Buildings and roadbeds

[Anonymous]

I've taken up railroading and need a question answered. I've built a few buildings that have sidings next to them for rolling stock to park and use the facility to load. My question is, since I am using a roadbed, what do I do to make the buildings height correspond to the grading? Do I mount the building on some foam board so that the cars can pass into the building to unload/load the freight? I'd like to know before I start laying track down and position my buildings accordingly. Any help or suggestions would be graetly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Jetrock]

Check out clearances first--set the building next to the track (with roadbed) with a car on it and see how much higher the building needs to be for the floor of the car and the floor of the loading dock (or loading door) to line up properly. (This assumes a type of industry that calls for a boxcar, flatcar, reefer or other car with a floor. Tank, hopper and gondola cars are special cases and platforms that line up will be more dependent on lining up with the top of the car.)

If it is the sort of building where the car actually enters the building, then the building should be raised using foamcore or other elevating device to the same level as the track--or even above it. Often a spur will be slightly below the mainline--it will drop from ballasted track level to the subroadbed. You can do this, or just simulate it by raising the building's floor to above track level, and using styrene (or Walthers street-track system) to surround the track with concrete for track inside an industrial building.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. That does solve my question.

[Anonymous]

depending on the level of realism you want, take a look at some photos of industries. Some will build their ramps and doors to confrom with the road bed, which is built up and hasn't been levelled, where as other industries have leveled off the roadbed and layed cement or ashphalt approaches.

I paln on doing what Jet rock has suggested with the foam. This will take away the linear plywood look of your layout.

[Anonymous]

I've used the foam backer board that's typically used behind replacement vinyl siding. It usually comes in a package folded accordian style, blue in color. It's about the same thickness as the Woodland Scenics foam roadbed I use.

I have also used it in yard areas to build up a yard ladder to the height of the yard lead, saving laying down individual strips of roadbed.

douort

[Jetrock]

I also recommend foamcore (thin styrofoam sandwiched between two layers of cardstock)--1/8" foamcore is just about the same thickness as Code 100 track including ties, and two thicknesses will equal Code 100 plus roadbed. It's smooth, easy to work with and white glue sticks it to just about anything splendidly.