Modeling the Hamilton Trestle in HO Scale

Model railroading in all scales and gauges. HO talk welcome :)
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Saturnalia
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Modeling the Hamilton Trestle in HO Scale

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After dabbling in model timber trestle construction throughout the first couple months of 2020, I decided to jump in head-first on an ambitious project: replicating the Hamilton Trestle in HO Scale. After all, what else were we to do in April and May of this year? :lol: :roll:

Once the halfway point on the Pere Marquette branch from Holland to Allegan, Hamilton never saw super heavy traffic, and the branch was ultimately cut back to the Feed Elevator on the south bank of the Rabbit River. It is this river which is spanned by this impressive, roughly 400-foot long trestle, built in the early 1900s. It is at least the second bridge on the site.

The first photo, taken by Jim Thias, shows the bridge in action in recent times:

Image

This one, by board member C&O 6088, shows the bridge in earlier times, around 1982

Image


So to begin the modeling process, I received from Jim Thias a number of photographs of the bridge's plans, as displayed inside the Trestle Stop Restaurant in Hamilton. I wasn't able to get my own photos of the plans, because the restaurant was shut down at the time due to COVID.

At any rate, the next step was a field trip down to Hamilton for some on-site recon. I brought my trusty tape measure, and took about 50 photos of the bridge. Below is a selection of them, but they are all posted on my Flickr account - just follow the embedded link in any of the following photos.

The first few are a panorama view from the park situated just downstream of the bridge:

ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

View from directly below:
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

Transverse bracing on the piers. I was able to nail down the standard design of the majority of the piers, plus the shorter approach ones, through the photographs. There are 31 spans, this makes for two abutments and 30 piers. Bents 2-5 are the north approach piers, each getting taller until Piers 6-27, which are all more or less identical. Then bents 28-31 lead back up to the south abutment.
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

Longitudial bracing from bent-to-bent:
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

North abutment detail:
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

View looking down the east side of the bridge from the north abutment:
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

Bridge deck:
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

Taking photographic notes on pier bent construction:
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

At water level. I plan to model the old pier piles once I mount the model to a Free-Mo module:
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

Fairly significant deadfall drifting. Also something to model. There is a low-head dam just below the bridge, so this area of water is impounded somewhat.
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

Safety duck-outs. More of a modern flavor now, clearly upgraded fairly recently:
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

Bents 9 through 11 have been rebuilt on their upper ends. Not sure why, but they were cut down and rebuilt with new, square timber.
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

One last look. Kind of a dreary day to take photos. But I also netted Q326 at Holland so not a bad first real day out of the house in weeks during lockdown.
ImageHamilton, MI Trestle - Prototype by MQT3001, on Flickr

More to come. Next up, construction begins!
Thornapple River Rail Series - YouTube
Safety today is your investment for tomorrow

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LansingRailFan
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Re: Modeling the Hamilton Trestle in HO Scale

Unread post by LansingRailFan »

How is this project coming along?

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KVERBERK
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Re: Modeling the Hamilton Trestle in HO Scale

Unread post by KVERBERK »

That’s an ambitious project! Looking forward to seeing it completed.
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