Foam board

[Buckeye Riveter]

I still get many questions about the construction of my layout benchwork and I have finally gotten my scanner working again, so I have added the actual plans used to build the benchwork. There were some minor changes such as the heighth of the table is lower, but generally speaking what you see in the photos is what you see on the plans.










If anyone would want a copy of the plans in BMP format, which are readable, just email me here in Roger's Corners, Ohio and we will see that you get the drawings via email.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the suggestions on attaching foam board.

[Roger Bielen]

When I laid track I glued cork roadbed to the foam board and used screws through the roadbed and foam board into the plywood sub-base to hold the track in place. After I ballasted my track I removed the screws. the ballast is glued in place with the standard water/white glue mixture which in turn glues and locks the track into place. If you ever want to remove a section you can usually loosen the ballast by wetting it down.

[brianel027]

Good to read what you've done Buckeye. The only reason I thought about the Luann underlay is that it is light, but it gives me something a little more solid to attach bus connectors and motor bases for some of the custom accessories I've designed.

I like the foam idea for lightweight moving. I thought I had made my current layout light enough, but having to move it a couple years ago I thought "hmmm... a tad heavier than I thought."

And the way the economy is these days, lightweight and portability seem like good ideas for train layouts. Just today came the official announcement for the elimination of 800+ jobs at the local picture tube plant... catastrophic economic news for this area where unemployment is already way above national/state average.

Seems like no one has a job for life anymore, so portable or at least moveable layouts is going to be the way of the future if this hobby is going to grow (amongst other reasons too).

[Buckeye Riveter]

Thank you Chief for those kind words. [:)][:)] I know it is hard for you to say such benevolent statements about a YANKEE from Buckeye Land. [:D]

And now on to the foam. Yes, my whole layout sits on foam. It is high-density 2" foam purchased at Home Depot, one of my favorite stores. The foam sits on joists at approximately 16" spacing. On top of the high density foam sits the 1" white foam.

Again, the Chief is correct, I do use deck screw or drywall screws to hold the track to the foam. If you really have a problem holding to the foam, I use a plastic "Molly" type connection and low heat glue and imbed it. I wished I had taken a photo of this.

The main reasons I used foam were; 1. The layout is designed to move and 2. after shelling out my hard earned money for Railsounds, I wanted to hear it. [:)] The foam accomplished both goals.


My layout extension under construction will not use the 1" white foam overlay, since the two inch meets all the goals stated above.


Approx. same view of layout as above

Q: How do you walk on the layout?
A: I don't. I designed it so I could reach everything. My new addition will have hidden hatches inside the exposed loops. The cat has been know to walk on the layout and hide in the tunnel.

Q: Does it make wiring easier?
A: Much easier. I use an extra long drill bit (10”) and punch through the foam. No drilling required, as you need to do with wood.

Q: Over time does it deflect or sag?
A: We have not seen any sag in the foam. On my previous HO layout the plywood sagged all the time with the changes of moisture in the air.

Q: Where are the transformer and controls located?
A: Under the layout on a small shelf

Q: How much will it hold?
A: I might try to calculate that someday. [:)]

[Anonymous]

I USED DAP 'ALL PURPOSE ADHESIVE CAULK'. IT IS DIFFICULT TO PURCHASE BYE THE WAY. IT IS VISCOUS, ELASTIC, & ADHERES EXTREMELY WELL METAL TRACK PULLS AWAY CLEANLY IF YOU CHANGE SOMETHING. DAP SETS FIRM OVERNIGHT SO THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME TO FINE TUNE YOUR LAYOUT. DAP IS QUICK TO APPLY. PLEASE DON'T USE ON SWITCHES!
THE ELASTICITY PROVIDES SOUND ABSORBANCY WHICH WHITE GLUE OR TITE BOND LACK (TOO NON-ELASTIC).
LIQUID NAILS MARS THE METAL TIE.

[ChiefEagles]

Talk to Buckeye. He has his layout on foam only [yes foam only]. He uses deck screws pushed into the foam and they will hold the track in place. He says they will hold it fine and the track will settle into the foam some after running trains on it. I've seen his layout and it works fine.

Here are some of his photos: [he will not mind and can share more of construction]

[brianel027]

Daan's idea is exactly what I want to do some day. If and when the money ever starts flowing again, I would like to rebuild my layout and make even more lightweight and portable than I thought I had already done. I plan to use a thin Luann board for an under base on a light pine frame with at least 2 inches of pink foam board on top... the pink in denser than the blue or white types. I'll use the 1-inch type in layers so I can have a little relief scenery. The styrofoam also works very very well for mountains and tunnels as I already have done.

Using 027 track, I'll cut some wood pieces to fit beneath the metal ties and use Titebond or some other water proof wood glue to adhere the pieces to the foam board. I'll only need enough to keep the track in place and to keep it flat. Once I add additional ties and ballast (also adhered with diluted wood glue) the track will really be in place.

[daan]

If you have done much effort to reduce noise, never use nails going through the insulation. The nails will guide the suond to the plywood and the effect of all the insulation is zero. Use a flexible method, the one with the tie-wraps is a good one, but you could also glue small strips of plywood under the track with simple white woodglue and then screw the tracks to that. It will also be strong enough, because woodglue bonds very well with the foam board. As long as you keep the strips of plywood small the noise stays low.
I'm planning to use carpet underlayment to reduce the sound.

[Anonymous]

Nylon zip ties work well. Drill two small holes through your platform, preferably at a track joint, and using the smallest size tie available, run around the track, through and under the platform. The end result is a very strong securing method that is easy to change if the track pattern changes. Because it is a through connection, you have the strenghth of the plywood and the tie to rely on instead of the strenghth of small threads in styrofoam. I use this method and find it to be very dependable, and more importantly, very quiet.

[Anonymous]

I am using 1 inch foam board on top of plywood to
reduce the noise level of my operation. I am also
using Atlas Century 21 track and cork roadbed. The
issue I have is how to hold the track in place. I have
been unable to find small enough screws to mount
the track to the plywood and am hesitant on nailing.
Any suggestions?

Ron