New guy new layout helps plz

[atnas666]

Hello,
Sorry i took so long to reply. I have been away working for 4days/3nights.
Im liking you plan here. Its nice and as you say has every thing in it.

My question now is what would be the best way to raiser the whole section/ lower the storage section.?
At the moment the board look like this

50mm kingsspan on top of 12mm osb3

[Emettman]

The basic rule is "start at the bottom and work up."

If on DC rather than DCC the return loop can be made effectively automatic, with no switches required.
If DCC, different options are available.
Next measure the length of the gradient, and see what options that gives for height climb to the yellow level.
My estimate is that 1 in 48 gives you a 3" rise which should allow for a thin sea covering with enough bracing to be rigid.
Check for scenic effect, but also check what gradient your trains can handle.

That will give you the height of the track bed for the yellow and red track, which can be stuck in place urethane foam, except where the track crosses the green loop where it should be as thin and narrow as possible, leaving the return loop to run in a "trench" which will acquire removable top-cover scenery later.
The last height level is that of the cliffs which are now purely cosmetic.

Chris

[atnas666]

I get what your saying.
Im just a bit complexed on how to raise every thing 3" for the 2nd level from what i have all ready got? any suggestions

Oh and its going to be dcc all ready looked in to methods for the reversing loop

[Bufferstop]

Lots of poly foam blocks! They even use them in real embankments. To start the incline this is where a surface of thin "4mm" ply comes into it's own.cut along either side of the trackbed for around a foot, cut across at the upper end of it, lift it up and put a supporting block beneath it from the uncut end you get a gradual transition to the gradient. If you are working from a solid base and using solid blocks for support, you'll need to shape a feathered end to the start of the rise.

[atnas666]

this makes sense.
But what about the under water bit?

[Bufferstop]

As Emmetman says "start at the bottom and work up", it's the only way you can do it using solid top boards. Make the loops your base level. You may want to leave a couple of holes in that level so that you can get a hand in from below. The section representing the sea can be really thin the section further back where the tracks are being a bit thicker. If you used a sheet of 3mm perspex for the sea, covered with a roll of the translucent "sea texture" plastic, it would be opaque enough not to see the trains below, until you deliberately light them up with a few LEDs so you can see where they are.

[Emettman]

As Emmetman says "start at the bottom and work up", it's the only way you can do it using solid top boards. Make the loops your base level. You may want to leave a couple of holes in that level so that you can get a hand in from below. The section representing the sea can be really thin the section further back where the tracks are being a bit thicker. If you used a sheet of 3mm perspex for the sea, covered with a roll of the translucent "sea texture" plastic, it would be opaque enough not to see the trains below, until you deliberately light them up with a few LEDs so you can see where they are.

All good stuff!

A pear-shaped hole in the baseboard inside the return- loop curve could save some scenery removal, but this should still be a possibility.

I like the idea of backlighting the sea so that the storage lines become visible enough just when required.
I hadn't thought of that, but it's a definite alternate to arranging track occupancy circuits. 3mm Perspex should be adequately rigid, but any number of vertical pillars (matchsticks) can be added if required to ensure strength and stability, everything in the region being painted dark blue
(Or indeed lighter and more yellow towards shore.)
I'd attach a few strategic strong items to the sea/sea wall to act as convenient "lift points".

Chris

[Bufferstop]

Chris I once built a set of storage roads behind the backscene, I put a fairy light bulb behind each track at the fouling point and a building with semi opaque windows in the backscene, stock detection easy use the Mk1 eyeball.