Proposed benchwork.

[Quinn222]

On the advice I got here and using stock doors from lowes (total price $75!) and some lumber I came up with this benchwork plan:

The blue circle that you see is a 30" diameter. It doesn't quite fit. So my question is if I go down to 28" or 26" radius there, will my dad be able to run full length passenger cars around that? I intend to use 2" foam over 1/2 plywood for the deck. Could I extend the foam slightly over the edge of the plywood in the darker brown area to give us 30" radius there or would that not be safe?

The shaded area running down the center of the two 30-32" tables is "dead" area and it will extend over the 36" door as well. I'm planning a divider between those tables and I'll just have some simple scenery there. I don't want to have to reach more that 24-28" anywhere.

This should divide into 5 sections that I can seperate if I have to and move in case of a cat3 or higher hurricane. Structures will probably be removable so that I can safely tip the sections onto their sides in that situation. The scenery is going to be rolling hills and some waterfront. Nothing very tall. No mountains.

Opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks!

Christina

 

[LongIslandTom]

All this time I've been hobbying in HO, I have never seen a passenger car that won't work on radii as small as 22-inch. (The 85-scale-feet-long Amfleet passenger cars I have work on 18" curves, actually).

The overhang on my 18"r is ridiculous and the cars can't automatically couple on the curves, but they go around them fine. 26" radius will work fine and still give you some buffer space to the edge of the layout.

 

[Thoroughbreed]

They will turn on 22 radii very well, but if you wanna keep the wide radius, the foam will hold the weight. I would put a barrier there to keep peeps from running into it.:thumb:

 

[Jim Krause]

That barrier that thoroughbreed suggested sounds like a great idea and if you were to use 1/8 inch masonite curved around the foam, it would add strength to the end of the foam.

 

[Triplex]

Passenger cars will run fine on 26" as long as they don't have body-mounted couplers.

 

[sumpter250]

As a curmudgeonly member of the "old school" of layout building, I would strongly recommend that all foam be supported by at least some kind of framework. Foam is great for scenery, but not a strong material for unsupported use.
Passenger cars: If you have any of the Broadway Limited cars; they have electrical pickups fo the internal lighting, these pickups make the trucks "stiff", as in there isn't much side to side, or front to back "tilt". The result is that the wheels don't follow the track as well as they should, and can easily go "on the ground". On that curve, a plexi, or masonite "wall" might be considered, just in case.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I think I would laminate a piece of 1/8 inch luan door skin to the bottom of the foam, and then let it hang over to allow a 30 inch radius in that one spot. I would also use a tempered masonite board bent around the edge to keep the trains off the floor in case of a derailment. If you have space in the room to fit the a 72 inch circle to allow a 30 inch radius, then you know you wont have any problems. I see from your first post you mentioned a 30 inch diameter, but then talked about a 26-28 inch radius. It may have been a mistake with the key pad, but a 30 inch diameter is only a 15 inch radius. Nothing of any size is going to work on a 15 inch radius. Your drawing shows 2 30-32 inch doors side by side. I would go with the 32 inch doors.

 

[Quinn222]

you mentioned a 30 inch diameter, but then talked about a 26-28 inch radius. It may have been a mistake with the key pad, but a 30 inch diameter is only a 15 inch radius. Nothing of any size is going to work on a 15 inch radius. Your drawing shows 2 30-32 inch doors side by side. I would go with the 32 inch doors.

I did mean 30 inch radius there. I think I'll take your (and everyone else's) advice and go with a bit of extra support, 32 inch doors, and a shield to prevent a train from taking a dive off the layout. I'm sure I can disguise it as scenery of some kind. I'm going away this weekend but I have next weekend through Christmas off so I think I'll get the materials then and start on it. Now I just have to come up with a track plan!

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I did mean 30 inch radius there. I think I'll take your (and everyone else's) advice and go with a bit of extra support, 32 inch doors, and a shield to prevent a train from taking a dive off the layout. I'm sure I can disguise it as scenery of some kind. I'm going away this weekend but I have next weekend through Christmas off so I think I'll get the materials then and start on it. Now I just have to come up with a track plan!

I just thought of a way to disguise a train guard to keep the trains from falling off the layout where they are too close to the edge. If you have an inch or two to play with between the track and the edge of the layout, build an embankment between the tracks and the edge of the benchwork. Basically, you have a wall disguised as scenery.