Benchwork - Roadbed
Yet Another Helix Design
I needed a helix to get between levels on my layout but I had other requirements besides
diameter and grade. The helix is at the end of a peninsula and I wanted to have track and
scenery on both levels on the outside of the helix. This meant the helix needed to support
a smooth backdrop as well as upper foam benchwork, track and scenery. Finally, splice
plates weren’t feasible because of the grade and the required vertical spacing.
Alcove expansion: Part 2 - Benchwork
My last post to this blog showed the removal of existing benchwork from the alcove area in preparation for installation of the new expanded layout. In this post I'll share the construction of the benchwork. Some of you may wonder why with such narrow benchwork that I just didn't attach a "shelf" style construction to the walls. The answer is two fold: 1.) The left wall is 1/2" drywall attached to 1 X 4's that are attached to the concrete wall with "shot" in concrete nails and I don't trust their holding power for anything other than drywall; and 2.
22 Stories Up - Module 2
A continuation to the story following my progress of the Central Vermont RR's Barre Branch layout's construction.
Plywood Thickness?
I am soliciting opinions regarding the choice of plywood for sub-roadbed.
My bench work construction method will be open grid 1x4 on 16" centers. A combination of spline and cookie cutter construction will be used as appropriate. The layout is 2 deck so L girder construction was discounted so as to maintain minimum bench thickness.
Alcove expansion: Part 1 - removal of existing benchwork
It's not quite a "smash and burn", but it did involve a little demo!
I recently extended my alcove area by adding 7ft in depth and have been putting off removing the existing track because .....well, because then I can't run my railroad! I needed to salvage the benchwork and track for reuse outside my trainroom once the alcove new benchwork and trackwork is installed and running through the wall.
Today I took the leap and got the job done - now I need to hurry to get the railroad operating again!
Northeast Corridor-New Jersey Division
The first section of benchwork the NEC-NJ Div is up. Its a 2x4 section which will include 2 slip switches as well as FAIR tower (Trenton, NJ). Should be around 8 tracks across when finished.
Backdrops, Facias & Skirting
While this project was completed some time ago, I wanted to revist it, to show the dramatic difference a simple backdrop, facsia and some skirting can make.
Originally, the layout had none of these things:
Rather visually unappealing. Just a backdrop does make some improvement:
Even just a facsia can help:
Roadbed with Biscuits
Raodbed continues on the 8th Subdivision of the Western Pacific. Most of the single track areas are hardboard spline, but plywood and OSB (oriented strand board) are used for locations with multiple tracks. One problem that always seems to affect such materials is variations in thickness. If you attach sections of plywood using the typical splices from below, you have to deal with such issues using shims, also of varying thicknesses, plus a spliced joint is strongest across the splice itself, not at the top where the track is.
Putting Joes theory to test
Well,
After many starts, Im working on a tester,, diaorma, module.. what ever you want to call it, its 12"x36"
What's happening on the Hudson and Hartford these days
It's been a while since I posted and update on the Hudson and Hartford but there hasn't been much of anything to write about. And there is good reason for that. I've been busy with other activities most of which haven't been pleasant. But we all have to do things we don't want to do and the first of those things has to do with the fact that my wife's mother died last March and we have found ourselves having to empty her apartment and give the keys back to the landlord. That task wqas finally completed about 2PM yesterday afternoon.
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