Hello- I am looking to start my very first 5x9 layout for my lionel trains. I am wonder or looking for advice for a good grass mat to lay down on the layout. Who makes good ones? I have seen woodland scenics makes one, but am sure the quality. I guess I would like one that is of high quality and looks great as well. Also how do you apply the mat to the table. Thanks in advance Derek
Derek, I recall in one of your other posts you saying you are mostly interested in scale proportioned trains and not the semi-scale or 027 kinds of products. So I wonder why you want to use a grass mat instead of going the more coomon route of actually doing some scenery, which is what a lot of high-railers do.
But if it is a "retro" look you want, or maybe the ease of not doing a lot of time consuming scenery, I can understand that. Or maybe you want the emphasis to be on the trains and not any complex scenery.
You might want to consider using some type of porch or deck indoor/outdoor carpeting. It might be more cost effective for a 5'x9' layout and would certainly offer more durability. It could also help to dampen some of the layout rumble noise if you happen to use plywood as your layout surface. I've noticed over the years, quite a few photos in the train mags and videos from TM productions where folks use indoor/outdoor carpeting. Just a thought.
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
Decker, I used 'astro-turf' last year on a toy train layout. I just stapled it under the layout top. It is strictly toy train but I really liked it. Now I'm somewhere between toy train & hi-rail - will always be. I used a stone paint rattle can for the base layer and covered that with a green. It gives a variable look, is flat so it's easy to put accesories, buildings, etc. on it.
I've used lots of Woodland Scenics products and like them all. I'm sure their instructions for the grass mat would be a good as all the other instructions from them.
Charlie
An indoor/outdoor mat works well. Just make sure that the 'grass' is not too high. This one in the photo is stapled to Homasote over wood. In addition to the 'looks', it helps reduce the sound.
I really like the look of the grass matt material made by Noch.
For any of the mats....you can put down rubber cement on the
board, and rubber cement on the back of the mat. Let it set up
a bit and put it in place. This allows repostioning if it isn't quite
right. So it's pretty goof proof!!!
underworld
The noch mat looks good. I think I will Look more into that. Thank you. I think for my 1st O gauge layout I will try to stick with more of the tradition look. I have built an HO layout and like the idea of the modeling aspect but I think for now I want the main focus to be on the trains and accessories. Thanks Derek
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