The Basics of The Layout

Designing a model railroad to fit in 32 square feet is a bit of a brain buster. While I developed the plans for the previous layouts, it took a lot of trial and error to get a design I liked. Not sure I want to do that again. Instead I went through a few published track plans hoping one or a combination of several will get me where I want to go.

I mentioned last time that the layout is currently a section of the dismantled N scale one. It's a sheet of 1/2" flake board supported by a 2" x 4" frame and legs. It works but it still isn't very portable. I started thinking of alternatives. I' using 4' x 8' slab of 2" thick styrofoam. Cost about $30. The slab serves as a VERY light table top.

I'm using PVC pipe to create a "stand" for the slab. PVC is rugged, easy to work and dirt cheap. The pipe and fittings came to about $69 in total. The pipe is $6.25 for 10 feet. It's much lighter than 2" x 4" studs and cheaper than the $100 or so for cabinet quality dimensioned lumber...

PVC Frame "Stand"

The drawing should give you the general idea. The diagonal braces and legs are removable.

General Layout Assembly

The track plan I'm using is from the Model Railroader supplement "Easy 4 X 8 Layouts You Can Build". The article, "Capturing a Slice of Appalachia in 4 x 8 Feet", is an overview of the Rosston, Joelburg & Holly Railroad built by Rick Van Lear...

Rosston, Joelburg & Holly Track Plan

Rick's plan is adapted from John Allen's first Gorre & Daphetid. John's little layout was incorporated into both of his larger model railroads. Rick's plan could also be expanded and become part of a larger layout...

Full Sixe Print of Track Plan

Before anything else can be done a full sized copy of the track plan has to glued to the slab with wall paper paste. To get the plan printed I scanned into Paint Shop Pro, rescaled it to full size and printed it to a PDF file. I took the file to a local FED X Office that has printers that create large prints. I found I had to split the full size 48" x 96" image into two 24" x 96". The printer cannot handle more than 32". At $0.75 a square foot, the thirty two square feet of print cost $24. 

The roadbed will be the "styrospline" I used on the earlier layouts. It's light, easy to build and sturdy. I cut 2" strips from a 4' x 8' sheet of 1/2" thick extruded foam.

Styrospline Strips

The strips are then laminated together. I had originally thought the spline would need reinforcing strips as shown here...

Styrospline Construction

Turns out no reinforcment is necessary. The laminated spline can take quite a load if supported properly. A one foot span of single track (n scale) can support about 70 pounds.

For any track with an elevation of zero the spline is glued directly to the slab. Vertical elevations are supported on pillars created from stacks of foam.

Creating grades with the styrospline is rather unorthodox. I build the entire spline on the same level. I then build the pillars for the highest elevation and work from the top down to form a grade. Transitions between level sections and grade sections are inherent in the spline itself. The roadbed, for all intents and purposes, is one continuous piece...

Styrospline Transitions

Time to put it all together

Regards,

Frank Musick