only exploring my options here. i see a lot of bridges built on a radius and others that just appear to be custom. so my question is, ware can i find parts and etc. to build my own bridges or what else might i use. or would i be better of buying a few kits and try kit bashing any thoughts or ideas. p.s. I love pictures.
The lift bridge at the bottom is loosely based on the Cape Cod Railroad Bridge. It is built from plastic shapes and trusses, code 40 rail for the tower diagonal braces, and piano wire for other braces on the span. The front high bridge is mostly wooden strips. The back high bridge is based on one of the feeder bridges for theDelMar lift bridge, which is similar to the Cape Cod Bridge. It is built of the same materials as the lift bridge. You may find that brass shapes and trusses are less expensive than plastic ones.
I've used Atlas girder plate and ME kits as kitbashing starting points. These 2 are built from both (the larger middle plates are Atlas, the smaller ones on the ends are ME). The rest is just plain ol styrene from Evergreen. This one is completely scratchbuilt from styrene sheets and strips since I couldn't find a good match size wise with anything available commercially. It was actually pretty easy, the only thing that you don't get is rivets (at least I didn't go to that level of detail) I'm assuming you are asking about metal bridges, and not wood ones, correct?
I have two on a curve. The plate girder was built like this: Picasa Web Albums - diezmon - Plate Girder ... and the trestle like this: Picasa Web Albums - diezmon - Trestle Work
This bridge is made up from Micro Engineering kits and was built upside down on the traced track that was on subroadbed before cutting away. This was the first steel bridge I built but it went together fairly smooth. The radius is 17" with an easement over the 80' girder crossing over the track. The best way in my opinion is to have a plan of sorts, but more than a picture in your head. Get some proto photos to help plan what you are looking for and you will make better choices on your scratch building supplies. Dave n, love those bridges. I plan to build something similar over a sandy wash.
Must all bridges be high and skinny? This bridge is a Frankensteinian mix of MDF, plywood, styrofoam, styrene, spackle, and paper. (Oh, and some one-by lumber inside the piers--the bridge is, to some extent, a structural part of the module.) Obviously, the module it's on is still under construction.
LOL! I do think they have to be high to let large ships pass through. I theorize that when they are high, they are likely to be skinny. I love your bridge! Structures like that are probably 10X more prevalent than high, skinny bridges. But I'd hate to try to get my old sailboat under it.
One of my favorites that is not high and skinny has always been the bridge that connects the Florida Keys. That was an early railroad bridge that was wiped out by a hurricane and never replaced. I think. I'm not sure if there is a model railroad with that bridge. Florida East Coast Railroad?
Getting boats under this bridge isn't a problem. Or rather, you don't WANT to get your boat under this bridge... Bing Maps "birds-eye" view of the real bridge
I custom built my trestle (still being finished). The process was not terribly difficult. I used round wood piles: Manufactured over thirty bents: Completed bents: Overall, it was time consuming but not extremely difficult. The base wood can be found at any Michaels craft store (or hobby shop). In fact, the cross braces were nothing more than pieces of flat toothpicks. It's always very helpful to start with a picture of an actual bridge you want to copy. Try to get as many angles of it as possible.
