NOISY CREEK TRESTLE – 2 – TRACK DECK AND ABUTMENTS

Wrapping up the current wave of trestle work on my railroad, I completed the track deck--the walkways and handrails--for Noisy Creek Trestle.  As noted in the previous post on this trestle

(https://espeecascades.blogspot.com/2018/01/noisy-creek-trestle-1-basic-structure.html) this is the next trestle up the Cascade Hill, above Salt Creek.  My model sits in a corner of the layout space with a curve, just as the prototype trestle provides a curve.  Further, the trestle is framed by tunnels with rock shed entrances on both ends.

I used the same technique developed for Salt Creek Trestle for the walkways and handrails.  https://espeecascades.blogspot.com/2018/02/salt-creek-trestle-4-walkways-and.html  Seventeen scale feet wide 4 x 10 beams were placed between every third tie.  Every other cross-beam had 3 x 6 handrail posts attached to the ends.  The walkway was made up of strips of Apex grid freight car running board material, attached with canopy cement.  The railings were 0.015-inch music wire.  This time, I used 6 x 10 outer guard timbers outside the rails.  This provides a bit more vertical clearance for the rail—a factor when cleaning rails. 

When I fit the track back into place on top of the girders, I found I had a slight vertical bump at one end.  I weighted the track with paint cans while the adhesive caulk set. 

Noisy Creek Trestle track held down with paint cans while the caulk sets.

The abutments for Noisy Creek Trestle were substantial, probably due to unstable nature of the surrounding terrain.  Note the rock shed tunnel entrances on both ends.  This trestle suffered a washout in December 1964, which led to reconstruction of the RR-East trestle tower, set on new concrete piers.  I understand from a reliable RR-engineering expert that a colleague had to keep the new concrete from freezing during that winter reconstruction.  Noisy Creek Trestle has been a continual problem for the railroad. 

My model abutments were simply constructed from styrene sheet and strip.  I chose not to use the standard 12:1 batter (slope) used on most concrete work by the SP, as prototype photos do not show this.  That made construction easier. 

I had not prepared end supports for the abutment area for this trestle the way I have on most other bridges on my railroad.  The roadbed is supported by brackets attached to the wall.  Instead, I chose to support the simple abutments from underneath using height-adjusting 2 x 4 posts similar to the tower base plate supports.  I was able to slide the support posts and abutments into place with proper height before securing the two parts of the posts.  The posts and abutments were held into place with adhesive caulk. 

Noisy Creek Trestle abutment and support post.

With the track restored to the now complete trestle, my railroad is ready to resume operations.  The railroad is looking more and more like it is set into the mountains.

The LABRF (Los Angeles to Brooklyn <SP’s Portland yard> Forwarder—the hottest train on the RR) led by SP 9232 crosses Noisy Creek Trestle.  Railroading in the Cascades!