Have been using a combination depending on the use of that particular area of the layout.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
I still use the cookie cutter style. I like it best. Just layout your plywood, draw out your track runs and cut away. Then raise or lower your track bed using 1X4's as you see fit. Its fast and easy. I then use foam for the scenery. Its easy to cut (with a hot wire) and glue into place.
I use homasote over plywood for the yard area's, and then homabed or cork over the raised plwood portions.
Ryan BoudreauxThe Piedmont Division Modeling The Southern Railway, Norfolk & Western & Norfolk Southern in HO during the merger eraCajun Chef Ryan
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
Heres a pic of my cookie cutting
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h122/jwey71/Picture002.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h122/jwey71/Picture001-1.jpg
What mine looks like after a year.
I have laid track on all this but you get the idea. I like this method as it seems very fexible.
John
When building with Westcott-pure L girder framework, the only practical options on a pike with heavy grades and multiple levels are cookie-cutter and spline. Since I am no threat to a serious woodworker and most of my roadbed supports multiple tracks, cookie cut roadbed is my method of choice.
I don't claim that it is best for everyone, but it is the best for my skills and needs.
Chuck
Modeloldtimer
Greetings,
I have mistakes on my benchwork for my new N scale layout. So, I am taking it apart and going back to the drawing board. I was looking in some old layout books when Cookie Cutter became easy because of the electric saber saw. This started me thinking about my layout.
I had started the build of the lower deck with a spline subroad bed and the upper deck was to be just foam but I am now thinking that the cookie cutter set up would be better for the whole thing. What would be the best material and thickness for this construction? I know good plywood will be strong but I know people complain that it is noisy.
If there are any good sites for construction details or tricks they would be good to know too.
Suggestions? Comments?
I have a couple of cookie cutters in the works, very small layouts. I am surprised how structurally stout they are. As far as using the foam with them, I am using extruded and "Great Stuff" spray foam together to make transitions in terrain. I found out that not only does Great Stuff not melt the foam, but it provides a super glue type bond. It's a little tricky because it expands so much. I need to be very careful around the risers to not bended them upwards with excess foam directly under. I am still learning the process, but so far I'm pleased with the construction and especially the weight.
For the record, I laid the cork roadbed down with contact cement, which went lightning quick, but I lost some time having to predrill holes for fastening the track, as the spikes were not easy to set in the plywood.
I have built a series of small cookie cutter layouts in HO and O, none bigger than 4x8 ft. My preferred materials are 1/2" plywood with Homasote on top for roadbed. I used joists at 16-18" intervals with no sag problems.
The only unexpected hurdle I ran into was grades (about 4%) on my 18" radius curves. At first, I didn't install enough risers so the plywood did not twist. Going counter-clock-wise, I had negative superelevation for the first half of the 180 degree curve, level at the 90 degree point, and positive superelevation at the top half of the grade. The cure was to install more risers and cleats, forcing the necessary twist into the plwood where there were grades on curves. I don't think generating this twist would be possible with 3/4" plywood.
I plan on trying cookie-cuttered 1/4" plywood with 1" foam laminated on top, with Homasote for the roadbed on my pending shelf layout. Supports will be every 16" (closer in critical places). Reason for the change is weight reduction. I'm not sure how the ply-foam laminate will bend in comparison to the 1/2" plywood; some experimentation on my part will be needed.
One of the flaws (to me) of stacked foam construction is lack of accessibility to the underside of the layout. The cookie cutter/hard shell scenery yielded open access to everything from underneath. This includes wiring, switch machines and/or turnout linkages, under-the-track uncoupling ramps, and of course, hidden track. With stacked foam, you must strategically plan lift-off scenery sections or fascia holes for access to hidden track.
To get around this issue on my shelf layout, I plan to use a thin "foam shell" of 1/4" or 1/2" foam, rather than horizontal stacks. Another concept needing testing.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
fwright wrote: I had negative superelevation for the first half of the 180 degree curve, level at the 90 degree point, and positive superelevation at the top half of the grade. The cure was to install more risers and cleats, forcing the necessary twist into the plwood where there were grades on curves.
I had negative superelevation for the first half of the 180 degree curve, level at the 90 degree point, and positive superelevation at the top half of the grade. The cure was to install more risers and cleats, forcing the necessary twist into the plwood where there were grades on curves.
I had the same problem. My solution was to super elevate the lower portion with double shims, and it solved the problem just fine.