the photos to prove my efforts. It's really a fantastic kit regardless of its now 20+(?) year age of manufacture? So who knows, someone may be able to hold this very bridge in their hands and possibly install it on their own layout in the near future...

Mr. MRL ~ happy modeling

I say make a diaroma display and put some of your nice modeling work on it when you're not running it at the club.

RailThunder Wrote:
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> I say make a diaroma display and put some of your
> nice modeling work on it when you're not running
> it at the club.

This was my thought also, but seems Robbie is generous hearted and donating his effort to the club. Good for him. Hopefully someone gets this prize and puts it to good use.