The Little Rock Line

[mu26aeh]

I like 1 and 3 !  2 seems to look like maybe the crews are prepping it to be repainted and they are at the stage where the entire bridge is in primer.  But that would work too, as you could have a MOW crew set up there. 

Excellent work !! 

[davefoxx]

I like it, Allen!  Nice work.  That's a beautiful bridge.

DFF

[C855B]

What did you use for rail? I cannot for the life of me get ME Code 55 to work with the snap-in system molded into the ties.

Mine will be grimy black with a little bit of dusting. Things don't rust (much) in the desert West, and as you might have noticed in the pics of the BNSF bridges up-thread, the RR tends to paint every so often. Maybe a little bit of graffiti, haven't decided how much is appropriate for 1970.

[SAH]

Beautiful weathering work Allen.  Good balance.  Very realistic.

[wazzou]

I cannot for the life of me get ME Code 55 to work with the snap-in system molded into the ties.

Why?  You just push the little nubs over to secure the rail.

[C855B]

Hmm... that's not how I read the instructions, which said to use a 3/16" punch to more or less "massage" the rail into place. It sure as heck didn't work for me. I'll try your way. Failing that, I have ME bridge track on hand and can easily substitute the entire deck.

[Bendtracker1]

I like 1 and 3 !  2 seems to look like maybe the crews are prepping it to be repainted and they are at the stage where the entire bridge is in primer.  But that would work too, as you could have a MOW crew set up there. 

Excellent work !! 

I like it, Allen!  Nice work.  That's a beautiful bridge.

DFF

Beautiful weathering work Allen.  Good balance.  Very realistic.

Thanks guys!   

[Bendtracker1]

Hmm... that's not how I read the instructions, which said to use a 3/16" punch to more or less "massage" the rail into place.

Now I know why our roads are falling apart...  

[C855B]

Nyuk nyuk.

Re-read the instructions, Mike. I was working with too much information. I had it in my head that this worked like their new tie system, where you snapped the rail into place with vertical pressure (using the punch as a push tool). This elicited recalling there were issues with the ME C55 rail base as slightly too wide for the CV ties. ANYway, on Bryan's advice I realized I was supposed to be swaging the nubs over the rail base, so there you have it:



It works OK, I guess. Once I got past the it went pretty fast. Thanks!

[Bendtracker1]

Happy New Year everyone!

Last night I finished with the abutments and piers for both bridges.
I was planning to use some Chooch versions for these bridges but was having a hard time getting them to fit the bridges.
SOO (Wyatt) told me to make them out of concrete so I could make them fit what I need. So that's what I did.

I started with 1/4" and 3/4" chunks of MDF (medium density fiberboard) as it would take paint really good.
On the two abutments for the Truss bridge I added some .040" styrene to give some relief to the face. Then I used an Exacto #11 blade to make the cracks and chipped concrete.

 

After getting them sealed, I used some cheap craft paint, then attacked them with a black oil wash, some Bragdon powders and Pan Pastels.



The rest of the story is on the Blog...

[Santa Fe Guy]

Looking very swish Allen.
Rod.

[Bendtracker1]

Thanks Rod!!

[Bendtracker1]

My B&B gang hustled to get the new Deck bridge pressed into service before the New Year.
I had to pay them double time, but they got it done.

 

The bridge, abutments and piers are just temporarily installed.
I still have a lot of work to do it before I can stick a fork in it and call it done.
I plan to leave things just as they are until I get the second bridge in place and
leave them loose so I can remove them when I get started on the scenery.

[Chris333]

The whole bridge scene looks great!

[C855B]

Yeah, the abutments and piers look great. It would do well to follow your lead.