Video #10: Scratch Build Of The Trestle Bridge

I needed to add a 36" curved Trestle bridge for the 3rd line of my HO scale layout. I wanted to buy a kit but the few that I found online were "out-of-stock" with no indication of when they would be available! So, I decided to build my own bridge from scratch. I've never built anything completely from scratch before, but I was excited to give it a try. I really enjoyed it and had a lot of fun! In this video you'll see how I built it from start to finish.

[@MrMLBson09]

This video is legendary. Very appreciative of the fact that you included the specific materials list. Thank you!!!

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you, I'm glad you liked the video and found the listing of materials helpful!

[@TaxiZaphod42]

I'm in the early stages of planning a scratch built wooden trestle for my layout. This video was extremely helpful! Thank you!

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Glad it was helpful!

[@crapsforlife3023]

that bridge is a masterpiece, great job sir.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you, it was a very fun project!

[@tammywunders9810]

very good, I'm a disabled vet that doesn't get out much. You just thought me something. Thank You.

[@frankkie3849]

It’s more fun and rewarding to build something on your own..thanks for sharing…

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

It is a lot of fun, I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Crookedriverandeasternrr]

wow! just wow! spectacular work Ben. thanks for sharing . David

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you, I really enjoyed making it!

[@Lutain1337]

Thank you for a wonderful video. It was inspirational.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you, glad you found it helpful!

[@schadowolf]

Outstanding trestle and some great tips!

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ModelNerd]

Looks fantastic. It must be really satisfying to try a project this complex and have it turn out so well. Thanks for sharing!

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you, I really enjoyed the project, lots of fun and I learned a lot too! Thanks for your comment!

[@2dudesatrain107]

Very nice work. That turned out fantastic!

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thanks! I was happy with how it turned out, being my first attempt. Learned a lot for the next one!

[@ericrickert3045]

Congratulations on this most excellent trestle. Very realistic!

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thanks! I had a lot of fun making it.

[@giulius7176]

Great job! Looks really good!

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you! It was fun to make!

[@BattiModelRailway]

Very nice Ben. This is the first time I have watched a Build Of The Trestle Bridge and it was great. I'm in Sri Lanka so not easy to get stuff so need to improvise a lot but that is part of the fun. Thank you.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Hello, Thank you for your comment. I had a lot of fun building it and learned a lot for the next project. And I agree with you that when you need to improvise, it's part of the fun of the hobby!

[@walterritter2495]

Great job on the trestle Ben. You have inspired me to do a trestle of my own on my new N scale layout as well. Thanks.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thanks, I had a lot of fun making it. Let me know how yours turns out! I'm going to try another one later this year.

[@andrewchapman2024]

Very informative! Thank you so much for uploading this video! This is exactly what I was looking for!

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you, I'm glad you found it helpful!

[@andrewchapman2024]

@@bensmodelrailroadworkshop Keep up the amazing work!

[@laurensiemens1436]

THAT IS BEAUTIFUL

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you, I was a lot of fun to build.

[@johnpandolfino8663]

Well done......thanks for sharing

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you John, it was a lot of fun to make!

[@KerleyExpress]

wow beautiful bridge looks great

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you, I really enjoyed making it and I learned a lot for the next one I'm building.

[@jhoodfysh]

Hi Ben, a very good video. Thank you for sharing.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you John, glad you enjoyed it!

[@friendlypiranha774]

Awesome trestle you have built there... Farrrrr nicer than anything you could have bought. You have inspired me to do one too. Thanks & enjoy☺

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you! Good luck with your project!

[@KitClan]

Ben, That is beautiful work! Can be very proud of yourself for the accomplishment. Thanks YourConscience

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thanks John! The project was a good confidence builder for me.

[@felili]

One word = BRAVO !

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you, Felipe! I appreciate your comment!

[@stuartsherman5975]

Awesome job!

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you! It was a real learning experience and a lot of fun.

[@borjafg6899]

Very nice job. And very nice video. It looks super realistic. Greetings from Spain.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you! It was challenging to do but it was also a lot of fun. I appreciate your comment. Hope all is well in Spain!

[@johncroden6380]

Ty looks great

[@johnmichaelphilipguy-gibbe795]

Hi thank you for sharing your video, I took lots of photos of your trestle bridge, I will be building trestle bridges for my N, OO, and G, gauge, I cant wait to get started, once again thank you and your bridge is awesome

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you, wishing you good luck on your project!

