When I received the Atlas O girder bridge, I was surprised by its heft. Sure the box said it was a kit, but I figured that meant two sides, a bottom, and a few screws. Unwrapping it, I found no fewer than 11 major components (not counting screws and rail plates).
What this kit replicates is the structural elements of a real bridge, including the top and bottom stringers (metal) and the bridge deck (plastic in the model, but in real life it would have been wood).
Pay attention to the diagram for placement of the parts (it’s a simple kit, but if you are a know-it-all like me, who doesn’t read instructions until a problem arises … well).
Four large screws go in the base of one side, and four large screws go in the base of the other.
Attach the metal girders (four small screws each), and the structure is done, except for the rails.
The rails slide into place with relative ease, but I used a handkerchief to avoid puncturing my palm as I pushed them along and into place.
Time elapsed to complete the job? No more than 15 minutes.
Place the bridge on the supports of your choice, and you have a world-class structure for your O gauge trains to rumble across. If you operate a track system by Lionel or MTH, you should be able to easily rig up a transition to the bridge’s Atlas O track.
And yes, if you insisted, you could probably do some selective trimming and insert another track brand on the bridge. But the included track looks so nice, I’d suggest running a transition between the Atlas track and your brand of choice. This is a nice product!
Price: $99.95 (no. 6918) three-rail through plate girder bridge, $69.95 (no. 6919) single-track three-rail through plate girder bridge add-on kit
Features: Metal bridge girders and base, plastic bridge deck, three sections of O gauge rail
What is the length of this bridge.