simulatortrain
jointed freaking rails
Alternate title: if you can read, you can bridge.
I've seen thousands of realistic screenshots since I've been involved with this game. Bridges are a popular subject, just as they are in real life photography. However, a significant percentage of in-game bridges seem to suffer from one of two problems: they are overbuilt (wasteful and inefficient), or they would fall down because of insufficient support. I am a mechanical engineering student, not a civil engineer, and I don't claim to be anything more than a casual observer of bridges. I just want to offer some tips to make your bridges better. I am going to cover the placement of bridge piers (the supports that go in the middle) and abutments (supports that go at the ends); wooden trestles typically have everything attached so I am not going to cover those.
Don't take these as absolute rules; you can probably find exceptions to everything here. However, unless you have a picture of a prototype that does not abide by these rules, please do not break them. They are absolutes unless proven otherwise.
Small girder bridges do not need intermediate supports. Good abutment placement is the only key. A real abutment supports the bridge from underneath, rather than from the end as most in-game abutments. The exception is the bridge in my first three shots, which I made specifically to avoid this problem.
Some larger girder bridges have definite ends of spans (segments.) Sometimes it is obvious, like rounded corners on the ends of spans, other times it is less obvious, like in this case. The more closely spaced ribs signify the end of a span.
Truss bridges are similar; a single truss does not need support in the middle. Please be careful when placing abutments that they do not intersect with the bridge structure. A bridge never has its ends embedded in concrete.
Like girder bridges, longer truss bridges only need support under the ends of spans.
Some bridges do not have a well-defined span length. In those cases, use your best judgment. Place your intended rolling stock on the bridge and ask yourself, "Could this hold that load?"
Please let me know if this was helpful, if you have any questions, if you want to see more, etc. Post screenshots here if you have a question, or if you want to show off a bridge that you improved or constructed. Thanks for reading, and happy bridging!
I've seen thousands of realistic screenshots since I've been involved with this game. Bridges are a popular subject, just as they are in real life photography. However, a significant percentage of in-game bridges seem to suffer from one of two problems: they are overbuilt (wasteful and inefficient), or they would fall down because of insufficient support. I am a mechanical engineering student, not a civil engineer, and I don't claim to be anything more than a casual observer of bridges. I just want to offer some tips to make your bridges better. I am going to cover the placement of bridge piers (the supports that go in the middle) and abutments (supports that go at the ends); wooden trestles typically have everything attached so I am not going to cover those.
Don't take these as absolute rules; you can probably find exceptions to everything here. However, unless you have a picture of a prototype that does not abide by these rules, please do not break them. They are absolutes unless proven otherwise.
Small girder bridges do not need intermediate supports. Good abutment placement is the only key. A real abutment supports the bridge from underneath, rather than from the end as most in-game abutments. The exception is the bridge in my first three shots, which I made specifically to avoid this problem.
Some larger girder bridges have definite ends of spans (segments.) Sometimes it is obvious, like rounded corners on the ends of spans, other times it is less obvious, like in this case. The more closely spaced ribs signify the end of a span.
Truss bridges are similar; a single truss does not need support in the middle. Please be careful when placing abutments that they do not intersect with the bridge structure. A bridge never has its ends embedded in concrete.
Like girder bridges, longer truss bridges only need support under the ends of spans.
Some bridges do not have a well-defined span length. In those cases, use your best judgment. Place your intended rolling stock on the bridge and ask yourself, "Could this hold that load?"
Please let me know if this was helpful, if you have any questions, if you want to see more, etc. Post screenshots here if you have a question, or if you want to show off a bridge that you improved or constructed. Thanks for reading, and happy bridging!
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