The road, the Pacific Highway, portion of the bridge is concrete (cement with gravel). 

Below is an old photo of the bridge, showing road surafce differences. Also when they still used the swing gates (now they have boom gates).

Tried to splatter the surface with dark grey paint. It turned out very blotchy. At first I wanted to clean it all up and start again, but my creative side decided to improvise. I dry-brushed cement grey over the dark blotches and dark grey over the lighter areas.

Then with a fine brush pixeled both shades of grey to event out the overall tone, and to look somewhat like a concrete road base. Painting the road within the span area was very difficult. It took a long time.

The road and span edges have a protective metal strips.

Then I masked the road for traffic marking. Added small bits of plastic, painted yellow, for reflectors. Then played with the 1/72 scaled cars.

Basically, the bridge part of the diorama is finished. There is still the matter of the swing gates, span hut electronics, road vehicles and figurines.

Great work on the road. Yeah, I don't see those guards in the original picture.

modelcrazy

Great work on the road. Yeah, I don't see those guards in the original picture.

Hi ;

 Those " Rub Pads " Were probably added as a safety thing to prevent damage to the main structure in a Bridge vs Ship incident . Oh , do you need a tow truck working that automobile Boo-Boo ?

 If you want to show use on the bridge take Rail Road Oil Black and lightly tint the center of each traffic lane with it . Then make sure to use Anthracite colors on any steel exposed to road tyre use . 

 Can you say , Looking Great ! 

Again that's some nice work! 

The roadway looks just like concrete to me. 

Tanker - Builder

...If you want to show use on the bridge take Rail Road Oil Black and lightly tint the center of each traffic lane with it . Then make sure to use Anthracite colors on any steel exposed to road tyre use . 

 Can you say , Looking Great ! 

Thanks T.B.

Thanks for tip too. However, I still prefer unweathered conditions on the bridge and road. Will keep in mind what you suggested for future modelling.

Gamera

Again that's some nice work! 

The roadway looks just like concrete to me. 

Thanks Gamera.

The next part of this project may not be initially of interest, for it has to do with electrics. But please bare with me, for it is still modelling, and a diorama, of a very different sort. Without this part, the main diorama will not be able to come alive (work). Much life Frankenstein's monster, without the electrical apparatus Frank-remains dead .

The console needs to be cleaned up yet still looking antiquated. Also the control panel needs to be re-assembled, and a wiring harness will need to be compiled, assembled and connected.

Neat stuff Peter.  I really like the pendulum style throw switches.  It does look like Dr. Frankenstein's console.    Keep up the good work.

Hot Diggity !

 Looks like progress in Capital Letters ! ! Very neat .

Hi ;

 Remember I am on the board and a modeler at the Rail-Road Museum here in town . This by it's very nature  requires change every once in a while . Wether it's the amount of traffic . The bridge being maintained or even a different boat . Believe me , folks do get bored with the same thing for over two years .

Thank you Mark and T.B.

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Tanker - Builder

Hi ;

 Remember I am on the board and a modeler at the Rail-Road Museum here in town . This by it's very nature  requires change every once in a while . Wether it's the amount of traffic . The bridge being maintained or even a different boat . Believe me , folks do get bored with the same thing for over two years .

Thanks for the tip.

I will keep that in mind for other parts of the diorama which has been planned as a fixture. So, basically the drama aspect, of diorama, needs to be changeable. Good reminder T.B.

More stunning work there Peter. I really like the concrete effect on the road. I amke my own 72nd aircraft bases and use an airbrush at low pressure for spattering to give the effect of stones. But i realy like the look you have, goning to have to try that.

Those swing gates, would they have come up to block the ends of the road when the bridge was open.

Making the wiring harness. Though it is my first large harness, I was surprised that it took a few days to make.

I know it looks a bit messy, but it is practicle and nobody is going to see it anyway.

Connected the harness to the three terminal strips.

Connected a mini harness between terminal strips and the two D-Connectors at rear of console. These connect, via a cable, to the control box under the display table.

Thanks Bish.

Using low pressure airbrushing...that sounds like a great idea.

Bish

...Those swing gates, would they have come up to block the ends of the road when the bridge was open.

The gates get closed across the road when the road traffic lights have already turned red, traffic has stopped, and no pedestrians are between the two sets of gates; and deemed safe to do so by the bridge operator. After the gates have been closed, the span gets unlocked, etc.

The same in reverse. After the span is docked and locked into the bridge, the gates are opened again and traffic lights turn back to green (until all traffic is flowing and then the operator switches the traffic lights off).

Just out of curiosity, are you wiring the operator console so that it "ignores" out-of-sequence switch throws?

I realize that's a much larger task, but, given that people often twiddle knows out of sequence, that poses the question.

The simpler answer, I suppose, is that any switch throw starts the display sequence.

CapnMac82

Just out of curiosity, are you wiring the operator console so that it "ignores" out-of-sequence switch throws?

I realize that's a much larger task, but, given that people often twiddle knows out of sequence, that poses the question.

The simpler answer, I suppose, is that any switch throw starts the display sequence

Hello CapnMac82.

Yes that was the first obvious problem I had, and still have, to figure out. It's a major headache without using a micro-controller, which I am not versed in programming as yet. So far I am about 90% completed with the 'child-proofing'. The goal is that nothing unto shall happen if the sequence is thrown out, or any random switch throw won't cause any serious mishaps, like dropping the bridge span on the traversing boat.

Some parts of the sequencing is automatic. There are no controls for the traversing boat. So when the span reaches the top of the towers, the span motor stops, and the boat motor starts. When the boat reaches its opposite side, the boat motor stops and the span motor is enabled only. The operator must lower the bridge, and other steps to complete the sequence.

