I'd appreciate any advice on building a lift out section that would be higher than the rest of the layout. Thanks!
Wecome aboard!
How big a lift-off? How high should it be above the rest of the layout? What is your construction method and type of benchmark and subroadbed?
I have a number of lift-offs, mostly small ones for access to underground tracks. I have one large one. My bench work is ordinary wood framework. The large lift-off is a section of pink foam, which is strong enough to provide a single piece of lift-off with roads, structures and scenery. I designed my track plan to have no tracks on the lift-off.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I have only ever had one, and it worked really well. It wasn't heavy, a big plus, but it was rigid and robust.
It should be set upon four metal screws, and the 'feet' of the bridge should also be metal, maybe cabinet braces. This way, you can get excellent alignment as things shift over time, or seasonally, and the two touching metals on four corners will power the bridge rails at one or both ends.
You build it and get the screw heights adjusted into the supporting 'abutments' so that the rails across the gaps meet at grade. You can use pieces of framing shims to get lateral alignment, or use angled pieces of metal or wood in a sleeve that the bridge ends slide into.
The metal 'shoes' get soldered feeders that split and run up to the rails if there are twinned tracks. The screws have the bared ends of wire feeders that are fed from the nearby bus wrapped around their threaded shanks.
This may sound a little hap-hazard, but the wrapped wire arrangement worked flawlessly on three separate bridge arrangements of mine so far, for a total of 14 years.
I'm not sure this is on-topic to your posting. I assume we are talking about lift outs which give access to portions of the layout which are not easily accessed from the aisle. From a purely visual standpoint (as opposed to a practical standpoint) because even with the best disguises the edges of the lift out are usually somewhat visisble, the best ones I have seen avoided having straight edges, but had rounded edges, more like a big, well, sombrero. I think the mind's eye sees perfect straight edges as man-made and hence obtrusive.
Dave Nelson
What type of lift out? And why higher than the rest of the layout?shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
Sorry. I noticed you're in New Member Purgatory. You are being moderated, which is why posts aren't showing up. This, too, shall pass. The mods are doing a good job of keeping trolls under their bridges, so be patient. This happens to every new member. You are not selected for Super Double-secret Probation.
I just started adding grass and sidewalks to the lift out sections today, so please overlook the mess.
More information at https://nscale4by8.github.io/nscale4x8/Scenery/liftOutSections/liftOut.html
https://nscale4by8.github.io/nscale4x8/
rlb51 I'd appreciate any advice on building a lift out section that would be higher than the rest of the layout. Thanks!
If you have the height, then build it into a door frame like so using simple drawer slides (NOT the soft close ones) inside the door jambs:
This raises high enough for most people under 6 ft, and a nod under for those above 6 ft. Benchwork was at 54" off the floor in this case but depending on the drawer slides used, you can have it go to any height.
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