While my train room is not quite finished yet, (but is getting very close) I have been doing a lot of thinking about the baseboards required for the South Shore layout.

I am wanting to build the baseboards with 1 x 3 pine for the structure, (legs and braces), and probably 5/8" plywood as the baseboard top. I then want to cover the plywood with 2" of styrofoam (blue - 2 pound density). This will give me a great depth to work below the lowest point of the track.

Now here is the question, as stiff as this styrofoam is, why do I need the 5/8" plywood? I should also add here the fact that I will be having a shelf under the layout for storage of everything imaginable. The layout height will be around 38" to 40" as measured from the top of the 1 x 3 pine structure. So the plywood shelf, (probably 1/2" plywood) will be about 14" above the floor.

My thinking is that the 1/2" plywood shelf will provide the stability to keep the baseboard square and stiff, of course the 2" styrofoam will be glued to the tops of the 1 x 3 pine structure for added stability.

I know I have not given you all the details here, so if more info is needed just ask.

Wayne

Wayne the main concern of all railway modelling is warping,
which seriously affects running obviously,so it does not matter what you use
as long as it is totally stable in most conditions plus styrofoam on its own will
not take much pressure ie-leaning on it etc.

:hmm;-):lol::lol::cool:

Wayne

The more study the base can be the better, because further down the line ( pun not ment ) the safer it will be for you, as you will not want the board to warp and start to cause you problems with your track, when you have laid it all and ballasted and even added the scenics, this would all add major headaches.

So the number one rule, is you can is have the thickest baseboard you can, the covering is up to you, we use cork tiles, which give a very flat surface on which to start work.

I see what you're driving at Wayne but, along with the others, I wouldn't rely on just the styrofoam for your baseboard tops.

Apart from the stability problems (re warping - winding you may call it !), there may well be other future problems.

The things that spring to mind are:  Styrofoam won't take screws or pins / nails.  Screws will probably be needed for underbas point motors and signalling.  From experience, any hole made in Styrofoam will, over time, become bigger !!!  Holes for wires etc would be 1 example.

Glueing to styrofoam could be problematic - it doesn't take kindly to solvent glues (or their modern substitutes) and, believe it or not, it won't be much quieter than ply - in fact, it may well make more of a "drumming" sound than timber.

My advice - stick to your ply tops - your framing would be strong enough.

Well, that's what I mean about asking a question on this forum. You get told it like it is.

I wasn't thinking about warping, so thank you all for bringing that to my attention. The plywood top will remain in place.

Wayne

Wayne,

Baseboard construction time…. hooray :doublethumb

Remember to think about getting the layout out through a door if you ever have to dismantle it for a house move or exhibition.

Height adjusters on each of the legs is a good move too.

cheers

wayne

have you thought about a raised track bed, i have used this method and i find it a lot better than the flat table top. all my main line is done this way and it is so simple to add droppers, points etc as you don't have to clamber about under the base board. i have just built a depot that fits into the back right, i built this as a module then slotted it in and joined the track and wires. this will also give you the chance to add scenery above and below the track.

 

[user=19]Marty[/user] wrote:

Wayne, Height adjusters on each of the legs is a good move too.

Do you have any idea how many legs I'm going to have? I have not counted them only because I don't want to know! :chicken

The height adjusters are needed because…….Uneven floor?…….poor craftsmanship in the baseboard frames?……..Any other reasons?

My floor is basically flat and pretty even throughout, I have cleaned it with lots of water and I don't recall any puddles afterwards.

The craftsmanship, well I'm fairly good at woodworking, so if I make that kind of mistake the shame on me. I'll just have to fix it!

So if there are reasons I'm not thinking of, please let me know, otherwise I'd just as soon save the money and time needed to do it. But, if there are reasons that would make me change my mind, well, you've seen on here (very recently) that I can change my mind in a blink. :thud


Matt,
The raised track bed is great for what you are doing, and does look super, but it just doesn't seem to be the design that I am looking for, which is more rural looking, and less urban.

