Bridging the Gap

Modeling the AT&SF - D&RGW Joint Line through Colorado Springs

from Milepost 70 to Milepost 80 circa 1978-1979

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Bridging the Gap

A second Covid lock-down gradually brought layout progress to a halt as I used up my stock of on-hand materials, and then spring and summer outdoor activities like hiking, birding, canoeing and building a garden shed left little time for work in the basement. Eventually the lumber yard restocked and time freed up again, and I was able to tackle the swing gate that will connect the lower South End (Pueblo) staging yard to the rest of the layout.

On the last layout I had to build a simple slide in/out bridge across the entrance to the laundry area, using trunk latches to secure it in place. This time around the gap of the main entrance into the layout is intentionally much wider, so I wanted to build a more substantial swing gate to bridge it. I had incorporated a solid hinge post in the stud wall, so I set to work designing a gate structure that would not sag over time.

 

Here is the frame of the gate built out of 1x4 clear pine clamped to the 2x6 hinge stile on the right. At the top is a box beam glued & screwed together, with a riser at each end. It is set 3 1/2 inches below the sub-roadbed as I plan to eventually model the Fort Carson railroad's through-girder bridge across Fountain Creek atop the gate, although for now a simple piece of 3/4 inch plywood roadbed with 1/8 inch hardboard side guards will suffice.

Mitred blocks of 1x4 lock the diagonal strut in place, but to stiffen it I added a 1x2 on edge so that it could not flex (not shown). I also added an additional 1x4 sistered to the vertical strut on the right to provide sufficient thickness to screw into through the hinge stile.

 

Here is the gate with 1/4 inch plywood sheathing on both sides to add additional resistance to sagging, and 1x6 side boards screwed in place. The resulting sandwich matches the 5 1/2 inch width of the 2x6 hinge stile and provides sufficient width on which to build the model bridge in future.

 

The gate swung open a bit. It flexes downward less than a millimetre when weight is deliberately applied across the top. A keyed sill will be affixed to the edge of the left stud for the end of the gate to rest on when closed to insure accurate track alignment, and a slide-bolt into the stud will lock it in place. Next I will need to install wiring to power the track on the gate and a mechanism to kill power to the track on either side of the gap when the gate is open.

It's been nice to make some progress on the layout after such a lengthy break.

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