Canyon Diablo Bridge

[arbomambo]

"It's about 40 inches long, yes?
That's about perfect for a 4' Free-moN module!!!
Muhahahahaha!!"


I was thinking much the same...

I remember hiking in to this bridge a couple of times during the 90's...(actually not too much hiking...I was able to drive the truck pretty close to the actual canyon at the time...it's not far at all from I-40)
Pretty darn featureless and 'flat' desert plain all around...then you just come upon this canyon carved into the plain!...it was just impressive as heck! Didn't see any snakes at the time, but it's perfect rattlenake country...and during my visits there were some cattle grazing in the vicinity and one mean looking bull giving me the evil eye...I did my nbest to remember to keep my truck between  us during my railfanning!
 This is an impressive bridge!....really gets my mind going!
~Bruce

[Scottl]

That is an amazing bridge, and the model looks superb!

Any chance you want to do the Cisco bridge?  I'm gearing up to scratchbuild it, but if you even hinted...  OMI made 50 of these in brass and it sold for $5K, apparently.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=417410&nseq=0

[TrainCat2]

That is an amazing bridge, and the model looks superb!

Any chance you want to do the Cisco bridge?  I'm gearing up to scratchbuild it, but if you even hinted...  OMI made 50 of these in brass and it sold for $5K, apparently.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=417410&nseq=0

Not unless you come up with a plan set and some airfare for a picture taking session. 

Even with the Canyon Diablo, I waited until I obtained a full set drawings.

[TrainCat2]

Here are a couple of progress pics. I have not had much time to devote except 30 min here and there.


You can see the difference here in how much the Tie Plate detail adds with one Post having all of the Tie Plates and the tall Post does not have them all yet.

[tom mann]

Wow, that looks awesome.

[TiVoPrince]

Tingling
is the only word to describe how I'm feeling...

[Mark.S+10]

TrainCat,

How did you put the rivets in the brass?  Thanks, Mark.

[Kisatchie]

TrainCat,

How did you put the rivets in the brass?

Hmm... with a teenie tiny
hammer...?

[TiVoPrince]

How did you put the rivets in the brass?

One 
at a time, I suspect...

[peteski]

TrainCat,

How did you put the rivets in the brass?  Thanks, Mark.

And for a serious answer, I believe that it is done the same way other surface details are done on photo etched brass: relief-etching.  It is done by etching the brass sheet from both sides.

Yes, the level of detail is amazing (especially considering this is 1:160 scale)!

[RWCJr]

The work on the handrails is amazing craftmanship!! Hats off to you. 

[Hornwrecker]

I'm trying to find an superlative adjective, not used in this thread to describe the craftsmanship shown, but come up short.  Incredible.

[TrainCat2]

Thanks guys,

As Pete said Mark, the overlays were etched as a relief except that there 6 levels of etching in the overlays. Meaning, 3 layers per side instead of the standard two. A lot more involved process as it requires two full etchings.

The handrails are smaller (.007) than I have ever done as a full sheet. I have used small sections even smaller (.004), but the entire 12x24 sheet is .007 stainless railing and proved to be challenging. Brass railings would have been way to flimsy to be viable.

[Mark.S+10]

TrainCat,

Thanks for the reply.  I'm afraid I don't understand much of what you said, but I am learning.  I'm trying to figure out how to make an AT&SF oil tender shell like the one on my Hallmark brass 4-8-4 that will fit on a Con-Cor Hudson tender base.  At first look it seems like it would be easy, the tender is a simple rectangle, but has lots of tiny rivets.  I'm beginning to see it is more complex than I first thought.

Thanks again, Mark

[Cajonpassfan]

Mark, are you trying to do a 20K gal ATSF square tender? Like the ones behind 3751 and 3765 classes?
Drop me a PM if so...
Otto K.