NewHaven529 Hello, I am new to the forum, so I apologize in advance if this is a repeat question. Am getting back into railroading after a few decades, building a small layout with my sons. Benchwork is simple ladder frame supporting plywood. On top of that we are using a min. of 2" pink foam as a scenery base. I'd like to have a small grade on the layout and am looking for suggestions on how to create a curved grade out of foam. One way would be to carve the foam and shape it like I would a mountain. However, this seems messy to me and seems like it would be hard to control the slope consistently. Another suggestion I got at a train show was to cut the foam "cookie cutter" style as you would plywood. Any thoughts on either of these two approaches or suggestions for a better idea? Thanks!
Hello, I am new to the forum, so I apologize in advance if this is a repeat question.
Am getting back into railroading after a few decades, building a small layout with my sons. Benchwork is simple ladder frame supporting plywood. On top of that we are using a min. of 2" pink foam as a scenery base. I'd like to have a small grade on the layout and am looking for suggestions on how to create a curved grade out of foam.
One way would be to carve the foam and shape it like I would a mountain. However, this seems messy to me and seems like it would be hard to control the slope consistently. Another suggestion I got at a train show was to cut the foam "cookie cutter" style as you would plywood.
Any thoughts on either of these two approaches or suggestions for a better idea? Thanks!
I am using WS risers and inclines and I am quite pleased with them. They are easy to use and there is no mess. WS even has a dvd to show you how to use them as well as how to build mountains and tunnels, and how to lay track on the risers and inclines.
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A1378DF426F2C713
On carving foam for scenery or even maybe risers try this utube link. It is an 8 part series on how he carves foam to look like mountains. Starts off with foam blocks and ends with completed scenery with ground foam. He also has videos on background painting. I have watched it several times and now am carving foam on a diaroma I am building.
Mike
alco's forever!!!!! Majoring in HO scale Minorig in O scale:)
MisterBeasleyI tried cutting a slope into foam as you would to for a mountain. As you suspected, it was not an easy thing to do, and I had to do a lot of trimming and filling to get a properly-surfaced grade.
Very difficult indeed, so do something similar but better. Cut the best grade that you can, then turn the foam upside down (factory smooth edge up). Bed the stuff in caulk or foamboard adhesive and it won't flex at all. Cookie cutter with foam is a great method too.
Karl
The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open. www.stremy.net
CTValleyRR My only issue with the WS Inclines is that you're limited to whole percentages. If you need steeper or shallower, you're out of luck.
My only issue with the WS Inclines is that you're limited to whole percentages. If you need steeper or shallower, you're out of luck.
Actually, you're not that limited. WS inclines are designed to work with almost any percentage, there are instructions on the box. For instance, on my MR I've got WS inclines from every grade percentage between 1.5 and 2.4%. It's a matter of using combinations of the various inclines to achieve them. Granted, it means that you have to buy more of the WS inclines than you'd originally think, but the result is a series of smooth grades in almost any percentage you want.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
Great points thank you. It's pretty layout small and my plan is to run mostly 4 axle road switchers (rs-3, etc.) with short trains, 40' cars mostly. But I do know 3% is pretty steep and that will really cut pulling power.
I've seen a few articles on super-elevating and an definitely going to try it out.
I agree with everyone else about WS incline sets. But a word of caution. Make a test ramp with a track on it and figure out what your engine with/without cars can handle for a grade. You don't want to end up with too steep a grade for the trains you have. Then theres always multiple consists and helper engines to help with steeper grades.
Also consider super-elevating curved track on inclines. Test around and you'll figure it out. Good luck!!
Thank you everyone for the helpful replies. I was aware of the Woodland Scenics products, but did not have any experience with them. They look quite popular. I might actually play around with both options. In one section (layout is HO) I want to have a bit under a 3% grade, but the section is both curved and double-tracked. Had I left the benchwork open, I'd be tempted to try cookie-cutter with the foam as I could control the support with risers. However, the base plywood is glued and screwed to the frame, so I might try to double up WS inclines in that area.
Dan
Dan,
I have used the Woodland Scenics inclines and they are GREAT. They are failry inexpensive and supereasy to install. I then cut my foam boards to fit around the outside and the inside of rise and I think it looks great too. I highly recomend them.
I tried cutting a slope into foam as you would to for a mountain. As you suspected, it was not an easy thing to do, and I had to do a lot of trimming and filling to get a properly-surfaced grade.
After that, I went to cookie-cutter with the foam. It's much easier. I have open-frame benchwork, with wood "trestle" supports below the raised foam. (The base foam sits on the frame rafters.) I don't use plywood at all. This is what it looks like from underneath:
Although it's not terribly clear from the picture, there is a sloped section starting in the upper left and moving up as you go towards the center of the photo. I get the slope simply by varying the height of the support trestles. The foam is very stiff, and easily supports itself across the 16-inch rafter spacing.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
abbieleibowitz You can certainly cut foam Cookie -cutter style as you would plywood. You have to support the foam with spacers placed a bit closer together than you would with plywood, but with 2" foam, it will work. But most people who want to make a simple grade on a foam base use Woodland Scenics foam risers. They are available in 2%, 3% and 4% degrees of incline and curve easily. There are numerous threads on this forum discussing how to do this and Woodland Scenics as well as Kalmbach have several books that cover this. Abbie
Actually, they are Woodland Scenic Inclines. The Risers are a very different product.
The Inclines will give you slopes/grades :
http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/items.cfm/Inclines
Risers are horizontal :
http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/items.cfm/Risers
Lefty