By Mike Barrett Photos by Tommy Holt

conomics drive the decisions about building bridges on the prototype railroads. If a bridge is deemed necessary and more economical than a large fill, the trestle is the first choice because of lower cost and ease of construction. But a deck bridge will be used if a long span bridge is needed or the area is subject to washouts If you find you need to cross such a area on your railroad, I suggest using the O scale Deck Bridge Kit (DBK-O) from Black Bear Construction Co. The main component of the kit is a set of laser cut acrylic construction jigs. The kit allows the building of a deck bridge from five inches (20 scale feet) to seventeen inches (70 scale feet) long. The kit contains a package of materials needed to build the bridge and a full size drawing. The jigs can be reused by purchasing more materials. Before beginning construction, stain all the wood, treat the steel rods with Blacken-It and paint the nut-bolt-washer castings (NBW) and the iron straps. For each iron strap, you need about 78" of the .030" x .188 styrene stock enclosed with the materials pack. Our bridge needs 12 iron straps. Paint only what you need. The rest of the styrene is used to shim the braces in the jig while the bridge is being assembled. (Refer to Figures 1 and 2 for the names, sizes, and locations of all the bridge members.) Bridge construction has four basic parts: A. Build two identical side panels. B. Determine the spacing between the side panels and build the end panels. C. Join the side panels together using floor beams and end panels. D. Install the iron rods, beams, braces and stringers. PART A - BUILDING THE SIDE PANELS
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Step 1. Place the top and bottom chord stock (" x ") in the horizontal slots of the jig. Let them extend considerably longer than the final bridge requires. They will be trimmed later. Step 2. Cut 45 on both ends of a piece of end angle brace stock (" x ") so that it fits snugly against the top and bottom chords. Use this first end angle brace as a guide to cut three more pieces just like it. The right end angle brace will be glued on after the side panel is removed from the jig. Glue the left end angle brace to the top and bottom chords now. Place pieces of styrene shim in the two inward angle brace slots. Cut the two 116" x 316" (scale 3" x 8") inward angle braces to fit and glue them in place. Glue a spacer block at the top where the two braces come together. (Photo 1) Step 3. Place styrene shim and scraps of the angle brace material in the remaining jig slots. Cut and glue the outward leaning braces in place The right-most outward leaning braces need special attention where they are to join the end angle brace that is not yet in place. Cut the ends of these braces flush with the slot in the jig. (Photo 2) Step 4. Cut and glue another set of inward angle braces in place. After the glue has set up, remove the side panel assembly from the jig and set it aside to let the glue dry thoroughly. Build a second side panel just like

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Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

the first. Take one of the extra end angle braces you cut in the beginning and glue it in place at the right end of the side panel assembly. Do this outside the jig. Repeat these steps to make two side panel assemblies. (Photo 3) 5. Place the two side panels side by side and mark where the top and bottom chords are to be cut off. Typical cut distances beyond the end angle brace are " (12" scale) for the top chord and 1" (4' scale) for the bottom chord. Ours is cut shorter so the bottom chords do not interfere with the first trestle bent. 6. Cut and glue in place the end stops and side plate shoes, or corbels. Stack the side panels together. Orient them symmetrically with the better side facing out. Mark the panels so you can always keep them oriented the same way. 7. Mark the locations of the lateral tension rods on one of the side panel assemblies. Take into account where the end panel is going to be located. Stack the side panels together and drill the holes for the lateral tension rods in the bottom chords. (Photo 4) 8. The NBW on top of the knee brace rod is located in a notch that must be carved into the end angle brace. Drill a hole for the knee brace rod. Carve and counter bore the hole in the end angle brace but do not yet drill a hole in the bottom chord. Consider skipping this step and eliminating the knee brace rod because of the difficulty in carving the notch. (Photo 5)
PART B - BUILD THE END PANEL ASSEMBLIES

