Terry Rowsell Creatively Spans the Chasm
Hi folks. Terry, our newest member of the Ottawa Valley Garden Railway Society, has sent me a wonderful video on how he overcame a certain challenge on his indoor large scale layout.
Terry wanted a lift-out bridge section on his Pencross Railway situated in the garage of his home in Casselman, Ontario.
The challenge facing Terry was the fact the bridge is located on a curve in the tracks.
Here we see Terry's entrance into the center of the layout.
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In his video (which I will share the link with you later in this blog entry) Terry will explain some interesting facts about the wood he used to create the bridge.
We won't be running trains over this invisible bridge!
These last two images showcase the challenge Terry faces.
He determined his required dimensions.
Seeing as his track will remain attached to the lift-out bridge, Terry requires sliding rail joiners to ensure the rails remain lined up when the bridge is set in place.
Note how Terry has firmly attached the track at the bridge approach resting on the existing benchwork to the left with a screw.
You can see the lip of wood the span will rest atop. Because the bridge is on angled lumber he will be able to tuck it in nicely and slide it into place with ease.
For added width and stability he has installed two elevated edges along each length of the superstructure's base.
Terry has penciled in the outline of the girders.
He is a clever lad. To ensure continuity between the two sides of the bridge he simply braced the two boards of lumber together then drilled starter holes to allow his jigsaw to "get in" to the open spaces he wanted cut out and removed.
Here is the completed span resting atop those two lips attached to the benchwork on either end of the span.
Henry and Marge are in agreement that the span will work perfectly!
Indeed, it was a simple matter of sliding the bridge into place.
With the use of a sander, Terry is able to smooth out the rough edges before painting.
She's all smoothed out with the sander.
He used a black spray bomb for the job.
"Spray away!!!" Terry.
Guardrails are required so our good man has bent some extra rail he found that had been lying around.
The guard rail will run the entire length of the tracks through the span.
Terry cleverly used "already painted" screws. Their brown crown is disguised nicely in the trackwork.
The finished product from above.
I really like how the fuel tanks to the left complement the bridge beautifully all dressed up in black!
Looking great!
While we normally keep pedestrians off our bridges for safety reasons, the crew aboard the train are on a "slow order restriction" for the very special first runby inspection!
No calamities as the bridge supported the weight of the train with ease!
Locomotive #1000, Casselman, held the honours on this day.
We love the short passenger run...
...along with the Drover's caboose.
Say, Terry, with the main purpose of a Drover's caboose being the housing of the stockmen en route while cattle is being hauled...we'll have to see a stock car in the mix at some point and perhaps a short stock pen on the layout sometime.
(Now I'm giving Terry some more work to consider...hehehe!)
We say farewell from Terry's garage.
Below is the link to Terry's video showcasing what I've written about in this blog entry.
Simply copy and paste the video into your computer's browser.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiAIplF0hhg
And...here is Terry running with me at our Saturday rail operations held here in Ottawa in Fred's backyard where twenty or so operators attend each session.
These photos were taken during Session #13 which was a Narrow Gauge running of the trains.
We are in charge of Passenger #2 as Terry brings the train to a slow stop in front of the depot at Spruce.
"I'm loving this large scale running in the great outdoors!" Terry thinks to himself. "And Fred and the gang are so inviting and welcoming!"
Nicely done, Terry.
This was when I was first introduced to Henry & Marge.
Later, Terry ran Pool Train 33 where he once again reached Spruce.
On behalf of Terry, it was a joy for me to create this blog entry around the beautiful bridge he so creatively built.
To see more of Terry's fun at Fred's large scale train operations copy and paste the two links below into your computer's browser which will take you to the entries on our Narrow Gauge Session #13 held up here in Ottawa.
Part One
https://gardenrailroadottawa.blogspot.com/2023/09/session-13-narrow-gauge-operations.html
Part Two
https://gardenrailroadottawa.blogspot.com/2023/09/session-13-part-two.html
All the best, Mike Hamer (with his Fender Stratocaster) and the entire OVGRS gang
Coming to you from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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