[@sherlock1895]

Kudos! Very informative indeed.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you, I appreciate the comment!

[@frankwhittle4364]

That is fabulous. Frank

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you Frank! It was a fun project,

[@jeffreylapointe2061]

That bridge is great, it is a center piece.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you! It turned out better than I thought it would. It was a lot of fun to build. I'm planning to do another one, smaller and on a straightaway section of the layout.

[@rubenpedroberoch4063]

great job on the trestle bridge. Ben, I have made my project based on your tutorial, it was a great help. Thank you and best regards

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you! I'm glad you found the video helpful!

[@jamesburba1995]

I have "stick-built" a trestle. a long time ago, for my n-scale layout, using superglue for my adhesive, and it saved me an immense amount of time. Your trestle is just plain beautiful ! GRATS on a job very well done.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Hi James, thanks for subscribing! I learned quite a bit on that project. I'm going to expand my layout this fall and I plan to create an entire run of trestle bridges that will be twice as high as this one. I like your super glue idea, it would save time! Thanks for your comments.

[@bobbymartinezvergara9130]

wuaoooo congratulations

[@laurensiemens1436]

I am subscribing. I have a lot to learn

[@leonardhesch9768]

Pretty impressive.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you!

[@philiphickman5085]

Nice build.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you! It was my first attempt so I learned a lot. I'm thinking of making another one!

[@ricter591]

Thanks, very helpful. 🐾🚂 BearCreek

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Hi, I'm glad it was helpful! Thanks for your comment!

[@mesenteria]

The main 'rounds', the dowels, are called posts or pylons, or pilings. They are pile-driven into the ground until they resist any further driving. The angle the outer pairs have on each side of the frames is called 'batter'. The angle of the outer posts would typically be between 24 and 28 degrees from vertical. The frames, with five or more posts and sway braces, are called 'bents' or 'bent frames'. The top beams running across the tops of the bents are called caps. The stringers run along the major axis of the tracks and supporting decking. Below them, also running that way, and supported by the caps at each piling/post height, are 'girts'. Finally at the very bottom of the structure, is what is most often a 'mud sill'. It's simply treated, robust, timbers embedded into crushed rock and soil, and that is what supports the entire structure. One mud sill under each bent, except where pilings are driven 10-15 feet into the ground.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

This is great information, thank you for sharing, I appreciate it!

[@mesenteria]

Very nice resource, and very nice product. A gentle correction, if you don't mind: the first part of the name of the wood rhymes with the common name for my backside.

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

Not only are you a Toy Train engineer You are a craftmen.New subscriber

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thanks for the compliment! I really enjoyed making that bridge and I'm planning the next one!

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

@@bensmodelrailroadworkshop cool stuff

[@allenbarnes7202]

I used the same technique for 5 trestles on my layout

[@cprtrain]

Super.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you!

[@evileyeball]

Now if only I had the space for a layout :P

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

LOL...yes, that's the one advantage of the kids growing up and moving out...the extra room!

[@jeffhamm3037]

Thanks for sharing your technique. It turned out really nice. I’m in the planning stage of adding a trestle bridge. Did you run a bus line and feeders on the trestle? I’m trying to figure out the electrical connection.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

HI Jeff, Thanks for your note. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I did not run any additional electrical to the trestle. On the particular line that the trestle is part of, I simply have 2 terminal tacks. Each is spaced half way though the layout and are wired individually to the power pack, Hope that helps, if you have other questions just let me know. Thanks!

[@maximolennon3114]

instaBlaster

[@danagreen6518]

love your trestle, I need to build one my self that is curved...did you ever building bridge that connects to tables together that are more than 5 feet apart?

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Hi, thanks for your comment! This is my first attempt at building a bridge, so I've never tried making one that connects two tables. But, I think the fundamentals of the construction would be the same as the one I made....

[@ronaldgarrow6065]

Dana, I did such a bridge construction for my video. You can see my time lapse videos and methods I used on my Facebook page "Ron's Frugal HO Train Layout and Forum.

[@danagreen6518]

@@ronaldgarrow6065 thank you and I will check it out for my winter project starting next month..I appreciate your contact and help.

