Layout stuff?

Cheetah20

Member
I need some elevation on my second track and preparing it on my board.
I've seen styrofoam, wood, etc...used for it before the track goes down.
Finding the best and cheapest way !! :confused:

btw>> what are these things called...?.... sign1
 

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wickman

Member
Well you have a couple choices you can cookie cut method which basicly you cut a path probaly 2" wide ,for where the track and roadbed will sit on or you can use woodland scenic risers at which ever grade you prefer. I've tried both and really I think the ws risers are the simplest to get your track up where you want it . On the old layout I ever simply used risers on both ends of a level terrain one riser to get up and the other to get down. :wave:
 
Cheetah, what you've pictured is commonly called a "trestle set" or a "pier set"-- more "trestle" when it's simulating wood, as the photo shows, and more "pier" when it's simulating concrete, as in the Atlas sets in HO and N Scale.

Where did you dig out that photo? I think it's an old Cox HO Scale set, the "Big Pine Lumber Company"-- Cox hasn't marketed model trains in about 30 years!
 

Cheetah20

Member
lol ....I don't know where I get 1/2 of these pictures :mrgreen: lol
just using it to show you the 'idea' ........

ummm Lynn ...(can I call you Lynn?)
wouldn't mind doing my own ......'raisers' ...or whatever you call them ....
the 2" cutout is a good idea for the track and I probably will use 1/4" plywood..or whatever I can get....don't need anything too heavy right?
 

railohio

Active Member
*ugh* Nothing screams "toy trains!" louder than a trestle set. Do it right with plywood risers and you'll get a much more believable effect. Quarter-inch is a little light, even for N scale. It can warp if it's not supported right. Stick with half-inch and you'll not have any problems.
 

Cheetah20

Member
Thanx 'railohio' .......

One small thing I forgot to mention with my opening topic......
these so called 'raisers'..........are NOT gonna be seen ....sign1
my bad !!!.......
I need these lifts just to 'raise' the track...then they'll be covered!!
 
You're still better off with Woodland Scenics risers. Less cubic yardage to fill in and a better chance to have an even grade vs. the pier/trestle sets.
 

wickman

Member
lol ....I don't know where I get 1/2 of these pictures :mrgreen: lol
just using it to show you the 'idea' ........

ummm Lynn ...(can I call you Lynn?)
wouldn't mind doing my own ......'raisers' ...or whatever you call them ....
the 2" cutout is a good idea for the track and I probably will use 1/4" plywood..or whatever I can get....don't need anything too heavy right?

Yes you can call me Lynn as most do just don't call me late for running trains :mrgreen:
Well for cookie cutting 1/4" plywood is a bit thin. I use to think that the thinner the better for cookie cutting but then realized this was not the case. Some prefer even to use 3/4" for benchwork although I have gotten away with using 1/2" and even mdf. If you take a look back at my old layout thread you can see where I did do some cookie cutting. On the present layout I used woodland scenic risers and in fact I'm using quite a bit of the old benchwork and after simply removing the blocks that held up the riser and floppy it back down I just had to rebrace it a bit and fill in the gaps.
 

wickman

Member
Thanx 'railohio' .......

One small thing I forgot to mention with my opening topic......
these so called 'raisers'..........are NOT gonna be seen ....sign1
my bad !!!.......
I need these lifts just to 'raise' the track...then they'll be covered!!
As for risers you can use just about anything you can get your hands on and stack them make them one piece , basicly whatever works to keep a smooth rise and fall. I learned that I often over analized alot of what I was doing with making things, there's no right or wrong way its just what works. A month or so back I was working on an area and decided at the last minute that the area needed a mound of something for a hill to break up the area so what I did was grab a 5" long piece of 2x4 just sat it on the bench covered it with dirt and water\white glue soaked it down the next day I gave it a layer of ground goop and a bunch of other ground fall and done there's a hill.:mrgreen:
 

Boilerman

Member
I used the WS on my layout with very good success, the only drawback is the cost for it.
If money is an issue one could accomplish the same results with some added labor and time using Foam Insul-board.
 

Cheetah20

Member
ok....risers...no problem.....
now ..for the roadbed..
is 2" width 1/4" thick plywood big enough to put on these risers???
 

Cheetah20

Member
I did this quick elevation (side view) up??
Is the 4" width...wide enough for a track and roadbed?
 

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wickman

Member
Well to tell you the truth I keep forgetting your working in N scale so 4" width should be more than enough. Are you going to make up your own roadbed or purchase it new? :wave:
 

Cheetah20

Member
lol I know..Lynn
I knew you were thinking HO...in a few posts to me..thats ok kiddo
actually my bad :eek:ops: on that quick elevation I did up..
should be like this
 

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Cheetah20

Member
lol I know..Lynn
I knew you were thinking HO...in a few posts to me..thats ok kiddo
actually my bad :eek:ops: on that quick elevation I did up..
should be like this

To clarify:
the 3" spaces are for the ONE (upper) track...oval or circle...simple
which will be my second train set.

My main track below will below which will take most of my table up
strictly on ground level.
something like this.....


All I am worried about is the TURNS (radius) on both!!!!!!!
 

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tillsbury

Member
Drawings are good! Now we're getting somewhere. I would suggest two things: (1) the tight 180 degree turn on the left is too tight, and (2) try to avoid running the track exactly along the edge of the table, or parallel with it. It makes the layout look like a kid's roundy-roundy oval. Any kind of slight angle and gentle curve will improve it no end...
 

Cheetah20

Member
thanx Tills ....
'still' UNSURE about the radius thing... do you measure that from the mid-track to the other mid-track at the bend?
 
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