EDIT 05-21-07 ADDED DUAL TRACK INSTALLATION - (BELOW)
I thought it would be appropriate to explain a little about what I'm doing. I actually do have a foam constructed train room. It is an enclosed patio room. Of course it is waterproof, insulated, and actually a sun room. One of the advantages of this climate. It has done very well over the winter, actually quite comfortable. I monitor both the humidity and temperature.
This image is a cross section of the wall material, it is 3.75" thick, and has a vinyl sheating on both sides. The aluminum extrusion forms a wiring channel and accomodates adjoining panels.
To accomodate the elevated shelf did some testing of various mounting techniques. Found that if I used a "ledger" board to spread the stress over a broader surface the holding power of the vinyl was significant. Eliminates the cantillever effect. Securing the angle bracket thru the plywood onto the panel turned out to be the way to go. The vinyl coating is only about 1/16 thick. Used fine thread dry wall screws and Liquid Nails. I could not pull the bracket away or loosen it from the panel, and that was without the liquid nails.
After securing a 12" ledger board around the room, I secured the shelf with standard decorative shelf brackets, and have a 12.5" shelf resting on top of the ledger board and supported by the brackets. My intention was to have 2 G-Scale tracks, one of which is elevated 4" to provided better viewing.
Since the room utilizes a common wall with the house, I decided to support the shelf with braces coming from under the sofet. The house has a stucco finnish which really doesn't help! So a skim coat of plaster was applied to accomodate the texture and create a smooth finish. Now the issue was to try and find some framing to tie into for the braces. As an alternative would use toggle bolts were required. Needless to say did not find 1 stud at all. Toggle bolts worked well. Shelf pieces are all braced laterally on the top side as well. Around the entire room.
Now all I have to do is put down some sound deadening material track, wire and ready to go. I plan on putting some adhesive backed images (4x6) of various train heralds around the room directly below the shelf between the brackets. THEN THE REAL FUN BEGINS BUILDING THE O-SCALE LAYOUT.
Chiefs research on Celotex vs Homosite is very appropriate for me. Thanks for all the information.
Don
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
Don.....That room looks good. I like the elevated G guage trains.
Post some pictures of the benchwork progress, when you get going.
Chuck
That really looks great Don !! I hope you don't get too many smoke stains on the ceiling though !! Just kidding !! I'll be looking forward to your progrees pictures too !!
Thanks, John
Don,
The room and the elevated track look great. The foam panels area great idea.
Jim
Don, looks great! I have a couple of ideas that may add to your already fine work. First, you could put building fronts, etc. like Frank53 uses along the wall with the trains running in front. I think you could get away with O gauge for these as it is already a work in "forced perspective". Secondly, OGR this latest issue-June/July has a article on quieting Fastrack in which the author uses Dow Styrofoam Sill Seal, which is 1/4" thick, 3-1/2" wide and 50 foot long. He found this at a home improvement place for under $5.00/roll. You may want to use something like this for the sound.
Sorry for not answering earlier, my mind is adrift at this point.
dennis
TCA#09-63805
Don...Now that you got our attention............
" Get off the carpet " and let's see some benchwork pictures.
Don, Looking good. Great job on the shelf. I assume the trains are just sitting there for the picture. Is the orange box car the new track cleaning car?
That is one nice looking train room.
okay we have come from the coffee shop so you don't need to post in there LOL
Very nice and gives me an idea but it would interfer with coming and going here at the house oh well great moment thought lol
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
dwiemer wrote: Secondly, OGR this latest issue-June/July has a article on quieting Fastrack in which the author uses Dow Styrofoam Sill Seal, which is 1/4" thick, 3-1/2" wide and 50 foot long. He found this at a home improvement place for under $5.00/roll. You may want to use something like this for the sound.
Secondly, OGR this latest issue-June/July has a article on quieting Fastrack in which the author uses Dow Styrofoam Sill Seal, which is 1/4" thick, 3-1/2" wide and 50 foot long. He found this at a home improvement place for under $5.00/roll. You may want to use something like this for the sound.
Don - nice job. I like Dennis' idea of Strofoam sill Seal and Building fronts on the upper level.
Take care,
Mitch
Bob Mitchell Gettysburg, PA TCA # 98-47956 LCCA# RM22839
The room looks great and the layout plan looks even better! Way to go!
Regards, Roy
Real nice, Don.
Keep posting pictures. It looks like your layout is real close to that inviting pool I saw in a previous photo.
Trains, cool water, sunshine...what else could you ask for!
Don,Looks real nice! Love the pics! I too am envious of that inviting body of water located near by... my idea of a perfect day:Run trainsDip in the poolRun trainsDrink some beerEat some steakDip in the poolRun trainsand you can do that all within 15 feet of one another! Now that is what I call planning!
