# Train table fencing: wood, plexiglass, fishing line??



## ShrimpBurrito (Nov 14, 2016)

I just built a train table last night that is about 32 inches off the floor, and since my 4-year old son will be running the trains with me, I want to add some sort off fencing along the edge to keep anything from falling onto the concrete floor in the event of a derailment. 

I've thought of a few ideas, but since the table as it is now is just barely low enough that he can reach up there to put cars and such on the track, I'm putting some thought into it. I can't just lower the table because there are some things that need to go under it. I realize he can just use a foot stool, and until he gets bigger (which is happening quickly), we will definitely use that for tasks like setting up layouts where he's standing in one place for longer periods.

The options I've thought of:


Wood boards: Initially, I was just going to put a few boards around the table, but if the track is right up against the edge, which I suspect it will be since we are always maximizing space on our small space, he won't be able to see the track well enough to get the wheels on. 


Plexiglass/polycarbonate sheets: My next best idea, stolen from pictures I've seen here, was to put maybe 3" or so tall of sheeting to overcome the issue with seeing the track. Drawback here is that he will have his arm reached over the top edge, which will stress the sheet, maybe breaking it, and probably not feel real good on his arm.


Wood fencing: Interesting idea, but unless I can find some premade, this seems like too much work.


Fishing line / string fence: This is my leading idea. Mount vertical posts with maybe 3 eyes along the table every so often (made from bent metal hanger rod), and run thick fishing line or string through them. This seems like the best of both worlds. It should catch runaway trains, but be flexible for him to reach above or between the lines to work on cars. I thought of premade options, like maybe something like ping pong table fence, but I'm thinking the fishing line or string fence idea will look better. It's also dirt cheap, far cheaper than any of the other options.

Any ideas?

Dave


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## The New Guy (Mar 11, 2012)

Foam pipe insulation. Fairly cheap, easy to install, and won't scrape up the son's arm. "should" stop things from the abyss.

The strings through dowels sounds interesting.


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## NAJ (Feb 19, 2016)

I like your last idea best but I would suggest using something with a little give to it like EZ-Line.

http://berkshirejunction.com/ez-line/


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## higgsbosonman (Nov 17, 2014)

Just tossing this out there, but are you running engines with lots of detail, or something more robust to handling by a young train enthusiast? because if its the latter, you might be able to just put a 6 inch wide net around the outside of the table sticking out horizontally, rather than up vertically (like a pingpong net or something similar). It would be like the netting used on aircraft carriers to catch sailors if they fall over the side, only it would catch entire trains. then when they lean against it, it would just flatten against the table and not inhibit their reach (or you could just remove it while they are building).


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

I like that pipe foam idea New Guy! I think it would look good and is not something that you could catch apart of you loc on and rip it off. Some 1x2's and dowels tacked to the edge like a towel rack, then put the pipe insulation on and you've got a nice bumper! Great idea, been looking for something for a long time and I think this is it.:appl:


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## ShrimpBurrito (Nov 14, 2016)

The New Guy said:


> Foam pipe insulation. Fairly cheap, easy to install, and won't scrape up the son's arm. "should" stop things from the abyss.


Mounted how? Just screwed into the side of the table?



NAJ said:


> I like your last idea best but I would suggest using something with a little give to it like EZ-Line.
> 
> http://berkshirejunction.com/ez-line/


Interesting idea. I see on their website the material has "700% stretch", so I'm not sure that will be resistant enough to stop the train from going off the cliff. I also see that bungee cord is sold in diameters at least as small as 1/16", so that may be an option too.

Dave


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## ShrimpBurrito (Nov 14, 2016)

higgsbosonman said:


> Just tossing this out there, but are you running engines with lots of detail, or something more robust to handling by a young train enthusiast? because if its the latter, you might be able to just put a 6 inch wide net around the outside of the table sticking out horizontally, rather than up vertically (like a pingpong net or something similar). It would be like the netting used on aircraft carriers to catch sailors if they fall over the side, only it would catch entire trains. then when they lean against it, it would just flatten against the table and not inhibit their reach (or you could just remove it while they are building).


None of the locos are modern. All conventional, both postwar and MPC-era. Great idea -- I don't have the room to go out horizontally, but obviously could go vertically. Ping pong nets are 6" high, so if I mounted vertically, I'd mount it with 3" or so below the table surface so that only 3" rose above. I've seen them come in 66" and 72" lengths at least, so that's not bad. 