Wayne

I always use a batten on the wall to fix my baseboards to and make sure that the batten is level. It doesn't matter then what the floor is like because I screw the baseboard to the batten and the legs are then cut to the length to keep the front edge of the base board also level.

Wayne - you're right !!  Height adjusters are used when the floor is uneven or, more frequently, when layouts are transported for exhibition and the floor is not level.  If your layout is to be permanent (and your tape measure is good), my advice would be to forget the height adjusters.  Just make sure everything's level that ought to be level ;-);-) 

Bob,
Unfortunately I cannot attach to the walls, everything will be self standing. Just will have to brace very well.



Petermac,
I know, measure twice, cut once!    

Wayne:cool wink

Wayne the way you are building them will be strong enough,the concern was about warping and you have addressed that,go for it mate we want trains running.

:doublethumb:thumbs:thumbs:lol::lol::lol::cool:

Wayne if they are going to be free standing as you say you can brace them.

But an easy way to do this is by using sheet materials at the ends and along part of the sides from the floor to underneath the baseboard

As an example a flat packed piece of chipboard furniture becomes very solid when screwed together with a few screws at that rigidity is purely through the use of sheet materials

You can design it so you create storage shelves aswell while doing it this way.

cheers BrianW

Thanks Brian, I am giving that a lot of thought right now. I understand what you are saying. One of the maybe unfortunate aspects of my layout location is that it is highly visible from most of our house. There are two eight foot wide sliding glass doors, and one six foot wide door, all eight feet tall, that open into this room. That is over 22 lineal feet of glass where all can see what the layout looks like. We all know that it will take many months to years to make it look like it's not under construction. So, do I try and make it look like a piece of furniture? At the same time I need storage to hide all the paraphernalia that goes with this hobby.

It really comes down to just how complicated I am willing to make it. We all know that cost always come into play sooner or later, and that is always in the back of my mind. I really need the storage, but I also must have access to the underneath area of the baseboard for wiring and who knows what else. So the more I box it in, the harder it gets to work underneath it.

This past summer while helping my Dad expand his layout and to wire his existing layout, I found out how difficult it is to get underneath and work on the wiring. He had no shelving, so I was setting on the floor working over my head. twenty five years ago that would not have bothered me, but now, it just plain hurts to do that! :twisted:

Well I seem to have poured out my problems didn't I!

Wayne

(Lots To Ponder) :hmm

With regard to access to the underside of the layout, if the base framework is rigid, through the use of shelving or whatever, then there is no reason why the baseboard itself cannot be hinged at the rear. For access it would mean removing stock first of course.

Wayne, you might like to consider my baseboard setup which I am in the process of assembling.  Mine too is in a high visibility area (of my spare room which is also my painting and music room - in which my trio practises occasionally so even less space now!) so I wanted nice looking cupboards rather than curtained off spaces underneath, hence my use of kitchen cupboards.  Although I have fixed mine to the back wall they are very stable as self standing units particulary when bolted together so would present no problem for your glass doors etc. (you could also face them on the back to show a nice finish through the glass). They also have the benefit of good access to the underside of the baseboard - particularly if you use 180 degree hinges - plus variable height fitted shelves and you could use a fixed baseboard on top or use them as an open top design (see photo below).  Mine is going to be an L shaped top which will also rest on the existing cupboard which you can see on the left and once the clutter is removed I will have enough space to get at everything.



Ken.

you could have the centre\operating area open or with a curtain. the outside could have doors and a covering. as bob said, as you have no back wall you could hinge the outside baseboard so it lifts like a car bonnet. you could even incorporate a fiddle yard this way so you lift the baseboard to get access. this has to be by far the best way to have access to the layout to do the wiring.

i banged this up on google sketch, this could be used in a L U and loop. shelves can be added so accessed from both sides.

 



 



 

There ya go Wayne Baseboard design services by Matt using his google sketch up i presume

cheers Brian.W

Nice one Matt but I hate it when people make things look so easy with something I am still struggling with.