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How to Make a Little Bridge for a Model Railroad

The most basic kind of bridge used by trains is the truss bridge. The truss bridge has a support structure that lies entirely beneath the bridge, as opposed to suspension bridges which are supported from above. You can build a model truss bridge using model railroad strips, available from hobby stores, and glue. A model truss bridge can be modified later to look like a different kind of bridge. Since the truss bridge is supported from beneath, you don't have to worry about making sure that the new additions will support the bridge.

Things You'll Need

6 model railroad strips, 7 inches long
5 model railroad strips, 2 inches long
8 model railroad strips, 5 inches long
Liquid styrene glue

Instructions

- 1
  Lay two of the 7 inch model railroad strips on a safe working surface so that they are 3.5 inches apart. Place a 5 inch strip on top of the two 7 inch strips, so that one end of the 5 inch strip lies on the far-left end of the 7 inch strip closest to you, and the other end of the 5 inch strip lies on the center of the 7 inch strip farthest from you. Glue the 5 inch strip in place. Repeat this process with another 5 inch strip, this letting one end of the 5 inch strip lie on the center of the 7 inch strip closest to you and the other end of 5 inch strip lie on the right end of the 7 inch strip farthest from you.
- 2
  Allow the glue to dry, then flip the whole construction over horizontally and repeat the above step on the other side. The 5 inch strips on each side should form two X's between the two 7 inch strips when you are done. Take two more 7 inch strips and four more 5 inch strips and repeat, so that you have two sets of 7 inch strips connected by X's of 5 inch strips.
- 3
  Set the two rails up so that they are standing up vertically in line with one another, 2 inches apart. Lay the 2 inch strips on top of the two rails so that a 2 inch strip lies on each end of the rail, across the center, and across the two points between the center and each end. Glue these strips in place. Then glue two more 7 inch strips length-wise so that they run over top of the 2 inch strips. Put them close enough together that you can lay your model railroad tracks over top of them.
- 4
  Repeat Steps One through Three until you have enough 7 inch segments to make a bridge of the desired length, then glue the segments together end-to-end. If you want to paint your strips, do so now. Painting the strips beforehand also works, but you will have to number them so that each strip is painted the right color in the final configuration.

Model Railroads