Lionel's NEW bridges-

JDaddy, being a bridge aficionado, I saw these and thought the lift-up feature is a great idea. I need a lift-up or lift-out bridge to span across a closet door but these new bridges are only 30" long whereas I need to span at least 36".

Being form the Pittsburgh area Bridges are a must! They look pretty good to me!

Personally, I think this is the absolutely best product item of the latest catalog.

Ron

Put some river navigation lights on the bottom and weather the steel and stone and you would have one fantastic looking bridge. 

I was thinking the same thing, no way this girlish figure is going to make through a thirty inch isle-way... especially with drink and snack in hand...

I thought they looked really nice. Unfortunately, I have no place to put one.

The one thing that I did not see in the description was the height of the opening. That is an important number if you run tall scale cars.

Is it the same/similar tooling as this bridge?

looks nice, I am sure you guys can figure out how to add a 3" extension to each side for that extra clearance 

Thanks Marty -

Yes the detail on the swing bridge is really sharp. What is nice is the die cast process really makes the details "pop" on this bridge.

This will be a winner.  I will have to find a spot to put these on my new extension.

It says 30 inches long. Doubt its die cast.......a casting the long and that thin would cause a high number of rejects in manufacture. Plastic is fine and with that much fine detail my bet.

My only question is cost......if shown I can read it. That big to costly for me I bet........but GREAT looking!

Dave,

I am not sure because I don't own a swing bridge, but I am pretty sure it was not plastic. The castings could have been assembled in pieces to make up the 30" span...

Yes the price is a buzz killer (299.00),  but I cannot figure if you get one bridge or two?

I sent a suggestion to Lionel requesting that they consider making this bridge in 36" span. That will solve the span in front of doorways. To my knowledge there's no other commercially available lift-out bridge made.

This bridge caught my attention when flipping through the new catalog. Very nice! I only wish they had also made one that was double for 2 mainlines, and as mentioned above, at least 36". If they had, I probably would be ordering one. 

silkcity makes this  type in 36". too delicate for a lift out. we have had people purchase the sides and mount them to a sturdy board for a lift out, still have to be careful.

I think they did a super job with this bridge. 

Bridgeboss offers a 48 inch long heavy duty bridge called Sleek which is ideal for use as a Lift out or similar needs. This bridge can be made in most any width up to about 16 inches.

Elliot certainly hit the nail on the head by asking how tall the opening is from the railhead to the upper superstructure; people purchasing this bridge will obviously likely have some scale cars to put through it.

BTW; you shouldn't have to listen to a Podcast to get that info-anyone with some marketing skills should be able to figure out what is necessary information and post in in the item description in the catalog..

If I could do this with two LLC Lift bridges on 3/4 inch oak and door closers to brace you can create a beautiful span with the new bridge in 2015 catalog utilizing the swing bridge tooling to cross your RR aisle and I have been operating this lift bridge for 8 years now and had busloads of people from conventions pass thru it with zero trouble.

Nice looking bridge.  Reminds me of the Madien Lane bridge in Albany, at least I think that one swings. Please , correct me if mistaken.

Fred

I have always had an infinitey for bridges. My great, great grandfather was a contractor and built part of the Post Road from Albany to Boston in the early to mid eigthteen hundreds. Bridges have been a big part of transportation here in Albany and surrounds, from the 126th steeet bridge inTroy to the Dunn Menmorial in Albany. This is how we tranverse the Hudson.

I may have to find a place for Lionels recent offering.

Nice looking but three hundred dollars for a plastic bridge that costs maybe $10-$15 to make. They must think that their consumers are dummies.

The length including the modular piers is 39"

The way I would mount one this is plenty wide, even in front of a standard 36" door.

While they don't specify the number, the text does say the height accommodates scale rolling stock.

It's funny how the same couple people (Dennis) slam Lionel over every new product they introduce.

Must be fun at parties.

I agree it's a very nicely detailed bridge and the innovative modular piers is another example of Lionel trying new things

Dennis- 

I believe the bridges themselves are die cast like the swing bridge if its made from the same tooling.

one of our club members has this accessory and the details on the bridge are amazing.

I like having unique models on the layout and this fits the bill.

Price -  don't get your panties in a bunch, wait and see, I am hoping they are about a 100 a piece.

Comparatively speaking, I believe the Atlas single track truss in over 100.00.

i just built 2 Plastrut truss bridges with shipping were 58.00 each and took about 5 hours each. And I built them.

Dick

Another bridge man here checking in! These do look real nice! This might fall into the category of buy now, use later when the space becomes available. 

I think it is a great strategy for Lionel to focus on some high end nice structures to complement their Legacy locos. The more options, the better for us all.

Are you referring to the #3002 O scale Truss bridge kit? 

I've been considering doing one or two of them; and, after I called Plastruct, was directed to a lady at Plastruct for information on making the single track bridge a double track; and, lengthening the 30" to 36" length--the product description on their website says this is easy to do.  Sent her an email today and awaiting her reply.  I'll post the information I receive.

If you find the time, post pictures of the bridges.  Thanks.

That's my plan.......Plus I can make the exact bridge I want...not what someone makes. And bridges are pretty easy compared to some structures.

Ditto,

I need to make just the sides to pretty up this drop down section:

I think the long side might be 37"-38".

I think the bridge is very neat.  I appreciate the fact that Lionel is offering new products that meet a need for hobbyists that may not be able to engineer their own lift out section.  I also appreciate that it works with all track systems, and that the piers are configurable and flexible.  I don't have a need for one right now, but I may buy it to keep for when we eventually do another layout.

As to the price, I noticed it was not inexpensive but once again, and not to sound like someone who doesn't have bills and expenses like everyone else, it surprises me that folks who routinely spend hundreds of dollars a year, if not more, on additional locomotives (that none of us need, btw) would balk at the catalog price of an item that is new and very innovative.  If I had to pay the $300 for the bridge, I probably would on the theory that unlike the locomotives, the accessories can actually be one-off and done for a long while.  In reality and as people know, the street price will likely be a good deal lower.  So as I said, I am not sure where the criticism originates -- costs for everyone are higher across the board and this is just another example.   Do I like it?  Nope, but I will budget accordingly and not allow it to dampen my enthusiasm for the product or the hobby in general.  The only question with respect to this item and others is really can I properly afford it?  No different than any other consumer item.

For those who can build their own structures, that's great too and a terrific part of the hobby as well.  But I wouldn't mock others who would pay to have a nice bridge that they themselves probably couldn't replicate.

The catalog description refers to "molded" rivet detail.

I think the catalog missed a bragging right. made in die-cast is a nice selling point for me.

Absolutely the information SHOULD be in the catalog.  There should be no reason to have to listen to a podcast--whatever a podcast is and however one listens to it (as I have no idea).  That is what the catalog is for:  providing product information.

The MSRP on this Lionel Bridge is $299.  The street price will be lower.

Gentlemen,

    I will reserve my comments until I actually get to put my hands on the bridge and see what it is actually made of.  Aluminum or die cast would be real nice, plastic for this kind of cost will not impress me at all.

PCRR/Dave

It's the same as the swing bridge they made a few years ago. It cost them nothing to make. $299. for a plastic bridge, crazy.