Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Photos/Drawings of wood Howe-type Thru Truss?

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 2
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous 1 2 template Next
  • #1

    Photos/Drawings of wood Howe-type Thru Truss?

    Hi All:

    I'm drawing a blank in my collection of 19th century of photos looking for decent examples of a wooden Howe-type through truss bridges for use in my V scale project.

    I'm not wanting to make a board for board replica. I just want pics that illustrate various ways they were made. Mine will be simplified representation based on what I find, but I want it to at least look "right" the eyes.

    Any direction you can point me toward, or otherwise, would be much appreciated.

    Thanks.

    Andre
    Tags: None
  • #2
    These are the best I have in my current photo collection:





    Given the angles the views present, it's kind of difficult for me to see various features well enough to know what I'm seeing.

    Hopefully some info will show up from here and other places I've posted this plea.

    Andre

    Comment

    • #3
      A couple of points from the little bit I know about bridge design:

      1. In a Howe truss, the big wood slanty pieces start at the top of the center of the bridge and slope towards the abutments. (I think it's a Pratt truss when they go the other way, from the bottom of the center towards the top of the ends.)

      2. Those wood pieces are in compression. The pieces in the other direction are in tension, that's why they're iron rods (because wood is strong in compression and weak in tension).

      3. A similar argument goes for the rods used in the center of the X pieces along the top (and bottom, underneath the track.)

      This is a great site for looking at current and historic photos of bridges: http://bridgehunter.com

      dave

      dave
      Modeling 1890s (because the voices in my head told me to)

      Comment

      • #4
        Will these pictures help?










        Louis L&R Western Railroad
        Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast

        Comment

        • #5
          Thanks Dave.

          I'll check out that link.

          As it sits, I think I'm going to wing it and use the above pics I have to make a facsimile for my purposes. Whatever I come up with work... but I would like it to look reasonably "right".

          Andre

          Comment

          • #6
            Desert Drover:

            Oh no... the pics don't display!

            Comment

            • #7
              quote:

              Originally posted by OK Hogger

              Desert Drover:

              Oh no... the pics don't display!


              It was a brain clog. Pictures up now.

              Also, see if this information helps. http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips2/howe_truss.html


              Louis L&R Western Railroad
              Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast

              Comment

              • #8
                That worked!

                Yes, that helps, too! Apparently wooden truss bridges came in all sorts of configurations. The one in the photos you shared looked to be very heavy duty.

                The only poor partial pic I have of the type of bridge I need to make shows a more "spindly" configuration. I'm going to use my above pics of the same railroad, but at a different location, and shoot for capturing that look. I've already started the building process in my 3D CAD software. We'll see how that goes!

                Andre

                Comment

                • #9
                  I've made a start!





                  Obviously, I'm not going to build a "contest quality" bridge. Instead, as is my way, I'm aiming for a model that gives the impression of "looking right", and that will be good 'enuf fer me.

                  Andre

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Andre, these photos are of a Howe truss covered bridge - and model - in E. Shoreham, Vermont that was built in the 1890s. If you ignore the sheathing, the framing should be the same as the bridge you are modeling.

                    This is interior of the prototype, photo date unknown.




                    This is the frame for one side of the model (The Laser Arts kit from which this model was modified has some framing errors, but the overal appearance may work ok for what you want).



                    the 8 numbered notches along the top are for the roof rafters)

                    This is the assembled frame


                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Wow, Bill... that's an impressive model, if not yours, whomever!

                      Thanks for the pics!

                      I'm aiming for the above spindly bridge photo I posted that was over the Meramec River at Jerome, MO. We'll see if I hit the mark or not!

                      Andre

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Well, I think I've got something I can be fine with...



                        The bridge configuration is based on the above photos I shared of the bridge over the Meramec River near Jerome, MO.

                        As good fortune would have it, the only (poor) pic I have of the White River bridge near St. Paul (where this bridge is to be placed) shows only the west corner of it... but it's the same type bridge as was used over the Meramec! Such serendipity doesn't happen very often!

                        OH... and the wood piers are based on the same as seen in the White River bridge pic I mention. SO... this project ended up being a close facsimile of the real deal!

                        (Hm. Looks like I forgot to turn on shadows. [!] )

                        All fer now!

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Looking good so far, you might want to take another look at the support rods in the first two pictures. In those pictures there is also a Horizonal running metal bar running the length of the bridge.

                          Bob
                          It's only make-believe

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Hi Bob!

                            Nah... it's "good 'enuf" for what I'll be doing with it.



                            Andre

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Andre,

                              It looks like the bridge in your photos above is of this type:


                              _________________________________________________

                              Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James Baldwin

                              Comment

                              Previous 1 2 template Next
                              Working...
                              X