Use "L" brackets for elevated track?

[lionelsoni]

The NEC requires that a hole through a stud for wiring be 1 1/4 inches from the edge of the stud, unless the stud is covered by a steel plate.  So the screw should not be more than 1 1/4 inches longer than the sum of the thicknesses of the bracket and the drywall (probably 1/2 inch).

For a permanent, strong installation, I would put a piece of plywood between the bracket (or whatever) and the drywall to spread the load, which otherwise may crush the drywall and loosen the attachment.  For my display tracks, I knew that I would need to screw numerous brackets to the wall at inconvenient locations.  So I simply covered the entire area with white-painted 1/2-inch plywood first, screwed into the studs, then mounted the tracks to the plywood.

Another trick is to make a hole in the drywall and stack flat washers directly against the stud to get a hard surface flush with the drywall, to avoid the unsightliness of the plywood.

[chuck]

I've used the "L" brackets when there wasn't any other easy way to elevate trackage.  The only issue (besides cost) was the mater of "flexing".  Our loco's/trains are pretty heavy and the brackets would give a little/deflect under the weight of a passing train.  On a longer section of track with multiple "L" bracket supports, you could see the train/track doing a gentle "wave" as it passed along.  When I flipped every other bracket to the opposite side the wave became a wobble/rocking effect.  This was never an operational issue and the wobble looked kind of prototypical (for the train).  Have the scenery under the train shimmy like a bowl of Jello was a little harder to deal with.

[phillyreading]

Screws usually don't work loose when run in tight into wood, can't say the same thing for drywall or particle board which is sawdust glue and formaldahyde.  When using drywall plugs remember that the drywall will work loose over time so try to find a wood 2 by 4 behind the wall.  A # 10 screw about 2 inches long will work to hit the wood.

Lee F.

[poppyl]

I'd worry about the screws eventually working loose.

Poppyl

[eZAK]

Wouldn't it be just as easy and stronger just to use some dowel rods, & wood pieces?

[Boyd]

I bought two 4" "L" brackets at Menards and bolted them together like the capital letter E minus the middle horizontal bar. I could even do some drilling and make it shorter or taller. They could also  be arranged the other way kindof like this: Z but with 90 degree bends of course. This won't look prototypical at all but might look better than the measured 1x4s or other  boards.