Benchwork - Roadbed
Building my first couple of modules
After a 25-year hiatus, I've been working on the first module for a while off and on over the last year. I used SCARM to see how the plan would work, because I'm handlaying the track and don't have any pieces of track to use as a mockup. After laying out the yard module in SCARM, I started building it out. Figured out where I would locate it in the house, then worked out a potential track plan.
Roadbed complete! Homasote and stress testing next.
I finished the benchwork the other day - just about five weeks, start to finish on the 15'x17' lakefront division between Duluth and Two Harbors. Now I'm putting down homasote and using it as an opportunity to do a little stress testing. Gluing the homasote needs some weight... Probably not this much:
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Recycling quarter-round trim
We redid our basement floors a few years ago and I ended up with about 30' of unused 3/4" oak quarter-round baseboard trim. I have since chopped it up into 3" lengths for cleats on each of the risers. I cut a few extra long cleats to allow for clearance in awkward locations where the riser won't fit right below the roadbed.
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2" vs 4" rigid insulation
Looking for some thoughts as always from this highly educated group. When it comes time to start building my modular layout,, using 18" by 48" sections, I was going to go with 4" of that pink Owens Corning rigid insulation, without any plywood substrate under that. Just laying it straight down on the cross members and laying track right on top of that.. But not being familiar with the stuff, as its hard to find down here in Florida, would 2" be just as good and solid, again without any sort of plywood substrate under it. Just glued right to the cross members.
Not bad for a month's work.
I guess it shows the benefit of thinking out an idea for a long time. Just a mere five weeks ago it was an unused basement corner, now it almost looks like a layout.
Then:
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And now:
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Splines almost done.
The splines are almost done. They still need to be sanded and re-leveled, but it actually looks like something resembling a railroad. You can see the 20" radius curves made using the form jig. They need to be cut and fit into place, too.
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'The rolls of kraft paper have the full size track plans for reference as I put the splines in.
TOMA construction methods...
I would like to build a new layout using modules, mostly in a 2' by 8' size, but some will be odd balls. How would you "connect" the modules together? I envision bus wires running underneath the module supports that the module track power would plug into. Does this sound correct? How would one ensure the track work always lines up? How would the modules be connected to the module supports? All comments are appreciated.
Thanks,
Doug
Helix diameter
I know a helix discussion is old to some folks. I have been doing research I have a 11.5 x 11.5 room for my layout and I want staging underneath. What is the smallest diameter one has sucessfully been done. I will have no more than 10-12 car trains with 2 locomotives per train. My layout will have to make use of a duckunder so I cannot just ease down that way. Any thoughts ?
Joe
Seeking guidance on new layout room prep and valence design
If you don't like long posts, please stop here and move along to the next topic!
Never enough
Norm Abrams always said, "you can never have enough clamps." I would agree. Especially when building spline roadbed. .jpeg)
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