Wondering how other people have done this. My layout contains a fairly long section of elevated track. To carry it I basically bodged a 'system' using thin ply for the trackbed, topped with cork tile, battened underneath by a strip of 1" x 1/4" timber, the whole thing built in strips and glued/nailed together. Then the trackbed held aloft by pairs of timber struts. I've found that this 'works' insofar as I have managed to create a fairly sound trackbed with gentle gradients and plenty of flexibility. What have other people done?
Posts by Twiglet
1 - 4 of 16 Posts
Hi Trevor
I fear you flatter me. My baseboards are 'solid' not open-frame (which I would have preferred but no way have the skill to construct). To be honest, considering how 'horrible' the construction of my elevated section is I am very surprised it works as well as it does (it is actually the least problematic part of the layout, amazingly).
To recap, the trackbed is actually 3mm cork tile, cut and shaped to fit, glued onto 3mm (!) ply, underlain by strips of 10mm pine and the whole thing supported on twin pine gantries spaced about 12" apart; all glued/nailed together in a rather ad-hoc fashion. It seems strong - certainly strong enough to support trains and the bodgery is in the process of being hidden by scenery. But some of the people on this forum would have kittens if they saw it!
Mike
I fear you flatter me. My baseboards are 'solid' not open-frame (which I would have preferred but no way have the skill to construct). To be honest, considering how 'horrible' the construction of my elevated section is I am very surprised it works as well as it does (it is actually the least problematic part of the layout, amazingly).
To recap, the trackbed is actually 3mm cork tile, cut and shaped to fit, glued onto 3mm (!) ply, underlain by strips of 10mm pine and the whole thing supported on twin pine gantries spaced about 12" apart; all glued/nailed together in a rather ad-hoc fashion. It seems strong - certainly strong enough to support trains and the bodgery is in the process of being hidden by scenery. But some of the people on this forum would have kittens if they saw it!
Mike
Trevor - thanks again - it's not too late for some more painting/varnishing, which I will do. There are some screws in there as well as nails. My main concern when constructing the elevated sections was getting the gradients right. Again, what I have done is probably quite horrific - my gradients are steeper than is generally recommended and I have a gradient just acouple of coach-lengths from a diamond crossing -but again strangely, seeing how many rules I have broken - it seems to work ... most of my locos can happily haul four-five coach sets up with no problem (although the little 0-4-0 I bought for £2 as a track tester - it is so light it bounces off anything not perfectly flat and true) has a wee bit of trouble.
Now the section is up, and running, maybe I'll reinforce it a bit more before cloaking it in scenery and tunneldom. I'll post some photos if a) I can work out how and
![]()
I feel brave enough to ride out the slings and arrows which will inevitably follow.
As an aside, can someone elaborate on this L-girder system I have heard modellers talk so much of?
Now the section is up, and running, maybe I'll reinforce it a bit more before cloaking it in scenery and tunneldom. I'll post some photos if a) I can work out how and
As an aside, can someone elaborate on this L-girder system I have heard modellers talk so much of?
1 - 4 of 16 Posts
