Hoovetown residential area work begins

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Thu, 2010-07-29 03:50 — rtw3rd

Scenery - Structures

I've finally started to do the residential area behind the Hoovertown business district. As with the business district I want to do the work off the layout, so the first step is to make a removable support structure. Once the support structure is completed, I'll remove it from the layout and place it on my work table to add the streets, landscape, structures, etc.

I wanted something light and easy to work with, so I opted to try for the first time PVC lattice. I know that it's expensive compared to wood, but I like that you can bend sharp curves (using a heat gun) and that using the standard PVC primer and clamps can work very fast. For you engineer types this may look over-engineered and you are probably correct. I never claimed to be an engineer!

The next step will be to add a 2" thick foam top to the PVC base and then add individual foam pieces to get the contours I want. As you can see in the back left of this picture where the track crosses over itself there is a big change from in track heights around this area. So, basically the foam top of this area will have to be built up more on the left and even more in the left rear.

More pictures to come as I progress.

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Comments

Interesting idea

Thu, 2010-07-29 06:49 — ChrisNH

Thats an interesting idea..

Is it intended to function as a potential pop-up hatch too?

Chris

“If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.” My modest progress Blog

Hoovertown residential

Thu, 2010-07-29 08:13 — rtw3rd

Chris,

There is going to be a hatch directly behind the residential area so that I can reach the tunnel area and mountiain. I believe that once the support structure has all of the "stuff" on it that it would be too bulky to move and there's no reason for me to have access to in that area.

Rick

http://richlawnrailroad.com/?page_id=497

The Richlawn Railroad - Featuring the L&N

PVC

Thu, 2010-07-29 09:50 — rfbranch

I'm interested in your choice of materials, Rick. I assume you picked it because it will be easier to drop it in/out of the area you are scenicing correct? I've never used it myself but can you give an idea of what the additional cost was for you?

As always I will be following your posts closely.

~Rich

~Rich

The Greenpoint Dock and Transfer Company Comes to Connecticut

An interesting idea!

Thu, 2010-07-29 10:27 — Russ Bellinis

I thought at first you were running pvc legs all the way to the floor until I took a second look. It looks to be a nice light weight method of providing frame work to support your scenery there.

Hoovertown residential

Thu, 2010-07-29 10:33 — rtw3rd

Rich,

You are correct in that I choose the PVC material mainly because it was light weight. I also wanted to try working in another "medium" (material). It is definately more expensive than wood. The scenery structure in my picture above cost about $25. I'm not sure how much it would have cost with wood, but I'm guessing half the cost. I though about trying to make the structure completely out of foam (the two inch stuff) but thought that it may not be rigid enough.

By the way, the PVC structure is very light.

Rick

http://richlawnrailroad.com/?page_id=497

The Richlawn Railroad - Featuring the L&N

Rick, foam is extremely rigid, just brittle.

Thu, 2010-07-29 10:46 — Russ Bellinis

G.M. built an experimental sports roadster about the size of a Mazda Miata using Vega components back in the late1960's or early 1970's. The body/frame was made with two pieces of fiberglass sandwiching an inch or perhaps two of foam. That body was so rigid that you could jack up any one corner and pick up three wheels off the ground. One trick to use foam, but avoid problems with it's brittleness is to laminate it to a sheet of luan door skin. Very light weight, but the door skin will really tie it together.

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