Toy Train base .

[deeslexia]

I hesitate to say baseboard 'cos I just need a base for a toy train , about 1100x1500 which will be placed under the stairs when in use .Scenery/houses will be made in sections to place on the layout, which will be the clever part.
It will be stood upright in the undercroft , hence 1100mm max width.
It will probably be built up with card layers to create a recessed tram track.
The electric supply will be surface and very basic.
I wonder about ply or blockboard,but am concerned about warping when placed on it's side.
Lightness is an issue of course.
I recognise that this is far from a proper layout,but is fine for me.
Thanks
dee

[andm76]

How did you get on with this? i am about to embark on my first base board that will have to be brought out when in use and is loosely based around a hornby Trakmat size 1600 x 1280mm (6x4ft) but amended to be a double oval loop with a middle sidings section. I was just wondering if you managed to build yours and do you have any pics.

Thanks in advance

[b308]

His last visit was in March so maybe he's not around any more...

However your query has been discussed before in the "Baseboard" section.

To quickly summarize:

1. A 6x4 board which is solid and does not divide is a bulky piece of furniture. Think a double bed but more fragile!

2. The maximum reach without the likelihood of breaking things is about 2ft, so if you are using a solid board you need access to all sides of it (centre of a room when running therefore).

3. Unless you are very careful it will be HEAVY... Using 9mm ply or chipboard with bracing does not make for a light layout and anything less you run the risk of warping or easy damage when moving...

4. Talking of moving you will need two people and such a size of board does not go round corners or through doors easily in modern houses...

All-in-all a solid 6x4 is not a good idea. It's possible, don't get me wrong, but it's unwieldy and carting it around there's a big risk of damage... If you do not have a permanent location for it I'd seriously consider dividing it into manageable chunks. If you check out the Baseboard section there's threads on how to join boards together...

[luckymucklebackit]

Hi - My first layout was a 6x4, but it was made from two strips of 1'-4" wide chipboard with two further squares of 1'-4" chipboard which gave the outside dimensions of 6 x 4 but with a central operating well of 3'-4" x 1'-4", big enough to work in. If you are going for a 6x4 I would recommend this configuration.

Jim

[andm76]

Hi Jim

I have changed my design to 4x1ft sections creating a 5x5 layout but is hollow in the centre which should be manageable both for moving and using, my dilemma is what souls I use to join the 4x1 sections to each other and that will allow the board to be ridged enough to occasionally move? Do you have any ideas or suggestions that might be useful?

[Bufferstop]

These are what I use http://www.stationroadbaseboards.co.uk/cart_dowels.htm, the cabinet makers type,. I use coach bolts through the ends of the frames to hold them together. There's an easy way to do them, cut the pieces of wood that will be the matching ends of there boards, clamp them together and drill through them so that you can coach bolt them together. Then drill through one into the other so that you can push the two parts of the dowels far enough in for the socket to stay in one side and the matching stud in the other. My U shaped layout sits on top of bookcases, several times whilst working on it I've put as bit too much pressure on one end and the whole lot has moved as one.