There are some minor tid bits which I have to incorporate as well. Such as someone repeatedly opening and closing the gates, or raising and lowering the span. Timers will be incorporated for certain sequences to be completed. If the time runs out, everything stops. A museum member will have to restart it again. Visitors will soon realise that the display won't accept abuse.

There will be a list of steps to follow. The Changeover Switch, in the centre of control panel, is the only switch that will start the sequence.

If this all proves to be too difficult for kids, with short attention spans (for instance), the display will soon come to a stop. The display will be very close to the front desk. Staff will know how to operate the display, and will do so under their discretions as to when it is more appropriate to do so.

It is an interactive display, and visitors ought to be encouraged to interact with it, and learn what is involved to operating a lift-span bridge.

Fantastic progress Peter. It is really nice work that you are doing.

  Thanks Bakster for funny quid pro quo, and compliment.

PeterPan

Thanks Bish.

Using low pressure airbrushing...that sounds like a great idea.

 

Bish

...Those swing gates, would they have come up to block the ends of the road when the bridge was open.

 

 

The gates get closed across the road when the road traffic lights have already turned red, traffic has stopped, and no pedestrians are between the two sets of gates; and deemed safe to do so by the bridge operator. After the gates have been closed, the span gets unlocked, etc.

The same in reverse. After the span is docked and locked into the bridge, the gates are opened again and traffic lights turn back to green (until all traffic is flowing and then the operator switches the traffic lights off).

 

 

Thanks Peter. I was thinking maybe those gates came up to block the road as the bridge lifted. But what you say makes perfect sense.

Added an Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor inside the console. This will detect any sudden change in heat radiation (Infrared) due to movement of people in its vicinity.

Bought some felt and dyed it grey, then added strips around the front edge of the console.

Drilled holes through the 5 mm Perspex front panel to allow IR to reach the sensor. A portion of the metal front panel was used for a kick-board to protect the Perspex.

The PIR, upon sensing movement, will light up the wiring diorama. The light will stay on until either the PIR senses no movement for 10 seconds, or someone has turned on the display via its control panel.

LED strip surrounding inside edge of front panel. 

Wow.  That is pretty wild.  

Gets better and better.

per my previous question, what I was envisioning were some laminate disks with numerals that would fit on the bosses of the handles to where the switches could be numbered in sequence.

Which could then be "codified" with a series of .AND. circuits.  So that S2 is only powered if S1 is powered, and so on.  Which would "collapse" if say S3 out of S8 were deenergized.  Only problem with that, is the loads on reenergizing. Which is why the smart kids use programmable controlers.  I'm more of a breadboard it to see if it works type.  I can diagram the logic, wiring it, less so.

But, color me hugely impressed with using the motion sensor.

Thank you Mark (mmthrax), and CapnMac82 for your compliments.

CapnMac82

Gets better and better.

per my previous question, what I was envisioning were some laminate disks with numerals that would fit on the bosses of the handles to where the switches could be numbered in sequence.

Which could then be "codified" with a series of .AND. circuits.  So that S2 is only powered if S1 is powered, and so on.  Which would "collapse" if say S3 out of S8 were deenergized.  Only problem with that, is the loads on reenergizing. Which is why the smart kids use programmable controlers.  I'm more of a breadboard it to see if it works type...

Good ideas. Not sure exactly how to impart the sequence intsructions. The general plan is to have a list 1 to n. Like:

1/ Switch CHANGEOVER to NORMAL.

2/ Turn CONTROL switch to CONTROL.

3/ Switch TRAFFIC CONTROL to NORMAL. Wait till GATES MOVEABLE lamp is ON.

4/ Switch GATES 1-4 to CLOSE.

etc.

Step 3 triggers an alarm bell and flashing amber traffic lights for 10-15 seconds before the red traffic lights turn red. At this point both ROAD LIGHTS RED  and GATES MOVEABLE lamps light up. Gates 1-4, via a relay, become enabled. Not until all four gates are closed does another relay become energized to enable LIFT SPAN LOCK OPERABLE lamp lights up.....and so the sequence goes.

Some relays are latched, isolating and enabling the sequence to one section only. This disables other switches (no power).

Operating the bridge uses momentary pushbuttons, they too are hooked up so no two or more buttons pressed simultaneously will make a difference. . . except a disabled action.

There is a lot to work out when trying to make something child-proof. 

Some operators will feel too challenged and will abandon sequence halfway. Or could not be bothered to go further after the boat has traversed under the bridge. A timer will then disable the display and a museum staff member will have to complete the sequence to reset it.

If all this gets too much of a hassle. The alternative is to have the visitor ask at the desk (nearby) to operate the bridge, and a staff member will supervise.

Building outward from the bridge.

Top left is 2010, right is 2017.

Aesthetically, I decided to use similar approaches from the bridge to the pedestrian footpaths and railings.

This is really neat Peter.  Seeing the process helps me think of things in a "small bites" format.  I am learning a lot.  Giving me lots of ideas.  Carry on sir.

Thank you mmthrax. It is nice getting ideas from other builders. I have learnt a lot too, about meodelling, since I started last year.

___________________________________

Late last year the shire council put in a new pathway along Bridge Street. I decided to add this to the diorama. Rode down to Wardell to make notes, measurements, and photgraphs.

As soon as I got back from my ride, I got stuck into building the new section.

A few days later, the new pathway got laid in.

It had lots of small challenges which brings fun for model building. 

All I keep thinking when I see your work is how many years it would take me to do a project like this. Too long is the answer. Great work.

PeterPan

As soon as I got back from my ride, I got stuck into building the new section.

This may be an Aussie thing.  I am going to interpret this as "I then settled into building the new section."  This way, to me, it sounds like you were enjoying yourself, as opposed to be manacled below decks.

You are doing some great work, and it looks like a really cool bike trail too.  Double the fun!!