I have been out of the hobby for many years, apart from periodic dusting and lubricating of motive power units; and daydreaming about my return to the hobby.
I was wondering if your basic plywood sheet is still the standard for benchwork or have new materials come along
Wayne F
Traditional plywood and L-girder layout construction is still quite common, but increasingly guys are using pink or blue rigid foam insulation instead. It's very lightweight but sturdy. If you want to go "flat top" with plywood, Woodland Scenics makes 'risers' in various heights from 1/2" to 4". If you raise all your track 2"-4" you then don't have to cut out the plywood base to make rivers or valleys.
I'm using John Sterling shelving components for my new layout, pretty easy to put together and attach to the wall, and allows for more than one level of track and plenty of storage shelves underneath. I get it from the local "big box" home center.
Some things are constants and so it is with plywood. Alternatives abound, too. Dense foam is way lighter and very easy to cut to size, shape, and incorporate into your overall look. There is no absolute correct answer. Likewise, some guys still use the hard shell process for their mountains when dense foam can achieve the same result.
My layout is outside. The desert tends to be dry (I think that's why they call it a desert?) L-girder frame and dense foam are my building blocks. But that was my conclusion for my application.
A very few of our group, tomikawaTT notably, are using steel components, including brackets, metal house framing materials such as "studs", and such. I don't recall any photos, so I can't offer an appraisal.
With wood, 1X3, or 1X4 split can make some very sturdy benchwork if blocking is used inside corners. Some use an open peripheral frame with extruded foam set into the frame sitting atop two or three cross members for support. The foam is then stacked in carved layers and glued together with acrylic latex caulk. It can be painted and ground foam strewn over it for a very credible scenery effect. Trees plant very well in it, too.
About latex caulk...seems folks have begun to use it for many purposes...sticking cast rocks in place, gluing roadbed such as cork or foam to whatever will hold it up, and even sticking the sections of flextrack into place.
Probably the biggest new trend in terms of electronics, in case you haven't kept up to that part, is Digital Command Control (or DCC) which allows us to do away with blocks and switches. You run each locomotive by addressing it digitally using a number, or address, that you choose to assign its microchip brain. We call that tiny device a decoder.
Good luck!
joanwayne I was wondering if your basic plywood sheet is still the standard for benchwork or have new materials come along
For beginners, perhaps. but since Linn Westcott developed the L-girder system, that's become a standard along with the concept of open-grid benchwork in general.
Midnight Railroader joanwayne I was wondering if your basic plywood sheet is still the standard for benchwork or have new materials come along For beginners, perhaps. but since Linn Westcott developed the L-girder system, that's become a standard along with the concept of open-grid benchwork in general.
Plywood, as material, remains a useful part of the benchwork/subgrade/roadbed equation, but the idea of the standard 32-square-foot rectangle as anything (other than the stock size of plywood and other construction materials) has become passe among more serious modelers. ("More serious modelers," defined as those who want 24" or greater minimum radius curves and room enough for spiral easements into same.) Plywood is actually the only wood product that I use in sizes larger than an HO switch tie.
'Selector' mentioned my partiality to steel studs for L-girder design benchwork. That is largely driven by the extreme conditions of my layout space (Mojave desert garage) which has less than wonderful impact on wood products. Variants of the technique have been written up in Model Railroader, but my personal preference is to go all-steel for everything below my cookie-cut plywood roadbed. (Fascia panels, when I install them, will be Masonite.)
The subject of benchwork has been addressed frequently in these forums. Unfortunately, the Community Search function is still somewhat limited in its ability to find archived material. Briefly, there are about as many different ways to build benchwork as there are modelers doing it - ranging from fine furniture to, "Hide it under a blanket." Some of them are better than others, but none of them are outright wrong if you can put a working railroad on top of the result.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Hi, and welcome back to THE hobby!
As earlier posters indicated, plywood is still the main layout "topper", but other materials are growing in popularity. My layout is in a dedicated climate controlled room. And, as an amateur "wood butcher", I prefer plywood cut "cookie cutter" style for the surface, with a plethora of 2x2 legs - joined by L-girder or similar horizontal (1x4, 1x3, 1x2) supports for the base. When I had a basement layout or garage layout, I tended to go with 2x4 legs.
One thing that has made layout building so much easier and frankly more fun, is the use of sheetrock or deck screws and cordless drills. I used two DeWalts, one to drill pilot holes if needed, and the other for the screws. Doing the many 2 percent grades on the layout were so much easier with screws, and I take pride in saying there are no nails (other than track nails) in the layout.
When I rebuild the 11x15 layout, one thing I will do differently is use something a little thicker than the 1/2 inch ply I now have.
I know we all have our preferred tasks in layout building, and benchwork is one of mine!
ENJOY,
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
One thing you might consider is if moving is in the future. Four years ago we built our retirement home with my train room. That sounded pretty permanent at the time but since we have relocated 22 times in 45 years of marriage I decided to build modules.
For this I used 3/4 birch plywood cut into strips ( I used 2 3/4 width ) and made 2 x 6 modules using open frame construction. The cost is about the same as 1 x 4 but there is no waste and you get straight pieces. To do this it is nice to have a table and cut off saw as I do but normally there is someone in the neighborhood who can help with this.
The modules were then bolted together and voile.... a completed benchwork that was both rock solid and portable. The latter was useful because once again we moved and the new layout will be built using the same modules for the most part... It takes a little planning but the end result can save a lot of work if you have a move coming up...
Welcome back and good luck on your layout.
Roger
There are a variety of materials and opinions about them. I have seen positive and negative reports on plywood, dimensional lumber, mdf, pressed wood, OSB, and foam for the top/subroadbed; and steel, dimensional lumber, and plywood for legs and framing. Personally, I like plywood for the top/subroadbed and dimensional lumber for legs and framing, but use what works best for you and your situation.
Enjoy
Paul
I use synthetic card tables in the corners supporting hollow core doors that have had 20+ years to stay straight in the home. The birch plywood on top is only a 1/4 inch thick. The legs are steel. There is a bit of foam and cork for additional support. If there is any damage, it is not very difficult to remove and replace the affected area. Not hard at all.
My goal is easy break down and transport to the next addition at some point into the future. I still favor traditional wood benchwork, however steel framing materials is gained favor with me, cut, bend and bolt. All done just watch for sharp edges.
Now the real problem is the big plywood. If it is my druthers and money is not issue, 3/4 inch plywood all the way nailed down to 4x6 inch hardwood benchwork. It will never warp. But house wont take the weight.
The local modular club uses small woods with a masonite top and they get away with it because perhaps it's strongly secured and hardly anything to warp or bend. I have visited this club for years now and some of the original modules built this way in all weathers have yet to bend.
I know of another club in arkansas that used steel frame under foam. I like foam, especially thick foam. But the local big boxes around here think 1 inch is sufficient. I was told there is a place downtown where you can get 2 inches.
Many in my area uses wood in a variety of ways to build thier layouts.
I would think they will always use wood in some form around model trains for a thousand years should the hobby last that long.