Are truss bridge decks solid or ‘see through’?

[Martino]

I’m in the process of building a truss bridge for my garden railway.  16mm/ft and the bridge is constructed in aluminium.

 

My railway is supposedly English narrow gauge (3’).  

 

Strangely, I’ve never been on truss bridge so don’t know if the actual deck would be solid (in which case what material?) or with the rails and sleepers just resting on cross members?   Or would I get away with a metal mesh?

 

I’ve searched here and on the web for photos of prototypes but can’t find anything showing the actual deck.

 

Any suggestions would be very grateful received.

[pb_devon]

Might depend on what the bridge is crossing. If a river, then it could be open (nothing underneath to damage), but if a road then a closed deck to protect passing traffic/people below.

As for material....timber or solid formed steel.

[mcowgill]

Drawing and photos of Bryn y Felin bridge on the WHR at various stages from Barrie Hughes site that might help

 

http://www.isengard.co.uk/images/JPEGS/UB174-display-landscape.pdf

http://www.isengard.co.uk/images/JPEGS/S9_CP14-3-06BYFa.jpg

http://www.isengard.co.uk/images/JPEGS/S9_BWH11-8-06BYF.jpg

http://www.isengard.co.uk/images/JPEGS/S9_BWH15-10-06BYFdeck.jpg

http://www.isengard.co.uk/images/JPEGS/S9_BWH26-11-06BYF.jpg

 

Martin

[Martino]

Thank you both very much.  That’s incredibly useful.   The bridge is over a boggy valley so I think a timber base like Bryan y Felin will be the way to go.

 

Very many thanks again.