Rokuhan Bridge

www.zcentralstation.com/index.php?view=detail&id=9196&option=com_joomgallery&Itemid=178

While I've read all the posts on here for how to build a trus, bridge, etc I think since this is my first dive into Z I would be best off buying something simple and painting it up then trying to scratch build one (I can always remodel later). Ive seen the above bridge on the Rokuhan site and in other pictures, can't seem to find anyone who sells the sections though. Seems like there are some pieces here in retail packaging. Any idea where I might find Rokuhan bridge sections (I really only need one or two to bridge a gap).

Intermountain is North American distributor for Rokuhan
www.intermountain-railway.com/distrib/rokuhan/rokuhanz.htm
the above link takes you to the Rokuhan page on the Intermountain web site
www.intermountain-railway.com/index2.html
the above link takes you to their contact information on their web site. I expect the bridge sometime this fall but they could give you a more accurate arrival date. There is a single lane bridge coming also but I think it will be the new year before it appears. Also available in the fall are the viaduct pieces and piers. Bridge and viaduct pieces do not come with tradk on them, but Rokuhan does provide compatible roadbed and tie base only pieces of track to go on their bridges and viaduct pieces plus piers to support same and graduated pier set for creating a ramp using the viaduct pieces. The track is held in place on the bridge an viaduct with small screws. Viaduct pieces can be single or dual track straight and curved varieties.

Anthony at Z Scale Monster is one Rokuhan Dealer that I know and there are several others around, but I am sure if you contact Intermountain they can advise who is closest to you and who is internet and who is brick and mortar.
I set up the display in Grand Rapids NMRA Train Show for Rokuhan in the Intermountain booth so I have some familiarity with the product.

regards Garth

Thanks a bunch. Yeah, as much as I hate to do it online seems to be my only option for a lot of things. I have one guy in all of Kansas City that deals Z and he's pretty limited. I can at least go through him for some MT and now AZL but he doesn't touch Rokuhan. The only other places in KC pretty much deal HO and O with some N sprinkled in. The New Year huh... maybe I'll be scratch building after all (apparently my patience is limited to fishing).

Jed, Stop right there! Here is a photo of a bridge that may interest you. It cost under $5 and all you need is glue and plastic purchased at your local hobby shop. Somewhere on this site are step by step photos and comments on how to build it. Maybe someone can lead you to the archives. Not reason to spend money if you can build this in an hour. Someone here smarter than me should put the steps in the "How To" section maybe. Jim

It's a great looking bridge and obiviously well constructed. Tell me how much does one need to spend on clamps, clips, jigs and mitre & saw to build this $5 bridge?

Mark

markm wrote: It's a great looking bridge and obiviously well constructed. Tell me how much does one need to spend on clamps, clips, jigs and mitre & saw to build this $5 bridge?

Mark

Actually if one wants to be a railroad modeler, they would need to invest in the glue, clamps jigs, and miter saw anyway. That is why a bridge for them is only 5 bucks. These are BASIC tools to have around.
If one wants to be a model railroader, they could just buy it ready made from someone else, who has the glue, clamps, jigs, saws, and the time and skill to make it for you, but don´t expect to get it for 5 bucks.
There is the guys on one side who dig up the ore and cut down the trees to make their own hand cast rail and hand cut ties, and the guys on the other side that buy a complete layout with all the houses and trees and people and grass and stuff, and they hire their own valets to place factory weathered cars on the track and turns the knob.
Me, I try to stay in the middle somewhere.
Stony that is a WONDERFUL model, good for trains or cars. You are the 3rd option, using your Star Trek replicator to make anything you want at a push of a button. Still, a lot of priceless time and skill.

Mark, No tools. I didn't have anymore money then than I do now. On this piece of plastic I notched the bends with an Exacto knife and glued the bends together and just used a couple of pins for 'blocks.' Much can be accomplished in our hobby, in any scale, with a bit of thought and some ingenuity thrown in. Jim

Stony, Good job on the bridge. Amazing where all this 'modeling' stuff is heading.

Those photos have probably disappeared from here over the years. This was from Jan. 2007. Jim

Hi Kelley, Trust me. If I had the bucks I would have all the tools. I don't so that is why I have you do stuff for me! Jim

Raided the local hobby shop and picked up most everything I needed to make structures/bridges/etc. The trick is making them look like that... lol

Socalz44 wrote: Jed, Stop right there! Here is a photo of a bridge that may interest you. It cost under $5 and all you need is glue and plastic purchased at your local hobby shop. Somewhere on this site are step by step photos and comments on how to build it. Maybe someone can lead you to the archives. Not reason to spend money if you can build this in an hour. Someone here smarter than me should put the steps in the "How To" section maybe. Jim

Not to be a "party pooper," but that bridge would not be able to hold itself up, let alone a train. And just to be an equal opportunity nitpicker, Stony's RP bridge would suffer the same fate. If you're going to go to the trouble of scratchbuilding a bridge, then why not build a realistic one? In particular, both you and Stony need a bit more meat on them bones to hold up the track. For reference, here is the deck of a real bridge, with the track removed so you can more easily see what you're missing:

www.traincat2.com/images/models/whitford4.jpg

I will now don my flameproof suit, retreat to my bunker, and wait out the firestorm...

Old school modeler with T-pins! It's crazy amazing good stuff, even if it not beefy enough Those pins are actually something I probably need in my toolbox.

jedforceone wrote: Raided the local hobby shop and picked up most everything I needed to make structures/bridges/etc. The trick is making them look like that... lol

Jed, the trick is to take your time and not be afraid to redo a part or try a different approach if the first isn't working out.
Drawing a template first would be a good idea too, it helps with alignment.

While I wouldn't even dare suggest my work is anywhere near Jim's league, I did build my first bridge² a while ago with some styrene, thin foamcore, exacto knife, glue & pushpins³ to keep things in place while drying.

It ended up looking like this:
www.zcentralstation.com/index.php?view=detail&id=7097&option=com_joomgallery&Itemid=178

If you can't tell, it was also my first attempt at weathering

Anyway, just wanted another example of a scratchbuilt bridge project that didn't break the bank and was fun to do.


²: a lie actually, the first one was a trestle made out of matchsticks on a bored evening to get a grasp on how to make one, it was bad
³: T-pins were over my budget Nah, just use what's available really

Might be a good idea for a new contest. I thought they did a bridge contest once before but since there is a lot of new blood, might be kind of cool to do again. Or would that be a bridge too far?