Hi, Just received my new Lionel Extended Truss Bridge. I intend to use it as a "lift out" but will need to transition the piers to Ross and/or Graves track. What is the best way to go about doing that?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
This is Atlas bridge to Atlas track, Start slideshow upper left control panel. You would have to adjust the height of the bridge to the rails. Click on the underlined phrase to link a slideshow.
lift out with a hinge?
No hinge. I'll probably duck under 75% of the time. I guess what I really need to know is if there's a Fastrack to Ross adapter out there. I've done a couple of simple searches with no results so I thought I'd hit up the forum and try to save some time. Grandkids are coming late next week and I'd like to be up and running.
Did a hinge on my friend Tom's layout. Click on the link for a slide show of the layout build.
I believe what you are looking for is Item 6-12040 Fast Track Transition Piece.
I believe the 6-12040 transition piece converts FT to tubular. You will then need the Gargraves track pins to connect the tubular outputs of the transition piece to Gargraves track. It is Gargraves No. 801 (yellow package).
Attachments
Images (1)
I would shim the horizontal strips that vertically support the bottom of the bridge ends bear on to align the top edges of the Lionel and Gargraves track. You will also have solder a center rail( hot) lead and outside rail(neutral) lead to the Lionel track on the bridge, since the bridge track is not physically connected to the Gargraves track either side of the bridge there is no electrical continuity. Choose one side of the fixed Gargraves track and solder leads to the hot and neutral track, I would wire the hot and neutral lead,(bridge and fixed Gargraves) to a male-female connector for disconnecting and removing the bridge. I would also apply vertical stops on the horizontal strips that support the bridge this is necessary for track alignment of the Lionel and Gragraves track. I have three hinged swing up lift bridges, on the hinged side the bridge and stationary track wiring is connected with wire nuts, not issue with track alignment and electrical continuity on both fixed rail side and the rail on the lift bridge.
Hey Billy...here is what I did for a transition at my Atlas bridge. Since you want a transition from Atlas to Gargraves / Ross you can make a solid connection using the Atlas track joiners. First, make sure that both track sections are level.
I then took the Gargraves and using a Dremel tool....cut off the bottom "web" of the hollow shape rail just enough that the Atlas joiner will slide right on the bottom of the Gargraves. You need to leave just a very small "lip" for the joiner to grab on to. This is not as tough as it looks. You can solder the joiner for an even tighter bullet proof connection. On my closeup, you can see where I did not do such a good job with alignment on the center rail! The (2) outside rails look pretty good.
For those areas where the bridge will lift out, just make sure to shim the rails to match and leave a small (3mm) gap.
I attached (3) pics to help with the visual. Hope it helps.
Donald
Attachments
Images (3)
Gargraves, the lower profile, that attaches the track, to the railroad ties, has to be removed, with a dremel grinding tool. Ross, may be an easier transition, there is no lower profile. You may have to move the Ross track spikes. Atlas rail joiner used in the picture.
Thanks Mike for the pics....I thought I had some assembly pics but I guess not.
Donald
A big thank you to all who replied to my question. I picked up a couple of Lionel transition pieces and Gargraves transition pins. After a few nips and tucks I got everything together last night. Thanx again!
