This suggestion isn't really what you asked for but it might be another way to hang your track base and save some money on expensive brackets. Consider mounting your brackets on the top side of the shelf material. For this you can use some form of "L" shaped metal brackets that can be painted to match your wall. When mounted they aren't too noticable because they either match the wall color or are mostly hidden by the shelf material underneath. If you use 3/4" oak plywood track base, I would think a bracket every other stud or even farther apart would be plenty enough support. I've mounted white pine shelving this way in the past - even going so far as to dowel the joints where each plank met its neighbor to prevent uneven joints, especially if they didn't meet at a bracket. You could also use a 3-6" metal tie splice mounted on the top of the planks (again, out of sight) to keep the joints aligned.
You don't need fancy brackets for this. Actually, the flatter profile the better, Just pick something that's thick enough steel not to deflect given what ever bracket leg length you choose to carry your planks. When it's all tied together the way you proposed it should be pretty strong. You can always add an extra bracket or two, maybe especially near the corners where you're adding in the triangles if you feel the layout needs extra support.
For the area of the passing siding it may require a little more thought to carry that much width. On my layout, I had a similar situation and used a few 3/4" diameter dowels attached to the leading edge of my wide base and screwed in to a ceiling joist using a double ended screw. How well this works depends on the configuration of your joists. Or you may have to resort to a few bigger under-plank brackets in this zone, particularly if you don't want anything to block your view of the trains as a few vertical dowels would do.
Tom Trigg
As long as you know your tools and have some basic carpentry skills, making a shelf bracket is about as easy as falling out of bed. Just buy one and use it as your template. You can even modify it a little if necessary. I'm sure it'll be much cheaper than purchasing finished ones. You might even be able to save a few more bucks by using poplar instead. It's about half the cost of oak per board foot, is just as strong in this application, and with the proper stain will be hardly noticible by your average Joe. Besides, if done right, the train will be what everybody sees. Even so though, there's no substitute for good looking carpentry work. It's your castle, you deserve the best.
Mark
Make your own brackets, you have the tools you need, Do use the the stud spacing, I have used and still use steel brackets on 48 inch + centers with 1X6 oak for my display shelfs I currently have 27ft and plan to add 13.5ft more the wood Im using is over 12 years old and has been used in about 3 different house's. The only problem I have is after awile I need to turn the boards over due to worpage 3 F-3's or shay and 2-8-0 are heavy. the only suggestion i have is to add a 1x3 on the wall side of your brackets ,sides rounded over,to give them a coustom look then you can screw the brackets to the 1X3, then screw the 1X3 to the wall and plug the hole. an example could be foumd at Home Depot look at how the wood towel holders are make. one more thing the edge of the Plywood WILL have gap's and 7 plys showing, the cure is Iorn on oak laminate it come's in 1inch wide rolls about 25ft long use 3M spray on glue and trim off excess.sorry I'm unable to show any pictures at this time.sorry no e-mail .BTY Poplar has a green tint to it, stick to oak it will be cheaper in the long run.
Dave
The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.
When I built a wall bracket I used some 1"x3" with some Dowl (I 45 the ends).It looked like an L with the dowl set back aboute 1 1/2' from the end connecting / suporting the tip of the L. this didn't look as big , but did the work for the Lionel I was running @ the time.I then mounted them and painted the same as walls.On the front of the shelf I used 1"x3" on edge to strenthened the shelf and to hide the 1/2" plywood shelf.I also used the corners for some scenery.
Good luck.
there are many options out there and although my indoor wall mounted track is only in the HO i am hoping that the images can be helpful. at the hardware store i purchases 89 cents (on sale) wall brackets and some oak 90degree bend trim, with quartre round trim to finish off the end. i decided to use the parts that were also apart of the shelving for a more integrated appearance.
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z116/mynameisnoble/wallbracket3.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z116/mynameisnoble/wallbracket4.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z116/mynameisnoble/wallbracket1.jpg
this is my first post so i am sorry if the links to the images do not turn out.
noble
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