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EZ Bash for EZ Track bridge

Started by jrk, March 19, 2008, 01:29:20 AM

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jrk

I recently discovered a really, really easy kit bash to create an EZ Track bridge.

I apologize in advance if this is old news.  It's so easy, I suspect someone has discovered it before, but I'm a newbie and didn't see it in a "bridge" search.

1. Start with a 9" straight (I recommend using the black road bed for aesthetics, however this technique will work with gray roadbed).
2. Use a small screwdriver to pry the rails and ties from the roadbed.  A hint to get the screwdriver started is to pinch the end of the roadway down and away from the ties.  Once the screrwdriver is under the ties, you simply sldie it along the roadbed, prying as you go.
3. Use a razor blade, hobby knife or file to remove the bump on the roadbed that was formerly under the rail joiner (There is one U-shaped bump at each end of the roadbed).  You should now have a naked piece of roadbed with a flat surface.
4. Connect a piece of EZ Track to one end of the naked roadbed.
5. Obtain an Atlas, Code 100, Warren Truss or Plate Girder bridge.  Fit the left end rails with rail joiners (so it looks like a piece of EZ Track).
6. Apply plastic model cement to the surface of the naked road bed.  I applied the adhesive to the spaces that used to be between the ties, but anywhere on the upper surface will work.
7. Attach the bridge to the EZ track, laying it on top of the adhesive covered, naked roadbed.
8. Attach a second piece of EZ track to the other end of the bridge.  The 2 sections of EZ Track now keep everything perfectly aligned.
9. At this point some of my bridges required minor sliding back and forth to center them on the roadbed.
10. Let the glue dry, then unplug the EZ Track sections from your new EZ track bridge.  This whole process will go so fast you'll think you did something wrong, but it really is this easy.

The resulting bridge obviously plugs right into EZ track and works fine with Bachman Piers.

Note: I did the math before I started and the bridge rails are approximately 0.015" higher than the mating EZ track.  I suppose an ambituous person would plane the naked roadbed by this amount, however, the bridges run just fine as described ( I have 3 Warrens and 3 Plates, all running fine).

SteamGene

Why not just use the track supplied with the Atlas bridge and shim it to match the height of the EZ Track? 
Gene
Chief Brass Hat
Virginia Tidewater and Piedmont Railroad
"Only coal fired steam locomotives"

japasha

I agree with Gene for a number of reasons, the usual Atlas bridge is an open-deck type to start with and the railroad would end the ballast before the abutment. This is very easy to do.
A ballasted deck bridge is built much differently than an open deck./ These are used to provide a smoother roadbed for fast train service. Most SP small trestles were the ballasted deck variety. They require more under trestle clearence for traffice as the deck can be four or more feet deep.

jrk

This technique uses a totally unmodified Atlas bridge; rails and all.