Photo 4

1. The end panel assemblies set the width of the bridge. The Black Bear jig set includes end panel jigs for standard gauge and narrow gauge. We will use the narrow gauge end panels. The bridge can be made a little wider than a standard On30/On3 bridge if the location is on a curve. 2. Cut the end panel cap and place in the end panel jig. (Photo 6) 3. Determine the length of the end panel posts. This is not as easy as it seems. Lay one of the side panel assemblies on its side and place a piece of the " x 38" (scale 12" x 18") material you will use for the top main beams along the top chord. Place a piece of " x " (scale 12" x 12" end panel top cap material on top of the top main beam material. Place another piece of " x " (scale 12" x 12") end panel post material square to the top main beam. Mark the post where it lines up with the bottom of the bottom chord. Cut the post material at this point. (Note: If the bridge mounts on a stone or concrete abutment rather than a trestle bent, cut the end post at the top of the bottom chord. 4. Construct two end panel assemblies, complete with diagonal braces and NBWs.
PART C - JOIN SIDE PANELS USING BEAMS & END PANELS.

Photo 5

1. Cut a piece of " x " (scale 12" x 12") bottom beam stock " (2 scale feet) longer than the outside of the bridge assembly. Drill holes in the bottom beam that locate vertical tension rods 18" (scale 6") on either side of the top chord and 18" from the end of the beam. Build a jig that consistently locates the tension rod holes near the ends of the top main beams and the lower beams. Use this jig to drill holes for the iron rods in one piece of the bottom beam material. Trial fit it to make sure the holes are located correctly. When you locate the endmost beams, make sure there is room for the top secondary beams on both sides.
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(Photo 7) 2. Install all but the endmost lateral tension rods in both side panels. Locate the end panels between the side panels and place the assembly upside down on a work surface with parallel lines or a grid pattern. Hold the end panels in place with rubber bands. Be sure to keep the side panels upright and parallel. Rotate the end panels out of the way so they dont interfere with the installation of the top and bottom beams. 3. Place the vertical tension rods in the bottom beams. Place the beams and rods in their approximate locations. Make sure all the rods are spaced evenly from the chords and all the beams are parallel. Line the tension rods up with the brace intersections. Glue the bottom beams in place against the bottom chords. (Photo 8) 4. Cut the top main beams to the same length as the bottom beams. Use the same hole-drilling jig to drill the vertical tension rod holes in the top main beams like you did in the bottom beams. Thread the vertical tension rods into the holes in the top main beams. Make sure the tension rods and beams are parallel. Glue the top main beams in place. Rubber bands help hold the members in place while you check that they are square. (Photo 9)
PART D - INSTALL THE IRON RODS AND BRACES

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Photo 7

1. It is now time to install the diagonal bracing, or struts. Start with the upper bottom diagonal braces. You will probably have to groove these braces for the lateral tension rods. Notice that the tension rods may be easily removed to gain access to the diagonal bracing because they are not yet glued in place. (Photo 10) 2. Next, install the lower bottom diagonal braces, the inner diagonal braces, and the lower top diagonal braces, in that order. 3. Finish building the upper beams by installing a 116" x 316" (scale 3" x 8") spacer against the sides of the top main beams. Before gluing the spacers in place use a black felt tip pen to darken the edges so they are not visible after assembly. Glue the top secondary beams to these spacers. (Photo 11) 4. Glue in the upper top diagonal braces. 5. Build the cross brace assemblies by notching two pieces of 18" x " (scale 6" x 12"). Install the cross brace assembly and NBWs. (Photo 12) 6. Install the iron straps and NBWs so they trap the iron tension rods in place. (Photo 13) 7. Stringers are made by laminating three pieces of 12" x 18" stock and several 2" x 10" spacers. The spacers simulate the 2" washers that were used to space the stringers apart. Darken the edges of the spacers so they are not visible later. 8. Gluing the end panels and stringers in place completes the construction of the bridge. (Photo 14)

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Photo 9

Author Mike Barrett is the owner and founder of Black Bear Construction Co. He and his original partner developed their jig system as they built bridges for their model railroad club. Black Bear was started to share their methods.
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Photo 10

