alter benchwork to create deeper canyons

[tmatzell]

Getting ready to build my first N-scale layout. Part of the track plan will go into an area under basement stars, which has a finished access door only 39" high. Two mainlines will enter this area and loop around back out, one ascending while the other decends grade. This will limit the overall height of my benchwork. I want to drop part of the benchwork down a bit before it enters this stairway to allow for a more dramatic river canyon crossing into mountains that hide the access opening. Any good tips on how to build drop-down benchwork that will be secure but give me the desired canyon depth I am seeking? Tnx. 

[UNCLEBUTCH]

I would need to see the problem, then perhaps I could offer help

[hon30critter]

Hi tmatzell:

Welcome to the forums!!    

What type of benchwork are you building. i.e. 'L' girder, open grid, shelf? Is there anything the benchwork can/will be attached to, i.e. walls or the stair risers?

Dave

[tomikawaTT]

If you have built L girder benchwork:

• Place a leg at the point where you want the scenery to drop below main L-girder level.  (A pair of legs if you want the canyon floor to be approximately level)
• Install a short L girder below canyon floor level, front only or front and back, supported by a leg (or legs) at or near the end away from the main benchwork.
• Install whatever joists are needed to support bridge abutments, piers and scenery.  These joists don't have to be either squared to the L girders or level front  to back.

Assuming you have built box frame benchwork:

• Stop the main level framework at the lip of the canyon.  There should be a leg right at the front corner - and also at the back corner if not attached to a wall.
• Insert a box frame at canyon floor level, sized to fill the gap.  Support the far end with short legs.  The front of this frame should be level, but it can be sloped like a shed roof if this eases scenery construction.  (I leave keeping the fascia vertical as an exercise for the student.)

My own deep canyon drops to knee level, but I cheated.  It's an inside corner between a shelf and a peninsula., so most of the drop overhangs the structure of the main benchwork.  The canyon floor slopes enough to hide wall-hugging track a few inches below the visible bridge.  The prototype exists in the wilds of Western Tokyo-To (which is a provence, not just a city) and the real canyon floor is almost that steep.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[tmatzell]

L-girder, open grid. tnx.

[tmatzell]

Tnx, great advice

[lifeontheranch]

[tmatzell]

Perfect!! thank you.

[mlehman]

Alan's got an outstanding example there. Here's a few pics of how I di my much more compact gulch crossing. The pics pretty much tell the story, but ask if anything isn't clear.

[BigDaddy]

Excellent ideas here.