Building The Canyon 7: San Emigdio Canyon Truss Bridge 2

I'm replacing the Campbell pony truss with a deck truss, also from a Campbell H.O. kit. This design seems sturdier than the pony truss, which has exposed, freestanding trusses, whereas this one has trusses boxed with top and bottom cross members and diagonal bracing. Plus, I learned some things from the first bridge, and I'm doing a better job on this one.

I have to say, I think I like this one even more than the pony truss.

This has a little bit of the look of the High Bridge on the Durango & Silverton.

If you want to get technical, the High Bridge is a steel Pratt Truss, and the Campbell kit is a wood Howe Truss. But the feel is similar. And while I'm going on about technicalities, the High Bridge isn't called that because it's high above the river, but rather because it's at the highest altitude of any bridge on the D&S.

11/12/24: I started by assembling the stringers and ties. I used my own material here, not the kit parts -- the stringers are slightly taller than the kit parts and the ties are both larger in cross section, and longer.

11/17/24: After a few days off, I finally got around to staining the stripwood for the Campbell kit this morning. I'm following my usual procedure of distressing the wood with an Xacto knife and wire brush, walnut stain, and a gray wash.

11/20/24: I had an hour to spare this afternoon, so I installed the two timber abutments that I originally built for the truss bridge; instead, I'm using them for the trestle on the other side. 

The truss bridge will have stone abutments, which I installed a while back. Today I also put in the footing for one of the truss bridge support piers. Because this one is set into the hillside, I wanted to install it before I do finish painting. The footing on the others side will sit on the canyon bottom, so it won't require much if any surgery to the canyon wall.

11/22/24: Added rail, guard timbers, and decking for the fire barrel platforms.

11/23/24: Assembly underway on the main truss structure. It's going quickly now that I've got started.

I just need to build the end jacks, add NBW castings on the bottom, and a few other details. Then build the piers. NBWs on the top and bottom are Grandt Line #16; the smaller ones on the jack bents are Tichy #8035.

11/24/24: Today I added lower diagonal bracing and built the end jacks. One of them still needs NBW castings.

11/25/24: End jacks completed and installed.

11/26/24: The bridge itself is complete. Next, I'll build the piers.

11/27/24: Made the four little bents for the short pier.

11/29/24: Short pier complete. I need to do some scenery touchup, and shim the pier just a bit.

I'm running short on NBW castings, so I ordered a couple more packs of the Tichy #8035's that I'm using for the piers and will also need for the trestle. While I was at it I also ordered a pack of O scale barrels. And a Banta water tank.

12/3/24: Working in the other pier.

12/6/24: I built the two center bents, but they're just sitting temporarily in place since I am still waiting for my NBW castings. I also decided the footing looked awkward, so I scrapped it and made a new one.

At this point, the bridge is complete, though not glued/spiked in place quite yet. It's easier to work on scenery in the canyon without having the bridge in the way.