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Frequent poster 589 posts jfmcnab Frequent poster 589 posts
jfmcnab

roadbed1.jpg 

Foam roadbed and fascia are being installed on The Hills Line. I decided to use underlayment plywood for the fascia since I wanted something a little more rugged than masonite and didn’t need to curve the material. The plywood is 1/4 inch thick and was comparable in price to tempered masonite. The foam is attached to the benchwork with Loctite PowerGrab. The fascia is glued as well as brad nailed to create one solid structure.

While hard to see in the attached photo, the roadbed does extend about four inches beyond the shelving units to allow for some toe room against the layout. I also need to notch the fascia and carve the foam for the watercourses, but want to get further along with the bridges and footings before I tackle that task.

James
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TimGarland MRH Author 1,097 posts
TimGarland

Toe room

Looking good James. I like the look of plywood vs masionite better too. My future peninsula section will include them as well. I’m also a big proponent for setting the layout legs and or support back four to six inches back from the edge. Just makes good sense and keeps folks from unintentionally banging the layout. For those who have lower shelf layouts that can be operated from a chair can also help from striking the supports with one’s knees.

Thanks for sharing your progress and I’m looking forward to more.

Tim Garland
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SD40-Fan Regular poster 135 posts
SD40-Fan

Looking good

Good to see things coming along, James. Eager to see more!

SD40-Fan

C.M.Snodgrass

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/blog/39765
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Ken Rice Super User 5,929 posts
Ken Rice

Nice

Nice wide fascia.  How thick is the foam - 2”?

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jfmcnab Frequent poster 589 posts
jfmcnab

2"

Two-inch thick foam on top of a modified L-girder. The total fascia height is 6 inches, which is actually one of the narrower ones I've ever built.

James
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brockpaine Active Member 90 posts
brockpaine

Foundation

It looks quite good.  Are you planning to eventually paint or stain the fascia?

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Matt Forcum Regular poster 411 posts
Matt Forcum

Splintered wood?

So I'm finding as I take my jigsaw (or even my circular saw) to the plywood that it has a tendancy to splinter the thin layers of ply along the cut lines. It's fine in my case as I am using plywood for sub roadbed, but how do you plan on avoiding the issue as you make the cuts to follow your landscaping?

Are you just using better tools than I? is it the quality of the plywood?

(BTW, I subscribed to MR Video Plus specifically to get a look at your last layout in action and was not disappointed! Great work!)

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jfmcnab Frequent poster 589 posts
jfmcnab

Multi-tooth Blade

Quote:

Are you planning to eventually paint or stain the fascia?

Absolutely. A can of "CTC Green" awaits

Quote:

It's fine in my case as I am using plywood for sub roadbed, but how do you plan on avoiding the issue as you make the cuts to follow your landscaping?

Instead of using a jigsaw or circular saw, I'm using an Oscillating Tool to make the landscape cuts. Doesn't vibrate the wood nearly as much as other tools and make finer, more controlled cuts.

James
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