Lemonhawk said:


> I like that pipe foam idea New Guy! I think it would look good and is not something that you could catch apart of you loc on and rip it off. Some 1x2's and dowels tacked to the edge, then put the pipe insulation on and you've got a nice bumper! Great idea, been looking for something for a long time and I think this is it.:appl:


I'm not sure I understand, but are you talking about dowels mounted vertically to the table, with 1x2's horizontally on top or them, and then pipe insultation on top of the 1x2's? Interesting......

Dave


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## The New Guy (Mar 11, 2012)

The New Guy said:


> Foam pipe insulation.





ShrimpBurrito said:


> Mounted how? Just screwed into the side of the table?


¾" pipe foam, I thought just push the plywood edge into the slit. I've seen it used that way on end tables to keep newly walking children from falling into a sharp edge. 

Lemon might be on to an upgrade here. a 1x2 or less in the vertical would really firm up the perimeter, and slide the foam over that. A Kreg jig would make quick work of it, and easy to reverse/modify when you expand.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

ShrimpBurrito said:


> Plexiglass/polycarbonate sheets: My next best idea, stolen from pictures I've seen here, was to put maybe 3" or so tall of sheeting to overcome the issue with seeing the track. Drawback here is that he will have his arm reached over the top edge, which will stress the sheet, maybe breaking it, and probably not feel real good on his arm.


1/8 inch Plexiglass is pretty tough -- bends somewhat with pressure, but it takes a lot to break it -- probably more than the worst that your kid could do to it. Just sand the edges and corners to round the sharp edges and attach it to the table about every 1 to 1 1/2 feet. However, it does have the reach-over problem that you mentioned. I like the foam pipe insulation idea, but I have not tried it.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

I only use doorskin or hardboard/Masonite, and I mount it as fascia with about 1" of freeboard above the edge surface of the layout. That's all the height you need to keep items from rolling onto the floor unless you have a steep grade, such as a moderately severe embankment or hillside near the edge down which rolling stock would tumble and want to keep going. In that case, 1.5" might be better.


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## mjrfd99 (Jan 5, 2016)

I did the plexiglass. Bought a sheet but had the glass shop cut it in 4 inch strips. Just have to polish more of the top edge. Very sturdy with the screw collars.


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## ShrimpBurrito (Nov 14, 2016)

mesenteria said:


> I only use doorskin or hardboard/Masonite, and I mount it as fascia with about 1" of freeboard above the edge surface of the layout. That's all the height you need to keep items from rolling onto the floor unless you have a steep grade, such as a moderately severe embankment or hillside near the edge down which rolling stock would tumble and want to keep going. In that case, 1.5" might be better.


Just to make sure I understand correctly, only 1-1.5 inches above the table will prevent an O-gauge train on level terrain from falling into the abyss?

Dave


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

When my kids were toddlers, we used pipe insulation on the edge of a marble coffee table so they wouldn’t bang their heads on it. I used packing tape to hold it to the bottom of the marble. These days, it comes with a pre-applied adhesive strip. But that will take an inch or so from the perimeter of the platform, so I think I would go with the Masonite. An inch or 1-1/2 " should keep the train from falling unless it is going very fast around a sharp curve.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

ShrimpBurrito said:


> Just to make sure I understand correctly, only 1-1.5 inches above the table will prevent an O-gauge train on level terrain from falling into the abyss?
> 
> Dave


Oh, oh...I fell into speciesism. The HO species. Thanks for pointing out my myopic view.

For O, about 2.5" on a gentle slope, another inch for the steeper variety.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Rather than dowels, I think 1/2" plastic pipe mounted on the side of the layout then the pipe insulation put on the pipe.


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

It seems that all of the materials proposed could do the job.
Also it may not be needed all the way around the table. Maybe just where there is
a chance of derailment, curves, track close to the edge, etc.
Use in the future should also be considered.
Mostly----have FUN!


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## mjrfd99 (Jan 5, 2016)

rogruth said:


> Also it may not be needed all the way around the table. Maybe just where there is
> a chance of derailment, curves, track close to the edge, etc.
> Use in the future should also be considered.
> Mostly----have FUN!


Yep, Only Plexi'ed the danger zones.
I have some left for a local give away.


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## santafealltheway (Nov 27, 2012)

i like the pipe foam insulation idea.


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## mikek (Dec 29, 2013)

Consider the flooring molding I mentioned in another thread. It's flexible, easy to mount, can be pulled down to access close track.


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