Briantfowler wrote:Thanks that is the best info yet. Are the Angels riveted their entire length making a T? We're the columns always solid H beams, or were some built up riveted plate steal and angels, like what would have been used in bridge construction around 1900?Yes, the angles would be riveted every 6" or so.
In large scale there are two philosophies of modeling. Those that follow the ten foot rule (if it looks good enough from ten feet away), and the rivet counters. Since I am building a diaroma I want these to be perfect.
As for the use of angles as reinforcement, it definitely is a common practice, though it depends on the size of your intended structures, the location and their configuration.
For example, a single pole structure for a single track (as might be found on the Princeton Branch, parts of the Jamesburg Branch, etc) probably would not have any kind of reinforcement. Similarly, double-track structures like many of the ones on the North Jersey coastline also probably do not have much angle bracing (unless there is a signal or an unusual height pole).
Larger 4 track structures typically had more angle bracing, though once again this is dependant on your location and pole configuration. A typical 4 track K-brace on the Northeast Corridor would have angles riveted to all 4 corners of each pole up to the top of the sag brace. Additional angles may also be riveted to the top of the horizontal beam.
However, this isn't always the case. Sometimes the horizontal beam doesn't have any angles riveted to it, and I've even seen on structure where the "west" pole had angles riveted to it, but the "east" pole did not! Also, if you ever become inclined to to make the wire-suspension type structures, they typically didn't have any angle bracing on them either.
Generally speaking, Interlockings, unusually large catenary structures (6 tracks, extra-height/additional transmission lines), structures in difficult locations (bridge approaches, inaccessible locations, etc), and structures with new poles spliced to them will have angle bracing on them.
My guess is that if you're going for G scale, you're probably not looking at 4 track broadway. for single and two track structures, angle bracing will probably be at a miniumum, even in the scenarios mentioned above. If you're not sure about a location in your trackplan, try to find a prototype photo of a similar situation and see what they did.
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