Total beginner requesting advice

[Horus200]

Hello & Good afternoon to you.

I wonder if anyone could/would help me with a query please? I should say I am in 00 Gauge.

I`m a total beginner at model railways, a couple of months ago i got a new bit of MDF 7ft or 7.5 ft long X 4ft wide, just to replace an old board slightly smaller but was in 2 halves width wise & joined, needless to say it eventually bent in the middle.

I need a simple baseboard as only got a 1 bed bungie & a disabled partner so space is at a premium, so just need something I can put down on living room floor, put in garden on dry enough days then pick up when done & store upright out the way.


Anyway i decided to try cork underlay for the track, it was a pain to lay around the corners & had to cut it into smaller sections for the corners.

Does anyone know a good way to lay the cork underlay please? Perhaps even a way to lay it on the corners?

Also since laying the first ( & so far only loop ) I'm unable to run my 4-6-0 loco at full speed on the board, it even derails, when on the old board it never used to be an issue & the only difference is the cork underlay.

I would like to have a garden layout in part of the garden ( i`ve been given permission to use some of the garden for it, in an L shape at the bottom of garden ) that could be up permanently but need to sort garden out first ( got to get a few trees cut down first, get another trimmed height & width wise ) & on tight budget. Once some of trees are cut down I`ve had the thought of drilling through part of stump to make into a tunnel. Plus not sure how to go about it either.

[centenary]

Hello & Good afternoon to you.

I wonder if anyone could/would help me with a query please? I should say I am in 00 Gauge.

I`m a total beginner at model railways, a couple of months ago i got a new bit of MDF 7ft or 7.5 ft long X 4ft wide, just to replace an old board slightly smaller but was in 2 halves width wise & joined, needless to say it eventually bent in the middle.

I need a simple baseboard as only got a 1 bed bungie & a disabled partner so space is at a premium, so just need something I can put down on living room floor, put in garden on dry enough days then pick up when done & store upright out the way.

If using MDF as a baseboard and intend occasional use in the garden, Id recommend sealing both sides and edges of the board to prevent moisture absorbance and any future swelling etc.

Anyway i decided to try cork underlay for the track, it was a pain to lay around the corners & had to cut it into smaller sections for the corners.

Does anyone know a good way to lay the cork underlay please? Perhaps even a way to lay it on the corners?

If you bought cork on a roll that is roughly track width, on corners Id suggest you take a length and cut down the middle, length ways. This will give you 2 strips the same length. Glue down to the baseboard as 2 separate strips. This should go round 2nd radius curves more smoothly without rucking up than if you tried to lay it as one length.

Also since laying the first ( & so far only loop ) I'm unable to run my 4-6-0 loco at full speed on the board, it even derails, when on the old board it never used to be an issue & the only difference is the cork underlay.

If the new cork isnt flat to the board on curves or, the board itself isnt flat, this could cause derailment. Is the track new or old track taken up and re laid? If it's old track re laid, this could be warped or out of gauge on the corners?

I would like to have a garden layout in part of the garden ( i`ve been given permission to use some of the garden for it, in an L shape at the bottom of garden ) that could be up permanently but need to sort garden out first ( got to get a few trees cut down first, get another trimmed height & width wise ) & on tight budget. Once some of trees are cut down I`ve had the thought of drilling through part of stump to make into a tunnel. Plus not sure how to go about it either.

You'd need a bliddy big drill borer bit to get through even a modest trunk and may end up killing the tree!

Just my opinions though!

[Bigmet]

...I would like to have a garden layout in part of the garden...

Take your time, first become familiar with achieving construction of a reliable indoor layout, and operation of whatever locos and stock interest you.

It's considerably more difficult building and maintaining in a reliable state an outdoor model railway, and heeping the stock operational. It is necessary to use nickel silver rail track: happily Peco produce such in their 'Streamline' code 100 range, with the sleeper base specifically moulded from a UV resistant polymer for extended life when daily exposed to direct sunlight. This requires learning how to use flexible track, which is all to the good as the largest radius curves that the space permits are desireable. Heavy locos play to advantage outside, more traction is needed to cope with any damp on the rails, head winds, and the gradients that are usually present unless a more costly precision construction is undertaken for the track support.