DON, looks great keep up the good work.
laz57
UPDATE 05-21-07
Reconfigured the shelf to accomodate 2 G Scale trains, (Original Intent). Since having two trains on the same track, in order to have some viewing of train located in rear. Raised that track 4". Used the surplus foam material that the rooms walls are made from to establish the height or base of the second track. To accomodate adequate spacing, allowing 2" from the wall, and 2" between tracks. (Measuring from ties, not rails.) Turns out that some extra "slats" that was used in patio covering worked out ideal as spacers.
Secured the foam (which has a vinyl sheeting on both sides) to the shelf using 2" dry wall screws from the bottom of the shelf. Then secured the track to the to of the vinyl with #4 screws.
Materials used for positioning track:
2 tracks installed:
Heisler in background, Mogul in foreground, going through "The" S
After we completed the track, we had this bridge...So positioned it in place, but with everything else secured needed a reason for the bridge. So Chris is going to carve out a gorge or river bed to accomodate the bridge. Interesting that the river immediately goes underground, so as not to interfere with the Mogul.
Initial gorge carving, finishing touches to be accomplished. Near the center of the bridge are two pieces of vinyl from the top of the foam that is descending. They were subsequently secured to bottom of bridge.
While the bridge was being justified, a couple of "revenue seekers" were getting a load of logs prepared to be transported.
In the meantime the "Section Supervisor" was eagerly awaiting the completion of the bridge to accomodate the impending load.
The track crew worked feriously, to get the bridge justified in time!
The log train was dispatched almost immediately.
And immediately, traffic began to flow.
All operations were however, were immediately suspended, until a Guard Rail is installed. The guard rail is being developed using some flat metal straps attached to the shelf. And protruding out into "space" a thin threaded bolt will be erected through the strap perpendiular to the shelf. About 4 /12 to 5" high. The bolt will then be covered with a black straw, and have a high weight fishing line strung from post to post. At least two lines will be strung to prevent any catasrophes.
Looks great !!!!!!
How about a smaller girder bridge in front of the existing bridge, a chance to extend the "SoCal Dry Creek Bed" ?
For the safety railing can oversized drawer pulls, the ones that kinda look like a staple on steroids, be used and just cut off one leg. Make a jig so all the cuts are the same, drill a small hole for the safety wire, attach to the shelf using the screws that are wood screw on one end and machine screw on the other end (forgot the name, must be an age thing). Then top it with a glass or plastic bead, faceted, so it catches and refracts any light.
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Very good pictures, Don. Thanks for sharing. That upper area is really starting to look good. " Section Supervisor " made sure a lot of work was done.
Looks great!
don,
thats really cool. I really like the everything about it. And you had helpers thats awesome to...
i have always thought trains running around the top of a room was neat
Hi Dbaker48
Thankyou for responding back and giving me your thoght on my sons layout around his room after viewing your pictures and your layout i decided on doing it like yours. By just having one shelf for both trains and the back train will be 3 inches higher up ....Here are the measurement of my sons room they are 15 long by 14 1/2 wide he has a built in closet that takes up on the same wall as the door he enters into it that takes up 30 inches of his room and my thought was to run the train all the way around his room cuting to holes in the wall and running them into the closet and coming back out by the door like the train is going inside the mountian scene is what i am hoping i can find something that i can make that all out of or something that i can paste onto the wall to have that affect...and where the train comes out over the door its 2 1/2 feet by 38 inches wide and i wanted to build a shelf there with some scenes...i am using the fasttrack system O scale and i was wondering if you can tell me what kind of turn track will i need for the back track verses the front track i am going to have the two tracks 3 inches apart from eachother ....i was also wondering did you do any scenes around your wall behind the trains? If so do you know where i can get an all around the room scene ? or have ideals that i can do ? thankyou again for all the help....Brandon
Brandon,
That's a really cool idea of running the train through the closet. It will also make putting the shelf up easier, not as many curves. There are a number of ways to accomplish what you were asking....
Most hobby shops have premade inexpensive protals that you could get where the train goes into the wall and exits. And of course if your artistic and so inclined can make your own out of just about anything. Cardboard, foam, chickenwire, on and on.
Regarding scenery, that too, can be purchased in sheets, (again should be at hobby shop, their are also some websites that make and sell it specifically for train layouts. Software is available that you can use and print out your own, or even wall paper stores have room borders that may be of interest. Or 3D facades are available. There is a couple of websites that offer "paper" buildings that might work for you. I don't have the websites right now, will try to find them tomorrow.
I havn't got scenery on mine yet, but will soon, I hope.
Regarding the corners, you could use two different track radius', or just use the same and stagger where the curve starts, possibly adding a small straight piece of track in the curve to alter the overall radius. I used the same curves, but with the scale I was using the corners are offset by about 3". Remember, if you were to draw a 90 degree curve and start one point a couple of inches shorter you still have a 90 curve just with a different radius on the same circle. You shouldn't have any problem with the fast track on both tracks. Just remember fasttrack can be noisey sitting on top of a board, with a void space between the rails and the base. All types of sound deadening materal could be used some people use cotton, cloth, wall insulation, etc.. You might want to experiment with that a little.
Sounds like your going to have lots of fun!
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