New Concrete Slab Bridge for Cascade Sub


B_Kosanda

B_Kosanda

Member
Sorry, I know I don't post much on here any more, but I thought I'd share a recent upgrade to my UP Cascade Subdivision layout. I have a large area that was pretty bland and I decided to add a concrete slab bridge modeled from a prototype bridge from the actual Cascade Subdivision in Oregon. Here's a couple pictures I just took to try to show it off. The bridge piers are plaster castings made in a form of styrene and pieces of scrap wood. In the background you can see tunnel #8.

Bill Kosanda
 
Very good results, I'd say. Nicely done. I look forward to more images as you provide more details and scenery. :)
 
Very nice job on that bridge. The piers have the look of concrete that's been in place for a while. What did you use for the deck and railing? They look good too, as does your train.
 
UP2CSX said:
Very nice job on that bridge. The piers have the look of concrete that's been in place for a while. What did you use for the deck and railing? They look good too, as does your train.
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The deck is the existing spline roadbed which I use for the track base on my layout. You can see the spline painted concrete color under the track. The railing is just styrene strips.
 
Ah, nice results using the spline roadbed for the bridge deck. It actually looks more like steel than concrete, which would be the normal material for a bridge deck. I'm not familiar with the actual bridge but is the deck as well as the piers concrete?
 
Now that's a great looking bridge. I'm in the process of building a few truss bridges.

How did you build the background to the bridge?
 
UP2CSX said:
Ah, nice results using the spline roadbed for the bridge deck. It actually looks more like steel than concrete, which would be the normal material for a bridge deck. I'm not familiar with the actual bridge but is the deck as well as the piers concrete?
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The deck on the prototype is concrete and looks in really bad shape. You can see a picture of the prototype on Joel Ashcroft's site. It is a mighty hike to get up to it.

http://spcascades.railfan.net/structures/TUNNEL11eastportalButtress.jpg

I'm going to do some work on the spline to get it to look like the picture at the link above.

Bill
 
cncproadwarrior said:
Now that's a great looking bridge. I'm in the process of building a few truss bridges.

How did you build the background to the bridge?
Click to expand...

The background to the bridge and the whole mountain is made of cardboard strips covered with plaster soaked paper towels and rocks carved from plaster of paris. The "dirt" is dry plaster of paris mixed with dry tempura paint and sprinkled on the plaster with my wife's gravy sifter. A few light squirts of water makes it stick.

Bill
 
Bill, that concrete deck isn't in too bad shape but the piers have really been spaling away. I think all you need to do is paint your spline an old concrete color, something like Floquil's aged concrete, and then add some drain holes like you in the real bridge. It looks like the railing is rusting pretty good so add some rust streaks down the side as well. You've done a good job of capturing the spaling in the piers except right at the top. That's where the concrete is being turned into smaller pieces by weathering as the pier is slowly being destroyed. A pile of very fine ballast on the top of each pier would match that process nicely. I sure hope they get a bridge inspector and a B&B gang out there soon. That bridge is not looking too safe. :eek:
 
Here's an update on the bridge. I repainted the bridge deck to more of a white-concrete color and also cut slits in the spline to simulate the concrete pieces of the deck.

Bill
 
Much better, Bill. I'd still add the little piles of fine ballast to the top of each pier to simulate the great condition of the bridge. I'd also rust up the handrails to match the picture. :)
 
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