More difficult than indoors, but in return, great fun, because it is closer to the challenges of running a real railway.

[Horus200]

@ Centenary

Yes MDF as a baseboard, It May be a bit late for sealing it now as i`ve already glued the cork down & laid the track.

I did get the cork on a roll from a shop, oh right that makes more sense, i just cut it into smaller pieces to go around the curve. I`ve definitely learned something there. I think it's flat to the corners, i did put things on to weight it down when gluing it on to the board.

2 of the trees are already diseased & dying anyway & have been given permission from landlords to take them down, just need to find out how much it will cost from a tree surgeon & the hole would only be through the remaining stump.

The track was taken up from the old board & some pieces replaced with new as they broke when taking them up as i had used superglue to lay some of them.

I will have a look for a bliddy big drill borer.

Thank you for your respones & knowledge.

[Horus200]

@Bigmet

Indoors all i can really have is the baseboard, no point trying to put buildings, scenery etc on it as i have to store it in bedroom upright ( quite close ) against a wall so we can both get past it, we only have a small 1 bed bungalow so no room for something out permanently. Not unless we board out the loft & I use that, but it is not converted for use & I know that won`t be good for a layout but at least i could have something permanent with scenery etc.

Thank you kindly for your response though, it`s appreciated

[aleopardstail]

@Bigmet

Indoors all i can really have is the baseboard, no point trying to put buildings, scenery etc on it as i have to store it in bedroom upright ( quite close ) against a wall so we can both get past it, we only have a small 1 bed bungalow so no room for something out permanently. Not unless we board out the loft & I use that, but it is not converted for use & I know that won`t be good for a layout but at least i could have something permanent with scenery etc.

Thank you kindly for your response though, it`s appreciated

you can do a lot worse than a simple board and paint on roads etc, then have some buildings in a box - sort of a Honrby trackmat, but a better track layout

[Phred]

On my board, nothing is fixed down. I tend to get bored with the same old layout so I move the buildings, etc., around every so often. What is not being currently used is stored away until I 'rediscover' it at some later date.

See Phred's hodge-podge:
viewtopic.php?t=57605&hilit=Phred%27s+hodge+podge

[aleopardstail]

On my board, nothing is fixed down. I tend to get bored with the same old layout so I move the buildings, etc., around every so often. What is not being currently used is stored away until I 'rediscover' it at some later date.

See Phred's hodge-podge:
viewtopic.php?t=57605&hilit=Phred%27s+hodge+podge

there is a lot to be said for this approach. the key is have the board itself suitable - here if its just MDF it needs a frame of some sort, and I'd be painting the back of it. if its in two bits but designed to sit on the floor a couple of carriage clips on the side will hold it together, alignment dowels totally optional if the track isn't fixed. then a few "Really Useful Boxes" and some thin foam strips for rolling stock storage

has a huge advantage, what one day is a 1920s or even earlier branchline the next day can be a modern mainline feel

[Horus200]

@Phred

The old board was in 2 bits, new one is 1 piece. cork underlay is glued down & track down on top of that. I think it's too late to seal, frame or paint it now.

But thank you kindly for your reply & feedback from someone more knowledgeable & experienced.

[glencairn]

Hello Horus200 You say the board is 7.5 ft long x 4ft wide. Do you find that easy to handle? Add a suitable frame and the weight sounds scary to me. Just a thought as it is moved from A to B.

Years ago I had a 6ft x 4ft board. It was a PITA and had to plan a different layout altogether.

Glencairn

[Phred]

Horus200 wrote:
@Phred
The old board was in 2 bits, new one is 1 piece. cork underlay is glued down & track down on top of that. I think it's too late to seal, frame or paint it now.

Actually, I think it was aleopardstail who wrote that about sealing it.

My board is just plain unsealed MDF but I live in Australia so the climate is much more dry than where you are, I should think, plus aircon in the house makes a big difference.