Always A Way

“Hey, even if on a desert island with only a coconut tree a model railroader will find a way!”

Like easy myself.  That’s why I opted to go with hand operated Micro Engineering turnouts.  As I get older, crawling under the layout is less appealing.  

Joe

Penguin

Sir: this is awesome. Model railroading can be an accessible hobby to all!  Rock some steel stud modules on shelf brackets or folding shelf legs and you’re in business. Lightweight, cheap, dimensionally stable, widely available.

FWIW here how I do it   https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/new-shelf-layout-benchwork-12206657

There are a few other steel stud evangelists on MRH who will testify. Others will say it’s crazy  - you be the judge.

jeff

Penguin, I'm wishing you all

Penguin, I'm wishing you all the best in your new start. Use what is more convinient for you. The surface wiring can be done like the wiring on the surface of the brick walls. You can use xps foam subroadbed, pvc channels in the foam for the wires, small burried boxes for the branches, small structures for the connector blocks and the controllers. With a good planning you will be able to install new additional wiring (pull it in to the channels) and equipment when needed. The only limitation is your imagination.
A few words about the studs because I'm selling metal studs like Jeff> )
The steel studs replace the wood in kitchen frames, walls, structure frames for houses, roofing etc. The steel studs are more lightweight and more capable to bearing loads in compare to the wood of the same weight, less sensitive to the environment, they don't exhibit shape changes and deformations in time (warping, creep), non flammable, they don't need treatment with sealers and paints.
Wood is a nice material, natural, beautyful, warm. Marvellous things can be made of wood, but here we talk about a framing for a mr layout and not furnitures.
@Jeff, you have to admit, I'm a tough competitor seller.> )

Sold!

haha Vasilis that’s a good pitch.  The steel stud manufacturers should put us on sales commission!  Not sure if I’ve closed any deals though 

jeff

Not sure if I’ve closed any

I thought you are at least a shareholder in steel industry.   From my perspective the adherence to one product is not good, so I'm pushing the "xps" too.

Gloves and tin snips

Sounds like you have a very good plan.

I observed people building walls with steel studs. Sometimes there was a half wall or sloped ceiling.  Most of the time they simply used hand-held sheet metal shears, no chop saws.  Tins snips seem much easier to me if I was seated. They used self-drilling screws and pressed on them very hard to drill through. But it only has to be done once.

It was really cool to watch them use a magnetic level, and just stick it vertically on a stud, or hang it underneath!