train layout

[thatboy37]

im in the process of moving in my new house and i want to build a train layout over my three car garage and take up all the space in the room except for a walk around space of 30 inches around the layout. my question is what type of plywood would you recommend for the table top. also being that the prices are a little steep for the better plywood do you think that particle board would hold up in the long run or should i just go ahead and fork out the dough and get the more expensive wood. do any of you or have any of you used particle board and how is it holding up for you. all comments greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

If you mean OSB (oriented strand board), that would be OK but regular particle board (pressed sawdust) will absorb moisture and eventually fall apart.

[thatboy37]

ok thanks for the info that means i will have to fork out the extra$$$$ to have it stay together in the long run. once i get it up and running i want to have uninterrupted train fun. man this hobby can get real expensive very quick. but i guess thats why they call it a hobby.

[dougdagrump]

Extremely low noise transmission is the goal. Traditional L-girder benchwork, MDF surface, and cork roadbed. But the real secret to reducing the noise is, in addition to the previously mentioned items, is the use of an underlayment material that is used under Pergo flooring. Thin strips are applied between the L-girder and MDF, the MDF surface is covered with the underlayment, then the cork roadbed is applied. With Atlas or GG track (non metal ties) the track screws can be left in with no problem, but with the metal ties the screws should be removed after ballasting or use wire ties inplace of track screws. It ain't cheap but it works great. [^]

[Anonymous]

Just wondering if anyone has had any sucess using the rigid pink or blue foam insulating panals that are about 2" thick in place of the MDF. I don't think the foam boards would act like sounding board as the MDF or plywood does. I may be wrong my local lumber yards and hardware store don't carry the stuff so I have not been able to try it. I would fasten the track to the foam board with wire ties. Another way might be to glue the cork road bed down with a foam safe construction adhesive and then put a track screw through the cork. Again I'm just wondering.

Steve

[markn]

I don't know the price difference between OSB and particle board, but don't rule out particle board. I have had 5/8" thick particle board on my work bench IN the garage in Florida and coastal Virginia since 1981 and it is as solid as the day I bought it, the only wear it has is that directly inflicted upon it by me- drill holes, beat, gouged, sawed, stained etc-one of these days,I intend to flip it over and get another 25-30 years out of it.

[dwiemer]

Many use the pink or blue foam insulating board as you discribe. We only have the 1/2 inch down here, but will glue several together. It is also good for building mountains, etc. I plan to use this method on my layout.
Dennis

[thatboy37]

markn being that you have lived in florida and he virginia coastal area and the humidity is really high. i will try the particle board. i'm originally from pascagoula, ms and the humidity is really high down there which is on the gulf of mexico. i dont think that humidity will be that bad here in memphis, tn. so i'm headed to the store today to purchase my material. so wish me the best of luck on my journey into this marvelous world of train hobby. i will keep you posted on how im doing. i would post a few pictures of my train room for start but i dont know howto post them if you have info on how to post please forward it to me. would greatly appreciate it. that way if i post a picture or have any questions on whats going wrong you guys can help me get the problem solved via pictures on the internet. plus i do not like not beable to so my progress of my work and you guys get to show off yours. do you sense a little jealousy here on my part. hope to hear from someone soon

[Anonymous]

Just for kicks:
I hate to spend my moola on wood also. So I didn't. I've gone to many construction sites and GOT PERMISSION to claim their scraps. They love to chuck everything not used right away so in the piles or dumpsters are great pieces of 2x4's and plywood, etc. I got all I needed this way. Just pull a few nails maybe and cut to size and off you go.

[traindaddy1]

RE: qqqman I, too, am a "scrap" hunter. Construction sites and dumpsters are great. Your "got permission" is the key. Sometimes, if you ask, you can get stuff just before it hits the dumpster.

[fwright]

I'm probably too late, but I would strongly recommend avoiding particle board. I know some have used it successfully, but many have not. Some of the things I have experienced with particle board (not just in train applications):

- it tends to sag long term more than almost any other sheet material. It needs much more closely-spaced support than plywood or OSB, and it still sags in horizontal applications. Take a look at shelves - the particle board shelves always sag first, and sag the most.

- rodents like it. This one surprised me. Mice attacked the particle board on my workbench (they ate right through the 1" particle board bench surface from the underside), my Gorilla shelves (same thing), and the wife's prized dining room hutch where the particle board was a vertical reinforcement to the oak boards. No other wood products were touched, even though there was plenty of other unfinshed stuff available.

- it's heavy. Particle board is heavier than plywood or OSB.

- it's weak and it cracks and crumbles.

For the sake of a firm and lasting foundation for your trains, use plywood or OSB (oriented strand board) as second choice. Or use extruded foam, in combination with light plywood (1/4") or by itself. 1/2" plywood only needs support every 16-18". The same is true for 2" extruded foam, which will be much lighter than plywood.

A combination I like for 3 rail O is 1/4" plywood glued on top of 2" foam (actually I used 1.5" foam because that is what I could get). The plywood gave me a mounting surface for the track and accessory mounting screws to bite into, the foam made the table much lighter than previous tables.

my thoughts, your choices
Fred W

[thatboy37]

hey that scrap wood hunting is the way to go. i just got finished at a cunstruction site and i think that i just saved about 200 hundred dollars on all the legs that would hold the table top up at least 36" off the ground. thanks for the idea off construction site scrap wood it really saves the money. which now i can purchase a little more expensive plywood that wil actually hold up in the long run a little better. there were alot of 2x4 that were a little tempting to get but if they were not cut i left them until they will no longer be needed any more. now is there a scrap lionel train yard that i can go to and get a few sd80macs for free lol.

[Buckeye Riveter]

Here is the link to the photo of my benchwork construction.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8ZYtnLVwxJY¬ag=1

[Anonymous]

Thatboy37:
Glad to hear you scored on the 2x4's! Should be plenty of plywood pieces, too. Try other sites. I got all mine there, usually 4' wide pieces of varying lengths.. Be patient and keep lookin. You'll save even more $$$$$$$$$$!!

[darianj]

QUOTE: Originally posted by thatboy37

hey that scrap wood hunting is the way to go. i just got finished at a cunstruction site and i think that i just saved about 200 hundred dollars on all the legs that would hold the table top up at least 36" off the ground.

WOW! I wish I knew about that before I bought the wood for my layout. Luckily for me, my layout isn't too big and it didn't cost nearly as much.

[thatboy37]

the reason i got the wood and found the site so quick is that i just moved into a newly developed neighborhood and there are like ten new houses being built around me as we speak which is seven new houses to the right of my house and 3 new ones going up across the street within the next few weeks there should be plenty of wood around to actually build my whole layout. hopefully i want have to pay a dime for my bench work. like i said before thanks for the info on the construction sites.

[Anonymous]

my o gauge lionel track layout in florida in my garage/shed room 38inches wide by 15 ft long had everything running fine upper and lower layouts but with the humid conditions and heat of summer i noticed tracks are rusting ,i removed all trains and stored them inside,and cleaned all track with wd-40 and wiped off the rust then sprayed a coating on the tracks and switches.i will run trains in the wintertime joyralph