# Raised Edge On Table



## rdeal (Mar 6, 2013)

i am in a discussion with a friend - my brother and "MySelf" concerning the edge to the layout table


i was thinking of a molding to give the edge a finished look - and - add a bit of safety for "wayward engines"

but not all agrees -


what is your thinking - what do you use, if you do add something to the edge of the table

thanks - rdeal


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Right now I am living on the edge. My track is right on the edge, if I did anything I would have to extend the protection out over the edge and in spots I don't have the room. It would impede my getting around to the back of the table.
I don't run my trains real fast but I have thought about it.

For my situation the only thing I could think of is having a hinged side piece that I can raise up and when I run my trains I could lock in the upright position for protection in case of a derailment.
But I am right on the edge, how close are you?
I thought about some kind of safety net too, when I run the trains I could just hook it up against the wall.

If your track is in from the edge some all you would need is the molding (or whatever) to come up around a 1/2 an inch?

On the back part you could cut a panel into the shape of a mountain and tack it to the table, if not a mountain maybe a industrial scene? Like an attached backdrop?


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

I solved the "living on the edge" problem by putting short, clear plexiglas panels along the edges. Mine only stick up about 2" above the table top -- high enough to catch anything but short enough to look over when standing and still see the train (or look through if I am sitting down).

Plexiglas is sold by glass companies, and they can cut it to size for you. Or if you have a table saw, you can cut it yourself. You can work it like wood. You can file and sand the edges and drill screw holes in it (just drill slowly so it does not crack).

Mine have saved me several times, mostly from my own carelessness.


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

Since the section of railroad I am modeling runs through a valley, there will be raised scenery on both sides of the track.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

when I finally added fascia to my layout, I ran it about 3/8" higher than the terrain, finished it off nicely, and at 3/8" it kept small stuff from getting brushed off, and still allowed easy access to track that sometimes came close to the edge ... for me it was a good compromise..and didn't block the layout view much at all


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

MtRR75 said:


> I solved the "living on the edge" problem by putting short, clear plexiglas panels along the edges. Mine only stick up about 2" above the table top -- high enough to catch anything but short enough to look over when standing and still see the train (or look through if I am sitting down).
> 
> Plexiglas is sold by glass companies, and they can cut it to size for you. Or if you have a table saw, you can cut it yourself. You can work it like wood. You can file and sand the edges and drill screw holes in it (just drill slowly so it does not crack).
> 
> Mine have saved me several times, mostly from my own carelessness.


My living room has a big hole in the ceiling that is open to the library above it, I put a railing around it and a shelf just above the floor of the library. The shelf is 1" x 4" boards with Bachmann EZ track in the 22" radius, because there are 16 sections to a circle and the hole is an irregular octagon. The track is about 9' off the living room floor so I put clear plexiglass around the inside and I used 1" oak outside corner molding to secure it and cover the edge. Since the inside dimension of the molding is 3/4", the edge is just even with the top of the shelf. The Plexiglass was easy to cut on my table saw and I used a drill press to drill the holes for the screws. I just needed to keep the spacing the same as the holes in the wood trim.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

thedoc said:


> My living room has a big hole in the ceiling that is open to the library above it, I put a railing around it and a shelf just above the floor of the library. The shelf is 1" x 4" boards with Bachmann EZ track in the 22" radius, because there are 16 sections to a circle and the hole is an irregular octagon. The track is about 9' off the living room floor so I put clear plexiglass around the inside and I used 1" oak outside corner molding to secure it and cover the edge. Since the inside dimension of the molding is 3/4", the edge is just even with the top of the shelf. The Plexiglass was easy to cut on my table saw and I used a drill press to drill the holes for the screws. I just needed to keep the spacing the same as the holes in the wood trim.


Sounds interesting. Pictures???


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## /6 matt (Jul 7, 2015)

thedoc said:


> My living room has a big hole in the ceiling that is open to the library above it, I put a railing around it and a shelf just above the floor of the library. The shelf is 1" x 4" boards with Bachmann EZ track in the 22" radius, because there are 16 sections to a circle and the hole is an irregular octagon. The track is about 9' off the living room floor so I put clear plexiglass around the inside and I used 1" oak outside corner molding to secure it and cover the edge. Since the inside dimension of the molding is 3/4", the edge is just even with the top of the shelf. The Plexiglass was easy to cut on my table saw and I used a drill press to drill the holes for the screws. I just needed to keep the spacing the same as the holes in the wood trim.


I'd be interested to see this as well! Is the train meant to be viewed from the library or the living room? It kinda sounds like it's geared more towards the living room. How well does an H.O. scale train view from 9' feet below?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

If your question is to settle an argument on the "one true path", you've wasted your time. There is no right answer.

In my opinion, I have already lost one locomotive and several cars due to a trip to the bottom of "Concrete Canyon". That's once too often in my book. Anywhere trains are closer than 2" to the edge where there is no scenery or structure to prevent a fall, there is either part of the fascia or a clear piece of plexiglass to prevent disaster.

Remember, though: Your layout, your rules. Do what you want, and to heck with what anyone else thinks.


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

I hope these explain what I mean,

The camera is on auto focus and I think in the one photo it was focusing on the books.


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

A few more,


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

A few more from the library,


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

Our house does get a bit messy once in awhile, here are the grandkids, busy cleaning up after themselves.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

Nice job. I can see visitors walking into your house, and suddenly realizing, "Oh! There's a train up there."


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