proper l girders for chicago cta lines.


J

jfb

Member
:Dhey model railroader about 4 to 6 years ago had a cta line article online and marked by cta etc handle,where did those cta line supports come from does anyone know? they look very real and i will check back next saturday.
 
It may have been a little longer, but I remember one article on the CTA, and the supports were, IIRC, cast in resin. Not sure, as there have been several over the years and the latest one may have used other methods of coming up with those supports. But by casting them, you'd only have to make a master pattern for each type of support. Then you can cast as many as you need.

There was another article back in the 1980's where the author built them out of Plastruct shapes, and he built each one out of the parts he got from Plastruct. In the 1960's IIRC, there was even one where the supports were built from brass shapes soldered together into the proper supports.

While I don't model the CTA, the bridgework needed to get the trains elevated has always fascinated me.
 
There is a company today that makes modular elevated structures out of laser cut wood. Forget the name but you can probably google them with 'model "el" kits'.
 
I assembled a laser cut wood kit from http://www.imaginethatlaserart.com/ a while ago for a website review, might want to check with them as they have a lot of neat kits re the Chicago L.

Chicago L Platform.jpg
 
I'm using Central Valley girders and Atlas bridge loads for mine, if I ever get it together. Note that the Chicago system has lots of different types of structures sometimes inter-mixed. That what happens when a system is built and and in service for 110+ years! Take it from a daily rider.
 
Eric Bronsky did a number of articles in MR in the 80s (Consider the "L") and some follup up articles and so on. find some back issues, or get the CD/DVD. There were at one time some L structures on Walthers years ago but that dissappeared, later scrounging ebay I found a horde of them. Probably last manufactures of them maybe, who knows.
 
for anyone who needs them use old lionel risers they have rivets installed also. I cut mine in the inner structures and the angle is almost perfect and then paint to match usually grey, use walmart primer grey almost the perfect color and low cost about 1.50 a can.
 
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