New Project - 140' Thru Plate Girder Bridge - Part 1

Today, I finished a design for a new thru plate girder bridge for the layout.

Some background on why this project and issue with current bridge:

1. I installed a Central Valley Model Works thru truss bridge on the layout initially without any thought into it other than I like the look of the CV bridge and in my haste I did not paint the bridge before installing it, so it currently is install as is straight out of the box.

2. Again without any thought the T&P Bonham division does not have any thru truss bridges on the line, only thru plate girder bridges.

3. There a vertical grade issue on each side of the bridge that has in the past cause uncoupling of the cars.

4. By replacing the CVMW bridge with this thru plate girder bridge, I can lower the track work and level out the vertical grade issue.

After supper out with the wife this evening, I fired up the laser and start the cutting of the bridge components.

After separating the 130+ piece, I started assembling the base girder section, starting with the two longitudinal girder web and ten vertical web pieces.

Next install top flange piece

Next top nine girder flange braces, these go in best if the assembly is inverted before the bottom flange is installed

And finally the bottom flange piece.

There is a bottom flange brace piece and flange pieces for each of the vertical supports, but I will wait until the side girders are installed to help with alignment of these pieces.

That it for tonight, if I find time tomorrow, I will start the first of two side girders, each side girder has 67 pieces.