Kato 2x truss bridge without center pier

[Hayashi]

I'm wondering if a 496mm truss bridge (i.e., 2x Kato double track truss bridges) can work without a center pier support. I thought it would look more like a longer span bridge without the center pier.

 

If it's too weak without the center pier, I'm investigating the best way to shore it up. One or two brass or aluminum U-channels running underneath the length of the bridge would probably provide sufficient stiffness. They could be held in place by the screws that hold the track to the bridge. Fastening the channels might require using slightly longer screws (and probably some epoxy), but that is an easy modification I suspect.

 

 

Edited January 16, 2019 by railsquid
fix spelling in thread title

[JR 500系]

Hi Hayashi, I am thinking it cant support... I mean, physically it can by itself, but I bet it will sag when a train runs over it... 

 

I have the Tomix truss bridge too, and like you, I needed the centre pier gone. It could hold up by itself with no issues due to the tight connection join between two truss bridges, but whenever a train rolls over it the bridge sags, and sometimes, it causes derailments due to the sag and the wheels coming off from the sudden change in levels... 

 

Just sharing me experience with Tomix Truss bridge, though I think they should be identical. Luckily for me, Tomix does a double length truss bridge (560mm) though it costs a lot more to ship it over in its gigantic box... 

[Yavianice]

It can't. Too wobbly. I tried it. Best would be to make a support yourself, or, get a TOMIX truss bridge since those are also in longer flavors.

[Das Steinkopf]

As long as you put the top brace in that joins both bridges together it's fairly stable, my son has two 20-439 bridges and he trialled them without a centre pier a few days ago linking it up with his V13 set as well as extra sections of viaducts. We ran a wide variety of trains including his W7, E2 and East i Shinkansens at high speed, I ran a number of freight trains such as a EH200 with 15 TaKi 1000's as well as a DD51 with 12 TaKi 1000's and EF65-2000 with 9 TaKi 43000's in tow. The locos have a decent weight to them especially the EH200 and EF65-2000 and the bridge handled it well, if the pylons for the rest of the line are well fixed to a layout it helps keep the tension as oppossed to being just placed on top of a board as the tracks can tend to shift as the trains hit the curves, he had his setup on the carpet in his room which ensured the pylons didn't move. 

Edited January 16, 2019 by Das Steinkopf

[Pauljag900]

I joined two Kato 20-436 blue truss bridges together on a Swiss alps layout a few years ago.I super glued the S joiners to the grooves on the two bridges and I used a piece of a thin 6” steel ruler glued to the underside across the join to help brace it,worked fine for me,obviously no good if you ever want to dismantle them and use somewhere else.

 

[Hayashi]

Positive news with both examples. Thanks.