Building the Canyon Diablo Bridge


I don't know if anyone ever answered your question you posed in your movie in Post #2, where you asked about the 2 sets of 3 piers in the bottom of the Canyon next to the bridge your modeling. However, yes, there was an older bridge. In fact you can see the older bridge in post #55, just above and in that photo, you can see the sets of piers in the bottom of the canyon. My guess is that they built the new bridge while still using the old single tracked bridge until the new double tracked bridge was completed. In fact the abutments for the old bridge are shown in video from the drone.
 
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I ordered 15 packages of 1/4×3/8 styrene for both arches and deck beams, i have use 13 packages for one side alone! I way under estimated the materials. Im usually pretty good at figuring this stuff out, but i bombed on this one! You are right Ken $800 easy!
 
Did some work on the section were the bridge will go. There are quite a few wires that are tucked up under the wood span that power turnouts, track power and signals. First step was to remove the fascia on both sides of the wood span and assess how much wire needed to be extended.

Moving Utilities.jpg


I found the matching wire spools in the wire tube and extended each one so the wire can be concealed below the scenery that will drop down to form a canyon below the bridge.
The only thing remaining are two ribbon cables for the signal lamps. I'll replace those tomorrow.
The existing wire splices aren't pretty right now, but after the canyon is built, these can be tightened up a bit then concealed with the fascia panels.

Wire.jpg
 
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Ken said i could post this here, thanks Ken. Let me know what you think.
 

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I have seven hours in this right now. I just finished the ends and it tikk about 2.5 more hours. I wont be able to post any finished pics of the side i have done until i get back from work Monday. You can see the window girders here.
 

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That works out to a scale 2.6" thick. I would think something closer to 1" would be prototypical. I was planning to use .01". It will be close to paper thin. I was hoping to be able to put rivets on it before applying it to the structure.
Your bridge looks good. I did notice on the real bridge that the center 5 uprights and the end two uprights are I beams, maybe H beams. The rest of the uprights are the gusset beams while only the angled beams have the oblong holes in them.
 
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I didnt notice that on the I beams. I just looked at it again, you are right. Good eye.
 
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Finished up extending all the wiring to extend down under the scenery of the canyon. All these line will lay exposed for a few weeks until I start building the benchwork to support the canyon walls.

Finished wiring.jpg


and traffic is moving again.

 
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I will be watching your bridge development. I have finally read through all eight pages on this thread. I wonder who shot the drone sequence? These types of projects are right in my wheelhouse! However, I am partial to wood trestles. Still, I love bridge build projects; so, if you don't mind I will be looking in and commenting when I see something I might be able to help with. It's to bad I hadn't looked in here at the start, I would have suggested Central Valley Model Works (CVMW) bridge parts right away. keep up the good work and remember, it's the build process that is most enjoyable, not the end product (at least for me it is).
 
Ral,

Have you gone out to take picture of the bridge yet?
If not and if you are still planning to, I would need detail of underneath the bridge way up at the top and in between the uprights. There are several beams that run the length of the bridge and appear to be centered directly under the track. I need to see how many are under each track.
It also appears that there are heavy wood beams laid side ways across the bridge then ballast then the ties of the track. Is this correct? The beam appear to be maybe 12" X 12". If you can get an accurate measurement of those beams without falling off the bridge. They attach the uprights of the handrails to the end of the heavy beams and the one that the handrail upright is attached to is longer than the rest of them. Also, it looks like some 6" X 6" beams are placed lengthwise along the edge of the bridge just inboard of the handrail uprights. Are those 6" X 6" or something different?
Also, at the top of each gusset upright, there is an inspection cage. I would need pictures of the access to those inspection cages. It looks like there might be a ladder from the walkway that is in the center of the bridge structure, and it goes up to another cross wise walk way out to the inspection cages.
 
While I was going over some other details in the bridge construction, I noticed I had 2 too many uprights in the drawing. This threw off the entire drawing measurements so I redrew it tonight. I can't believe I missed something so simple as that. That will change the amount of material that I will need for it, but not enough to significantly change the order I have placed with Plastruct.
I got notice today that the Plastruct order is compiled and will be shipped by UPS tomorrow. The material from CVMW was mailed yesterday and will probably be here tomorrow or Thursday.
I still have to put detail together on the width of the bridge. Right now I'm guessing it will be right about 6" wide at the actual bridge components and 7" wide on the very top deck at the handrail. The tracks will be at 2 7/16" between centers.
 
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No i havent been out there yet. I was just talking with my friend just before i read this post. We are talking about going out there within the next week. I will get all the measurements and pics you need. I cant remember who asked the question about how many bridges were built over the canyon. Well i heard it was 3, but i could not confirm it until tonight. First bridge was a timber bridge built in 1880, and then the first metal bridge in 1881, and then the current bridge in 1947. Every Tuesday night we gather at my father-in-laws garage (which is on the front portion of my property) to eat dinner and drink cold beer! Well my next door neighbor John McKauley was there and he said his great grandfather wrecked a train at Canyon Diablo in 1880. Well someone burnt the timber bridge and the train fell into the canyon. The derailment killed everyone except Charles McKauley (the engineer) his grandfather. He lost his leg and spent a year in an Albuquerque hospital. So now i have proof there were indeed 3 bridges built. I asked if he had pictures of the timber bridge, he said he thinks he does. If he does, these will be the only pics i have ever seen of it. Im keeping my fingers crossed!
 
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There is a book out that discusses the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fee in great detail and discusses the Canyon Diablo bridges with a photo of Bridge #2. The name of the book is Iron Horses and it was written by Walter Bornman in 2011. I guess it was originally published as Rival Rails. I found the book to be a great read. It discusses all the Southern, Westward expanding railroads to some degree; but, the center piece is the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fee Railroad. The book outlines the competition between the ATSF, Southern Pacific, Denver Rio Grande (Western) and the Central Pacific/Union Pacific and all the smaller lines that were gobbled up in the process. It also talks about the people who where instrumental in these railroad's development. The book is published by Back Bay Books and Little, Brown & Company.
 
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