Tom
If you're going to have a deep canyon, I would split the benchwork in half and cover the sides with fascia. You want the bottom of the layout to look level, but the scenery to look below grade.
What you've drawn kind of looks like a big hole in the benchwork with a canyon kind of hanging down, which is probably not what you're planning.
- Douglas
Summary - to place cork roadbed down on wood deck directly, use foam or another material is where this started. Smithville, the focus, is a yard - flat. So, I'll put roadbed down on the wood deck.
Secondly, the thought was brought up about some type of elevation change on the side attached staging and holding yards - La Grange and Taylor. Here is what I have in mind thanks to that suggestion from Doug about a possibility.
Excuse the drawing - it is crude - but hopefully conveys the idea. The La Grange staging will be senicked - no longer off layout. Part of that scene now includes that trestle I mentioned wanting to use. The tracks in La Grange will still be at Smithville elevation, but as Doug suggested, drop the area around those tracks.
Will carve out what you see is the canyon - really will be the Colorado river - with the trestle above. This "canyon" will obviously be senicked. The river will disappear around an enbankment with trees etc.
Side and top view.
Let me know what you think and if I've totally confused all :-)
Doughless Tom Bryant_MR JJ, did not think putting cork roadbed down on the bare wood (this is not very smooth plywood). Based on everyone's advice I will put the cork roadbed down on the plywood. I found some cork sheets that I can use to put some structures on to get some elevation changes. And, all this does not preclude using foam to build up some areas. Lot's of stuff to consider that is for sure. Thanks for your inputs. One of the advantanges of using pink or blue foam (rather dense stuff) is for carving out under grade scenery. There is a difference in appearance building up from a flat table top and having sections that are lower. Since you will have three sections of the layout, you may be able to build the two wings at a lower level, say, 3 inches lower than the main section, but build up the track height to match the main section. Since these are removable, there might be some scenic challenges where the sections meet, but you'll be facing that challenge regardless of the elevation changees. With a switching layout, you're probably not going to want a lot of elevation change anyway since buildings will need to be on the same level as the track.
Tom Bryant_MR JJ, did not think putting cork roadbed down on the bare wood (this is not very smooth plywood). Based on everyone's advice I will put the cork roadbed down on the plywood. I found some cork sheets that I can use to put some structures on to get some elevation changes. And, all this does not preclude using foam to build up some areas. Lot's of stuff to consider that is for sure. Thanks for your inputs.
One of the advantanges of using pink or blue foam (rather dense stuff) is for carving out under grade scenery. There is a difference in appearance building up from a flat table top and having sections that are lower.
Since you will have three sections of the layout, you may be able to build the two wings at a lower level, say, 3 inches lower than the main section, but build up the track height to match the main section. Since these are removable, there might be some scenic challenges where the sections meet, but you'll be facing that challenge regardless of the elevation changees.
With a switching layout, you're probably not going to want a lot of elevation change anyway since buildings will need to be on the same level as the track.
Doug. Perfect! That gives me an idea. I'll draw it up and put back out to see what you all think. Thanks again for that nugget!
davidmurray Tom Bryant_MR Unfortunately that lumber escaped me - no place to store at that time and yes, that was on my prior layout back in 2009. Todays progress. Starting to test how things really look life size vs. on screen. Also starting to look at structure selections. Might I respectfully suggest covering the insulation and studs of the wall with drywall or masonite before building your layout. Dave
Tom Bryant_MR Unfortunately that lumber escaped me - no place to store at that time and yes, that was on my prior layout back in 2009. Todays progress. Starting to test how things really look life size vs. on screen. Also starting to look at structure selections.
Unfortunately that lumber escaped me - no place to store at that time and yes, that was on my prior layout back in 2009.
Todays progress. Starting to test how things really look life size vs. on screen. Also starting to look at structure selections.
Might I respectfully suggest covering the insulation and studs of the wall with drywall or masonite before building your layout.
Dave
Dave, agreed. I plan on covering everything from the "deck" up to that shelf - there will be a valance with lighting underneath. The deck will have a facia and below that will be covered. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Tom Bryant_MRJJ, did not think putting cork roadbed down on the bare wood (this is not very smooth plywood). Based on everyone's advice I will put the cork roadbed down on the plywood. I found some cork sheets that I can use to put some structures on to get some elevation changes. And, all this does not preclude using foam to build up some areas. Lot's of stuff to consider that is for sure. Thanks for your inputs.