[@scottgperry1]

Where did you get basswood dowels? Would love some!

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

HI Scott, I purchased some from a local craft store called Hobby Lobby. You can also get them on line from a company called Balsa Wood Inc.

[@b.c.junctionembroiderynj8804]

Great , starting a few trestles for the next empire, . but why balsa instead of basswood .....?

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Hello, it's a personal choice. In my case, I was building a curved trestle and I found balsa was more flexible making it easier to work with. If my trestle was for a straight section of track I might have chosen basswood. Thank you for the question and also for viewing the video. Good luck on your "next empire"!

[@kargandarr]

What about the supports on the right end of it that are not supported by anything and are hanging in the air?

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Hello, those end pcs. get installed in a mountain slope on both ends of the track. If you look closely at the very end of the video (14:50) you can see how I built the ends into the sloping mountain.

[@currentbatches6205]

8:30 - truss loads on center piece are distributed properly; good research or perhaps some experience. 8:55 - Creosote!

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Thank you! Lot's of research, fist time build, much learned for the next one!

[@currentbatches6205]

@@bensmodelrailroadworkshop You're doing a wonderful job! Don't have a layout; haven't had for, well, 60 years. But the separator of my office from the living room is topped by a 'diorama'; Pennsy S-1 pulling varnish eastbound on the Ohio race-track with a Pennsy Q-2 in the hole to the south, pulling mixed freight. 'Playing' was the better part of a year of on-an-off effort to make it real; learned a lot from this one also, but unlikely to make use of it in the future.

[@user-on9ql6ji5f]

Question - you refer many time to 'balsa wood' yet the view of your materials shows the packages labelled basswood. Did you actually use any balsa wood for this? I would think it too weak and too soft for such a structure.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Hi Dwight, thanks for the question. I did use Basswood Dowels for the support "legs" of the bridge, but all the other parts are indeed balsa wood. You are correct that balsa wood is soft, but that's the type of wood that works best for bending the curve. The bridge itself is very solid but It is also delicate because of the soft balsa wood, as you point out. I shudder to think of the day when I have to remove it, because I know it will be damaged. Hope this answers your question, and thanks again for writing!

[@laurensiemens1436]

I have a question not bridge related though...have you ever made your own train cars?

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Hello Lauren, no, I have not made any train cars yet, but I plan to buy a few kits in the future to give it a try.

[@oldschool7743]

Awesome Video! Subs Here Ben! How do you scale all the woods and the actual bridge for Ho scale? Do you have a ho scale pattern? Thanks.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Hi, thanks for the question. Getting the scale size right for HO was a challenge, but here's what I did. When I was trying to buy a Trestle Bridge kit online (and could not find any - they were all out of stock) I came across the instructions for one of the kits. In the instructions, it provided the dimensions of the different parts (stringers, support beams, etc.) so I used that information to order the balsa wood pcs.

[@oldschool7743]

@@bensmodelrailroadworkshop Thanks for the reply. I am planning to build a shelf layout soon.

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Oh that is cool, I think shelf layouts are awesome. If you think of it, send me some pics when you get started!

[@oldschool7743]

@@bensmodelrailroadworkshop yeah thanks. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpummJuqopaYfKs This is the latest video I have on my 4x8' layout, have to dismantle it because I am moving.

[@Tom-xe9iq]

So you used only Balsa wood and not Basswood. Did you find the Balsa strong enough?

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Hi Tom, I did use Basswood for the round support pillars and Balsa for all the other parts. It has been strong enough - so far, no issues. BTW, thank you for subscribing, I hope you enjoy the videos!

[@stevenquintana5040]

Whats the height of the bridge?

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Hello, thanks for asking! Of course, you can make it to any height needed according to your layout, but for my layout I built it to be 6 inches tall, representing appx. 45 ft. in real life. Thanks!

[@stevenquintana5040]

Thanks!! Is it a 36" Length?

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

@@stevenquintana5040 I used 4, 22" curves and it is about 30 inches in length.

[@kingsleyrocketry]

Look how many comments ther are

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Yes, people seemed to like the video! Thanks for your comment!

[@kylecreel921]

The supports are called BENTS not trestles

[@bensmodelrailroadworkshop]

Good to know, thanks Kyle!