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Building a shelf layout about 32" wide and around 40' long. I have always worked on the plywood (painting it, tacking track, etc.). I see alot of discussion about 1/2 - 3/4" foam as a base over the plywood. I can see the advantages - noise, ground cover, even a little different elevations for a few - but I have never worked with foam nor have I glued down track as opposed to nailing it.
Looking for any feedback on the topics - pros and cons of each. thanks
Foam is better insulation than plywood. Foam is flatter that plywood. Foam will not warp. Trees stick conveniently in foam. Nails are pretty useless on foam. Foam is best suited to flat terrains. 1/2" foam makes great profile boards for mountain shapes and using plaster/cardboard/red rosin paper to form the mountains. Foam is noisier than plywood. Foam without wood would need to be 1.5 - 2.0 thick.
If I were building a shelf railroad your size, I would build a 1x3 box frame around 2" foam. If I were building a layout, I'b build it using Masonite spline roadbed and aforementioned foam for yards. My current layout uses 1/2 soundboard over 3/4 plywood for the yards and splines and 3/4 plywood.
My first layout was built with 2” foam over plywood tables. I used foam for base level and carved elevations/grades. My second layout will be built with plywood and plaster cloth, I’ll limit use of foam to build tunnel entrance, bridge arcs, small hills and some other minor details but the track will be sitting on cork over plywood.
Here are my reasons why I did not want much foam on my second layout, see for yourself if some applies to you - 1.Foam is flammable and toxic, if you have a short circuit it will melt and may burn, it does not smell good when it is burning. I have small kids and that was one reason. 2.While carving foam it will produce lots of foam chips/dust. It was difficult for me to clean it up completely, unlike sawdust from wood foam dust is static and it attached to all pieces around my layout. I hate dust from foam. 3.Mounting switch motors under your layout may be more challenging with foam base. 4.If you have multiple levels on your layout then the thickness of your base matters. For 2” form you’d need to raise 1.5” more compared to ½” plywood, it will increase grades and shorten your trains. For my layout type that was also critical.
I like foam for big hills but plywood with sand or sawdust and paint for small ones and gentle undulations for terrain.
For me, plywood makes the best base, because you can screw into it and it holds. Also, if you are mobile like me, it can be dismantled, salvaged, and/or moved.
When I did some early ground cover on plywood, which later wanted to change, I scraped it off with a putty knife and started over. I like plywood, but believe foam has its place.
I'm building mine with just 2" foam. I don't have any experience with it so I'll be learning as I go. I have one section of bench built and I set a 2X4X8 piece of foam on it I could actually put some weight on it. I see no reason for the addition of plywood. I plan to make wooden bases for my turnouts using 1/4 plywood for attaching Tortoise switch machines. I have a band-saw so this should be a piece of cake. The advantage here is that I can slide the rail joiners back and lift it out for rewiring, drop it back in and slide the joiners back. Better than working under the table.
My nephew is a foam fan, and he did it your way and swears by it.
In world, because I am a wood fan, I like it as the base established directly to the frame because I could faffix the track in a sturdy way to the wood and any abount of jostling or bumping would not change the alignment of the track, because the ties are firmly connected to wood.
It seems like connecting ties or ballast to foam is weak. This may just be my bias.
It may be like Chevy vs. Ford. They may both be good, but some like one and some the other.
I think that would depend on the choice of glue. I'm going with WS low temp glue. I have no idea how strong it will be but I'll soon find out. There's always the next layout if this one don't work out. You can't just build one or two can you?
I forgot about glueing the ballast to the foam. That should make a very strong bond. But what about glueing the tracks to the ballast, or is that what you were talking about?
Give me a hammer and some nails. The definition of old school. I wonder when they invented foam, anyway.
I am just a bit fearful that you are not going to get a good bond because of the materials you are glueing.
We had grandkids here or if the cats jump up on the model, it is peace of mind to have stuff solid on the layout.
I wish my nephew was here to defend your method.
I put my hands on it and leaned into it much more than a cat could ever do. This stuff barely moved. I'm not even a little worried after doing that. If it was 1 1/2 inch or less I would be concerned. This is a shelf layout that I designed for easy reach at all points. There's no need to ever lean on it and I don't have a cat.
You can't just build one or two can you?
