Benchwork and roadbed
Is there a simple way to maintain a consistent grade?
It's been years since I've built built benchwork and subroadbed the old fashioned way. In other words, plywood sub roadbed with risers to set the grade. I had gravitated to foam and my own homemade version of the Woodland Scenics inclines in my last few N scale projects but now that I made the move to HO, I decided to go the more traditional route.
Super Helix!
I'm considering the installation of a helix in my current HO track plan. Because the layout room is rather compact I can only afford to build it with a maximum radius of 34" (after accounting for NMRA side clearances in a 6' area). Although this is not an issue, the railhead-railhead separation is a concern as I'd, ideally, like to keep the helix grade <= 2.0%. To achieve this I'm staring at an absolute minimum railhead separation somewhere between 4&
Whole dead trees or glued together dead trees?
Regular readers know I have spent the better part of two years working on my room, valance, and lighting. With this work almost complete the day is nearing when I actually start building benchwork for my railroad. Hurrah!
It is decision time - plywood or pine?
My room does not see drastic temperature swings. It is heated in winter and air conditioned in summer along with the rest of the house. We do not experience Arizona dryness or Georgia humidity. I guess you could say the environment in my train room is very moderate.
Train Elevators
Is anyone out there using a train elevator to reach a top deck instead of a helix? I saw an article in Model Railroader last year and it seemed like an interesting idea. What are your thoughts or ideas on this?
Anyone have any pictures or plans of one they built?
The age old question, how high for the layout?
Right now my new single deck HO layout is at 55 inches for the "0" level of trackage. That's armpit/chest high for me. I set this height after looking at examples of and reading about other peoples layouts. I have to sleep on it a bit but right now that seems just a tad too high. I doubt I will lower more than a couple of inches if I do it at all but I thought I'd get some opinions here.
How wide for subroadbed in HO?
Been busily transferring my trackplan to plywood getting ready to cut the subroadbed. How wide do you guys make yours generally speaking? I will be using WS foam roadbed and I'm just trying to figure out how much plywood I should have on each side of that. I know what I used to do in N scale but now that I'm doing HO, I'm questioning how much extra width beyond the foam I need.
Michael
Easy-spline Roadbed
Thank you, Joe! I found the prep to be a lot of work, but boy, does it pay off! The actual spline construction is fast and easy! I love the free flowing curves. If you added the house next door to your layout you could do down to Black Butte and have a magnificent Cantarra Loop, eh? Hope to see you and Charlie in Medford next month! John Colley, Port Townsend, WA
Derailing @ turnouts
I started a new DCC Steam layout. two questions
1. What is a good height to view and work on a layout?
2. I am having trouble with larger steam 4-8-4 derailing when going though the Atlas turnouts,(noisy & jerky) any ideas?
Cork roadbed from Midwest not available at LHS
I went to My local Hobby Shop to buy some HO scale cork roadbed but they were out so I asked them to order some for me and was told that they couldn't get any as Midwest had stopped production of it. They couldn't say when or if they would start production again.. Anybody else having trouble getting cork roadbed?
So how far below "zero" track level do you build your benchwork?
Hope that question makes sense. I'm changing from N scale to HO and am trying to get a handle on the benchwork for my new layout. I plan on using L girder construction with plywood sub roadbed. What I'm trying to figure out is how high my zero level trackage needs to be above my benchwork joist. My layout will definitely be set in a rugged mountainous area and I like bridges and trestles so I want to leave enough room under the trackage for some pretty impressive canyons and valleys.
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