Installed the Scotch Run Bridge

According to Google Maps, on it's approach to Horseshoe Curve, the PRR main line crosses a small stream called Scotch Run. From the satellite view, it's next to impossible to ascertain the type of bridge employed in crossing said stream. But I did have a pair of Monroe Models Stone Arch Bridge kits laying around. When painted the right color, they certainly had the Pennsy look I was after.

Each of these kits comes with two arches, which are to be placed back to back. This creates a single-track bridge. However. since I have four tracks, I needed to do things differently. First and foremost, only the front of the bridge would be visible, I only used one of the two arches and one set of wing walls. I painted the arch wing walls Tamiya "Red Brown."  Next I took some Plastuct styrene strips in the shape of a squared-off letter "C" (Basically an I-beam cut in half), painted it Floquil "Rail Brown" and used it to fashion steel reinforcement beams. The PRR added such beams to most of its stone bridges after World War II.

For the portion of the bridge actually under the track, I bought a 2" PVC pipe coupling from Home Depot, cut it in half and painted the pieces flat black. After the pieces dried. I traced their shape on the riser and used my hot knife to cut out a tunnel under the track and the stream bed. I places the PVC arches under the tracks, and then I glued the arch and wing walls in front of the riser.I filled the gaps behind the wing walls with Woodland Scenics "Flex Paste."

Unfortunately the stream bed ended up a bit too deep in spots. My brilliant solution was to use joint compound to fill in the really deep spots. After this, it's back to the engine yard.