Tom Bryant_MR Agreed. I'll put some cork roadbed down right on the plywoood. As pointed out earlier, these areas will be mostly flat and as yards will have minimal changes in elevation. These towns are where I live. They all have yards. La Grange has a river with a trestle that I would love to model. I have two Walthers trestles built from my previous layout. Will have to think about that one before getting to far here Thanks again for all the inputs. Really appreciate it!!
Agreed. I'll put some cork roadbed down right on the plywoood. As pointed out earlier, these areas will be mostly flat and as yards will have minimal changes in elevation.
These towns are where I live. They all have yards. La Grange has a river with a trestle that I would love to model. I have two Walthers trestles built from my previous layout.
Will have to think about that one before getting to far here
Thanks again for all the inputs. Really appreciate it!!
Nice construction. Looks like you used quality Poplar lumber for the benchwork. Hopefully you can reuse some of that for this next shelf layout.
Hello All,
I am very familiar with the product you are asking about, I use it to line all the drawers of my tool boxes and it also provides a non-slip grip under cutting boards in the kitchen.
The bane of every model railroader is uneven track.
My questions are...
What is your perception of the use of pink/blue foam on a layout?
Are you using roadbed- -Homosote®, cork or foam over this material?
I could see using shelf-liner to create scenery, due to it's inherent irregularities, as a base for track I'm a little bit sceptical. I would still opt for attaching your roadbed directly to the base- -plywood, foam, cork, etc.
Then using the shelf-liner material as a way to make scenery. I imagine it would hold modeling plaster well.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Is the scene with the bridge your previous lay out? Your back drop looks real nice.
You don't have much room for a bridge, as far as the grade up to and down from, unless, with a sheet foam base, you can do a little of each, dig out for a creek, or the road that goes to Taylor, and bring up the track grade just a little, to get over it.
Not a lot of track between Taylor and Smithville. And Smithville should be reasonably flat. And towards La Grange, probably also reasonably flat, for your staging yard.
Just thinking out loud. Lots for you to consider.
Mike.
My You Tube
I think you won’t have too much trouble with sound deadening, if you run at prototypical speeds (I’d assume you would as it’s a switching layout!) sound should be minimal anyway. Bad noise will come when that little kid visiting your layout runs trains at 100% without hault, but if you do that can anything really avoid noise?
I think you choice will be fine, though I encourage you to add some change in elevation, even if it’s small, just to add to realism and visual interest, nothing natural is really completely flat after all!
Regards, Isaac
I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!
Bad choice. Its not rigid enough. Just put the cork on the plywood. Its not a problem and is the most common way modelers have been doing it since the 1950's.
If you're building on flat sheets of plywood, there's no real issue just putting cork right on top of that. But if you want scenery below track level, you will either have to do cookie cutter or add an additional layer with something like extruded foam so you can carve out areas below the track.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Yes, I really don’t get the point here, foam can be carved to get changes in elevation (remember, nothing and the prototype is truly flat) and this dread material stuff doesn’t do that, plus glueing stuff to is will be an absolute pain!
BigDaddy and Mike, I was thinking of two reasons. 1) I have a ton of it and 2) I need something to put the cork roadbed on - don't think the raw wood surface will do. The layout is not in my residence so sound will not really be a big deal. And while I would save some on foam, it will more than likely cost getting back to a flat surface
So, given all this, I'll go with the foam sheet.
Thanks for your inputs.
I'm with Henry, as to it's purpose, for all the same reasons. Why?
What are you going to cover it with to get back to a flat surface? Your building a switching lay out, other than maybe a road side ditch, or a road crossing or two, there really are no landscape features that would be needed. Your area would all be gravel, pavement, some grass and weeds, etc.
By the way, I like that "full size: plan you have on the bench.
I'm totally lost.
It has no characteristics as a base, there is no rigidity, the texture is nothing like anything in nature. I can glue roadbed and track to foam, I can carve a ditch or paint a road on top of it.
Are you thinking of something to deaden the sound?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I am considering using this material to put down as a base vs the pink foam insulation board. This is the "non-skid" stuff put in drawers. It is about 1/8 inch thick. Any one tried this ?
What do you think?