Trestle bent spacing?

[Marlin39]

Is there a standard for bent spacing? I'm building a small (6") trestle and am trying to figure out if I need 2 or 4 bents.

Thanks

 

[wombat457]

I believe the norm is 12' between bents.

I'm not sure what that would be in scale terms though. If your modeling HO then it would be some where around 1 11/16" (real measurement but I think 1 3/4" would work) between bents, give or take. Therefore, you would need a "small support bent either end and 2 along the length of the bridge.

 

[Lynnb]

I followed the directions on my first trestle I built and I’m not near it to measure. I’ve built a few trestles now and I believe I settled for what looked right or maybe I looked in my bridges and trestles book.

 

[wombat457]

I settled for what looked right

That'd work as well !

 

[Lynnb]

Ok just looking in my layout topic I grabbed a pic of a trestle , I know this trestle is 3 feet long in HO scale so if you divide up the number of bents it’ll give you an idea, I count 13 bents . I can look better and measure if you like when I get home.

 

[wombat457]

On the off chance you are modelling N Scale - I can do the same as @Lynnb for you if you'd like, other wise, take Lynn's advice

 

[D&J RailRoad]

Yep, just so it looks good. The NMRA police won't come there to arrest ya.

 

[NWP Dave]

Is there a standard for bent spacing? I'm building a small (6") trestle and am trying to figure out if I need 2 or 4 bents.

Thanks

Here is a link to information I found useful for building trestles. When I built the McQuire Creek curved trestle for the 5 Mile RR it provided me with prototype lumber sizes used for the trestle components. Its over 400 pages written in 1913. Good for the reference library.
https://ia802704.us.archive.org/30/items/treatisewooden00fostrich/treatisewooden00fostrich.pdf

 

[Marlin39]

I'm building a post WW2/depression era narrow (HOn30) gauge line. I guesstimated on all the proportions and it came out ok.

The clearance is just over 2.5" and it's about 7" long. I'm pretty happy with the "rustic", non-prototype, results.

 

[Rico]

I think you nailed it, looks great!
Narrow gauge lines pretty much did their own thing as they went along.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

Noooo, noooo, nooo. way wrong. Gotta pull them closer together about 1/32".

 

[dennis461]

14'

 

[Marlin39]

14'

I spaced ~11' except in the middle where the track runs, so for narrow gauge that was a good guess.

 

[migalyto]

I think what you got looks great!

 

[David_B]

Like the look myself.

 

[David_B]

Here is a link to information I found useful for building trestles. When I built the McQuire Creek curved trestle for the 5 Mile RR it provided me with prototype lumber sizes used for the trestle components. Its over 400 pages written in 1913. Good for the reference library.
https://ia802704.us.archive.org/30/items/treatisewooden00fostrich/treatisewooden00fostrich.pdf

Interesting read

 

[boatwrench]

I pulled out MRs Bridges and Trestles by Jeff Wilson and could not find the span spacing. Strange? Maybe I just missed it. The link provided by NWP Dave has a drawing indicating 12 feet.

 

[wombat457]

After looking at a great many pictures of trestles I have come to the conclusion that there is no standard distance between bents. As such, you could get away with a spacing of anything between 10' to 15'. Basically, whatever looks best on your layout for the trestle.

 

[Selector]

The trestles I have imaged and walked across have a spacing near 12'. It means those sway braces are long!