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Here is an example of a bridge I built over ten years ago at Len's Train Shop in Irwin, PA.  It was my first attempt at a curved double line bridge.  Difficult part was the math necessary to make the inside arches which are very different from the outside arch arcs.  I used Scenic Express Pennsy Stone Walls cut very thin on a Band Saw then glued to masonite.

Layout len's 8

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Thanks guys. 

 

One of the first decisions you have to make with a curved arch bridge is the shape of the arches.  If you make the arch the same on both sides, you have to make the legs wider on the outside.  That's what I chose to do rather than keep the legs the same width and vary the shape of the arches.

 

OGRE your bridge looks very good, thanks for sharing.

 

Art

Originally Posted by Matt Makens:

Art, what are you using to make the stone foam front? are you hand carving the foam or pressing it into some sort of form?

Matt - I am using 1/8" thin pink foam that is used under metal siding. Then I am hand carving it with a pencil and a carving tool.  I draw the pencil lines to outline each stone, then I shape all four sides of each stone.  Then I distress each stone with a blunt object and a scriber.  Next is a base coat of paint followed by a shading coat that is partially wiped off and then I hand paint random individual stones.  It is rather time consuming, but after having started I don't want to change.

 

Art

Last edited by Chugman

Mark Boyce, Yes Len's is a large Train shop and still has the 10 X 20 five level layout  that I built for him.  Max of 13 trians running at the same time.  Mostly all O-Gauge.  If you use GPS, go to the second address in the list, there are 2 Lauffer lanes in Irwin, PA...his shop is located between Herminie and Sutersville, PA.  Worth the trip.

Originally Posted by pennsynut:

I just finished reading all your posts Art.  Really fantastic work.  It is a monumental project.  What paint colors did you settle on for the stone?  Its fantastic.

I don't remember without going down and looking.  I made two trips to Home Depot and tried different colors each time.  It just wasn't looking correct.  Then my son-in-law, who has a great talent and eye for colors, agreed to try to help me.  He just took 3 of the colors that I had and started mixing and blending them.  He would paint a little, wipe some of it off, and then blend some more, and before I knew if it looked like limestone to me.  So I tried it and it looked good to me.  After I watched him do it, it seemed easy to me, but it wasn't before he showed me the way.

 

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Art

Originally Posted by OGRE Modeling,LLC:

Mark Boyce, Yes Len's is a large Train shop and still has the 10 X 20 five level layout  that I built for him.  Max of 13 trians running at the same time.  Mostly all O-Gauge.  If you use GPS, go to the second address in the list, there are 2 Lauffer lanes in Irwin, PA...his shop is located between Herminie and Sutersville, PA.  Worth the trip.

Thank you for the information!  I will defiantly make it a point to pay Len a visit some day.  Irwin is only one more exit past Monroeville?  Thank you!

Chugman ,
I want to thank you for posting this. It has helped me with a very large problem I have with having so much elevated sections on my layout. I thought that I was going to need to spend a small fortune on some type of flex wall system to cover them up. I went out to Home Depot this past weekend and bought the foam board. Today I was able to get one section done and I could not be happier with the results! Again, thanks to you and all the forum members who post what their up to, it really helps!

 

some photos of what I was able to do:

 

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Originally Posted by pennsynut:

Chip, what colors did you use on your wall and mortar?  Did you paint before you installed the walls? Very well done.

 

Art: Thanks for your paint colors.  I may try working on this soon.

Here is what I used:
Behr paints:
Sparrow
Anonymous
Gentle rain

Craft paint:
Flat black and mixed it with gentle rain to get the darker color.

 

I painted first. Used a # 2 pencil eraser to give the stone contour.

Something to help make the alignment of the coarses go fast- I had a piece of 1/2 " aluminum angle that I used once I got the first coarse squared and lined up I could place the angle right into the groove and set the next coarse and cut it with the razor then follow with a blunt pencil and then put the angle in it and repeat. I made 3 sheets in about 6  hours

Kitbasher posted:

Chugman, I really want to add bridges to my layout like the truss bridges I see in yours.  Can you tell me where each of those came from?  Did you build them?

The railroad through truss bridges are Atlas, the under arch bridges are current Lionel, and the highway bridges are older Lionel that I was trying to find a use for.  Then I have an MTH truss bridge and some Atlas deck girder bridges between my yards.

I have always loved bridges and had to incorporate as many as I could on my layout.

Art

 

DennisB posted:

Art , I think the construction adhesive may be rather thick and would have to be thinly spread out before applying the foam. I would opt for using wood glue.

Dennis

I'm confused?  I used Elmer's Glue-All on my bridge and it worked fine.  The only thing I have ever used construction adhesive on was gluing PVC pipes to a base for my grain elevators.

Art

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