Photo 14

Photo 11

Helpful Hints
Black Bear Construction Co., Inc. www.blackbearcc.com DBK-O (O Scale Deck Bridge kit) Tips On Using The Jig When you first cut a set of braces that fit, label them and use them to cut other braces for the same size slots. This is very helpful if you are building several bridges. Place the shim in the slots only when they are needed. This way you can turn the jig over and clean up the glue joints without the shims falling out. Tips For Cutting Wood Mark the wood in the jig with a hobby knife. Cut the wood outside the jig. Smaller woods (1/8 and thinner) can be cut with a hobby knife, hand cutter, or North West Short Line Chopper. Thicker woods are better cut with a miter saw, cut off saw, large hand cutter, or small table saw. Use a sanding stick to clean up the burrs and square up the cut surface. Tips For Installing Nut-Bolt-Washer Castings & The Iron Rods Drill the holes from both sides to meet in the middle of the wood piece. Trap the iron rod by gluing an NBW over the hole. Tips For Fitting & Installing The Struts Cut one strut and see where else it will fit. Use that one as a gauge to cut the others. The upper bottom diagonal braces and the lower top diagonal braces are about the same size. Make sure the end most braces dont interfere with where the end panels are going to go. For added strength, glue the braces where they cross. If an iron rod interferes with a brace, remove the rod, and glue in the brace. Then use a drill to put a hole through the brace for the rod. For More Bridge Building Ideas and Plans See: Bridge & Trestle Handbook by Paul Mallery, Carstens Publishing, Inc. Jack Works article, A Timber Deck Truss Bridge, reprinted in Model Railroad Bridges and Trestles, Kalmbach Publishing.

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Photo 13

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Figure 1 - Wood sizes and part names for the Black Bear Construction Co., Inc., O scale Deck Bridge.
TOP CHORD (12 X 12) IRON STRAP (1 X 9)

TOP SECONDARY BEAM (8 X 18) TOP MAIN BEAM (12 X 18) END PANEL CAP (12 X 12)

STRINGER (8 X 18-3X)

END ANGLE BRACE (12 X 12)

END PANEL POST (12 X 12) END PANEL DIAGONAL (6 X 12) END PANEL SHOE* (12 X 12) END PANEL BASE (12 X 12) SIDE PLATE SHOE (12 X 12) STRINGER SPACER (2 X 10) UPPER TOP DIAGONAL BRACE (6 X 6)

KNEE BRACE (3 X 8) INWARD ANGLE BRACE (3 X 8) OUTWARD ANGLE BRACE (3 X 8)

Drawn By: M. C. Barrett Black Bear Construction Co. 1993-95, 2003 2005

BOTTOM CHORD (12 X 12) END STOP (6 X 12)

LOWER TOP DIAGONAL BRACE (6 X 6)

KNEE BRACE ROD (2" DIA.)

VERTICAL TENSION ROD (2" DIA.) LATERAL TENSION ROD (2" DIA.) UPPER BOTTOM DIAGONAL BRACE (6 X 6) LOWER BOTTOM DIAGONAL BRACE BOTTOM BEAM (6 X 6) (12 X 12) CROSS BRACES INNER DIAGONAL BRACE (6 X 12) (6 X 6) *End Panel Shoe is used when bridge is supported on abutments rather than trestle bents.

Black Bear Construction Co. Deck Bridge

Prototype Size 6" x 12" 8" x 18" 6" x 6" 3" x 8" 12" x 12" 12" x 18" 2" x 10" 1" x 9" IRON
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For O Scale, Use: 1/8" x 1/4" 3/16" x 3/8" 1/8" x 1/8" 1/16" x 3/16" 1/4" x 1/4" 1/4" x 3/8" .041" x .208" .030" x .188" STYRENE
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2" Dia. Rod NBW

37 GRANDT LINE #16

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.047" Wire

43'-4"

Black Bear Construction Co.

On30/On3 (Narrow Gauge)

Deck Bridge

Scale: size "O" Scale Drawn By: M. C. Barrett 2005 Black Bear Construction Co., Inc

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12'

Figure 2 - Plan drawings for the Black Bear Construction Co., Inc., O scale Deck Bridge.