Bench work designs

[VTRailway]

Hey all. Getting ready to start putting my layout together. I have a room of roughly 11x11. I want to suspend the layout on the walls to minimize legs, allow for ample storage of totes underneath, and give an overall clean appearance. There will be a peninsula in the center of the room that feeds into a return loop and helix to a 2nd level. This is N scale. Track needs to be roughly 35” off the floor to accommodate the distance needed for second level. I’ve searched the site before posting but can’t come up with Benchwork how to threads. Trying to learn different styles so I can choose one that fits me.
Also I have a fairly solid plan but I know there will be additional ideas that change the plan once I start constructing Benchwork. If I chose open stryle concept, how does one add underlayment for track not on the initial plan? I’ve been at the planning stage for a year off n on. I need to start building before I die!

 

[D&J RailRoad]

Get this going before ya die is a good idea. Ya get very little progress after that.
I used a plywood panel approach for my benchwork. When I put up the drywall, I left the bottom portion of the studs exposed to I could attach the plywood panels to them. You can achieve the same attachment by applying 2x4s to the wall with screws going through to the studs then the plywood attached to that. I used 3/8" plywood for the panels. Amazingly strong support.

This picture shows the 2x4 secured to the drywall with panels attached to them.

 

[Selector]

... but I know there will be additional ideas that change the plan once I start constructing Benchwork. If I chose open stryle concept, how does one add underlayment for track not on the initial plan? I’ve been at the planning stage for a year off n on. I need to start building before I die!

I don't know that I quite understand your question. Are you asking what a good way of rejigging the track plan some is after one has commenced construction? Or are you asking how to connect a new length of track and supporting roadbed to an existing plan so that it works well?

 

[timlange3]

The deeper and/or the more weight your benchwork needs to support will determine how you mount it to the wall.

I'm using 6", 1/2" diameter, 'pins' that fasten to the studs (through drywall) with (2) 2 1/2" #8 screws. They will support 1/2" plywood 14" (or less) deep for my HO railroad. These pins are for making floating shelves. My fascia will be 3" high. If my benchwork came out from the wall any farther I would fasten a board to each stud (through the drywall) and run an angled piece of wood from near the bottom of this board to near the front of the benchwork. This would create a triangle. I would try to keep the angle at the bottom 30 degrees or less to provide good support.

 

[VTRailway]

Thanks for the visual aids D&J. Any chance you have anymore pictures of the support system attached to the wall. This is pretty similar to what I was thinking. My bench work ranges from 8” deep to 25”. This will be all N scale and topped with foam board insulation and or gator foam.

I’ve never done an open grid bench design where you only place the plywood roadbed along the proposed track plan. Im leaning towards this approach as it will allow more up’s n down style scenery that i’m envisioning.

My question was this. If i build the open grid benchwork style and only put plywood subroadbed where my proposed track plan states it should be and i decide to alter my plan after ive started doing acenery and running trains, do i pull the scenery out and add subroadbed for additional tracks? Seems logical to me but unsure if there are other methods.

Also does the open grid bench tend to transmit less noise than a bench topped with 1/2” plywood side ro side and topped with 1” foam? This is how i built my tester layout, the scenic and relaxed. I found it to be pretty quite until i ballasted the track. When ballasting i used elmers white glue and fine sized ballast. In those sections the noise was greatly amplified. Id like to avoid this if possible.

Timlange3 would it be possible to see pictures of the construction method you used. Im not understanding the pins.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

I don't know how foam would translate noise or not, never tried it.

Here are a few pictures of the progress of the benchwork support.
First pic is the plywood itself. It's just attached to the wall studs using drywall screws. Nothing really exacting about it as the plywood roadbed is laid across them but actually sits on risers.

This second picture you can see the 1x3 risers that are attached to the plywood panels with drywall screws. A short 2X4 is attached to the top of the 1x3 riser to support the actual roadbed plywood. I used 3/4" plywood for the roadbed.

The plywood panels can also be used to support the facia of the railroad. I attached 2x4 pieces vertically to the plywood panel ends so I had something to attach the facia to using drywall screws. I added the staging yard below in the same manner as the operating level roadbed.

 

[VTRailway]

Thank you

 

[KB02]

I like your logo and username! I live in St. Albans. G&W territory, but still, we're neighbors to the VRS!

Ken is showing exactly what I would have suggested. I have about 8 different construction methods going into my benchwork with the world's 2nd largest hodge-podge of building materials (there's no way I can claim to be 1st). After you have built your initial benchwork, there's no reason you can't add on (space permitting).