" src="/trccs/emoticons/icon_smile_question.gif"> this suspension will include two radius(radii???) and will be joining an incline in which i will be mounting a 1/2"x6" with L brackets to the wall. This is my FIRST layout, and i'd like to get it as close to right as possible!
my consideration is a metal or wood bracket (for attachment to the ceiling) with threaded rod attached and dropping down to 1/2x6 for the straight run and jig saw plywood for the radius.
if you have had better success with another way please share. also in the future i'd like to add truss like beams to the sides of the suspension that appear to go to the ceiling.
BTW this is for a Playmobil RC train
thanks ahead of time!!
Angie
also posted in RC trains!
I dont have any experience myself but I came across this site today
http://www.locoboose.com/
they are acompany that specialise in suspended railways, it may give you some ideas
John Teal
RJR Branch Line
Thanks John!
it's a thought, it's a bit more wood than i was envisioning! i am not quite sure what i want to do now lol! maybe lexan for the base suspended by threaded rod. the playmobil has an all plastic track... even the rails.
off to look more!
Hi again,
Not sure of your location. Here in the uk you could get plastic/acrylic laser cut by a local sign makers to the shape of the formers required.
How about using medium/heavy weight fishing line to suspend. Its nearly clear and would giv an invisible fixing giving maximum train viewing. The thread could be ringed onto either sied of the plastic road bed and taken straight up to pairs of cup hooks in the ceiling ??
John
Rather than using some sort of metal bracket to connect to the rod, why not use this system. A butterfly bolt, flat washer, and standard nut. Here's how it works. Purchase butterfly bolts that are the same diameter of your threaded rod. Take the bolt out of the butterfly nut and attach the nut to the threaded rod. Before doing this, however, screw on a standard nut and flat washer (large enough to hide the hole that will be created by the butterfly nut), and run them down several inches on the threaded rod. Then put the butterfly nut on the rod, position the rod where you want it on the ceiling, create your hole for the butterfly nut and drive it up through the ceiling. The butterfly nut will pop open on the other side and the threaded rod will hang freely from the hole. Tighten up the standard nut and washer and VOILA!, all you see is the washer, nut and threaded rod coming out of the ceiling. Using this system for all your rods gives you near infinite flexibility in setting your grades as well as your side to side level on your boards. Where the threaded rod meets the track roadbed, you can either go straight into the 1 x 6, or into a 1 x 1 (or 1/2 x 1/2, or 3/4 x 3/4) suspender that hangs beneath the 1 x 6. Make sure that you have a nut and washer on both top and bottom of the roadbed so that once you get it adjusted, you can tighten the all of the nuts down and have a fairly rigid roadbed for your track
I've used this method on a pair of bridges that I installed in a restaurant (24ft of bridge total) and it is as solid today as it was five years ago. The true beauty of this system is, if you ever have to take it out, you just simply unscrew everything out of the ceiling and spackle the small holes and no one will ever know it was there in the first place.
Mark
I am not sure if this system would work with your situation but FYI there are pre-fabricated oak track bed components you can buy from R&G Railroad Co. in CA. Check them out at www.randgrailroad.com I purchased a system with wall brackets but they also have suspended brackets available. What I like about the system is the components come in different radius curves and straight lengths that you can cut to whatever you need. I built a 45 ft. overhead One Gauge layout in my reading room with 3-90 degree and 2-45 degree turns and never had to fabricate anything. The only down side is they are a bit pricey since the material is solid oak.
Good luck with your project,
Eric
i think this is a pretty reasonable way to go, i could reduce from a 1x6 to 1/4" plywood to keep it a lower profile. or stick with my plexiglass idea.
thanks for the input mark! and thanks for the rest of the posts as well everyone!
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