Ventura County Fair and the Cantilever Signal Bridge

My friend Bob Lyon was asked to build some model railroad structures for a large model railroad some time back. He really enjoyed building the models and weathering them. Since he was out of work at the time he decided to start his own business building, customizing and weathering scale models. He calls his business the Elmira Branch Manufacturing Co. - named after the Pennsylvania Railroad Branch line that operated from Williamsport, PA to Canandaigua, NY (with it's well known branch to Sodus Point's massive coal dock). The branch ran through Elmira, NY where Bob grew up.

This year Bob exhibited at the Ventura County Fair from August 4 to August 15. He needed some help so he could take a break occassionally for food and other necessities. I volunteered to help out, and spent 5 days at the fair. I decided I could join Bob and build some of the structures that I need for the layout that otherwise would continue to languish in their boxes. Here is a photo of Bob and I sitting at the Elmira Branch Manufacturing Co. booth at the fair.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

I ended up working on four projects. A cantilever signal bridge, a Standard Oil wholesale fuel distributor, the Miramar hotel and a US&S H-2 searchlight signal. I will devote a separate post to each of the structures. This one is for the cantilever signal bridge.

I knew I wanted a cantilever signal bridge as the Southern Pacific had one at the east end of Santa Barbara. It was almost a signature structure. I rummaged through my photos and found one I took of a weed spraying train looking east from Milpas and the tracks.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

BLMA has a kit for a cantilver signal bridge and when I saw it I knew it was right for the location. I have had the kit sitting with the photo at the location on the layout for a long time.

The kit is etched brass. Assembly is quite simple as it uses CA to put it all together. Simply remove the parts from the etched brass sheet, file the "spue" smooth and assemble as instructed. The hardest parts were when the parts were very small, but I managed. Here is a photo of the finished signal bridge.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

BLMA includes extra signal heads in the kit and I am hoping to install LED's in one to make the signal functional. BLMA has now sells signal heads with LED's so if I get frustrated, I may buy ready made ones, but I would like to at least try one.