# Floor layout



## GRAFFINC (Oct 23, 2012)

Ok, first time building any layout.

I live in a relatively small place so a Permanent structure is out of the question. 
I can't accept a small little lay out to set up on a table. 

After a lot of brainstorming I've come up with the idea to take half inch insulation foam and gluing it to quarter inch lauan wood boards. I will cut the glued pieces into sections (some as long as 8' and only 4" wide) and lay them out and attach the sections while sitting on the floor. This will keep it light weight and portable for when I'm ready to break it down and store it. 

I feel I'm onto a good idea for what I'm looking for however I fear I might be doing some things backwards or there might be a better way to do it.

-At this point I dont know if I should have the wood facing down or the foam... I understand you can construct scenery easier wit foam but I'm not looking to do too much scenery, just run the trains I have sitting in bins. I wanted the foam to raise it off of the floor a little but keep it light weight. Another feature would be to use my dremel tool on the foam to run wire through out with easy. The wood and foam together should keep it pretty structured.

-Keeping it on the floor allows me to shape it through out my apartment without taking up space or make it difficult to get around. 

-I don't want to use the EZ-track stuff because I already have flex track and I want to keep it as realistic as I can. I hope to have a larger place some day that I could virtually set this up permanently with little modification. (that's why I also want to keep it as realistic as possible)

-another issue is I have not been able to figure out how to connect one piece of wood to the next, I dont want to nail or screw them together because I would only have this up temporarily (month or two) so I was thinking of some kind of locking mechanism. 

Any tips? Any tricks? Any suggestions? Anything anyone has done that didn't work? 

Please help, thank you for any feedback.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

For that size layout, I'd seriously consider N-scale. You can get more detail into the layout, the larger scales will be more limited with that kind of space. You don't mention what scale you're working with, so I don't know if you're already committed. 

As far as the construction, I doubt I'd try to do 4 inch strips, that will make the build very complicated! If you're looking to keep it modular, I'd consider small squares or rectangles with track. There are many modular RR clubs that have various plans for modules that join together to make a while layout. If you do the modules right, you can build a pretty impressive layout that can be broken down and take up little space when disassembled.


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Wild thought......can a you store your layout under a bed, or might you be interested in a "switching" layout. Maybe something similar to this: http://www.layoutvision.com/gallery/id25.html

N scale does give you the opportunity to do a lot in a small space.


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## GRAFFINC (Oct 23, 2012)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> For that size layout, I'd seriously consider N-scale. You can get more detail into the layout, the larger scales will be more limited with that kind of space. You don't mention what scale you're working with, so I don't know if you're already committed.
> 
> As far as the construction, I doubt I'd try to do 4 inch strips, that will make the build very complicated! If you're looking to keep it modular, I'd consider small squares or rectangles with track. There are many modular RR clubs that have various plans for modules that join together to make a while layout. If you do the modules right, you can build a pretty impressive layout that can be broken down and take up little space when disassembled.


Thank you but I'm very much well invested in HO... so you think a 8' long (only at time 4" wide) is too narrow? They should be smaller?


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

GRAFFINC said:


> Thank you but I'm very much well invested in HO... so you think a 8' long (only at time 4" wide) is too narrow? They should be smaller?


Before you commiit to a layout, go here first and take a look just to see if any of these hundreds of small layout ideas from all over the world might interest you:

http://carendt.us/scrapbook/linkindex/index.html


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

The carendt site is back up? cool!

I'd look up, and take some inspiration from, modular setups. Give it some serious thought, and try to make it so if you get more space it would be easy to convert to a more permanent layout.

Think about a frame (2"x1" would be fine I think) like how they'd knock up a stud wall, just smaller. layed flat with the sheet of foam on top.
I suggest this because it will give you room to easuly run wiring (without cutting heaps of channels in the foam, just drill thru directly down to the frame section). Also it will give you a solid edge to let you join the 'modules' together. 
You could use a couple of dowels to quickly align the modules, then secure with coach bolts.
Suss out a couple of modular clubs / resources and see what they use for connecting power between modules. I've heard something about 4pin trailer plugs or something ... But not 100% sure, I'm not quite to that stage in my semi-modular build.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

We use Anderson Power Poles, but they're kinda' expensive, so not everyone thinks that's a good idea.


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## GRAFFINC (Oct 23, 2012)

choo choo said:


> Before you commiit to a layout, go here first and take a look just to see if any of these hundreds of small layout ideas from all over the world might interest you:
> 
> http://carendt.us/scrapbook/linkindex/index.html


Thank you for the link


I want to purchase a roadbed that is flexible like my track, is this what I'm looking for? 

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/mid/mid3013.htm


...why does this need to be "soaked" and what is it soaked in?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'm assuming you soak it in water. OTOH, I've laid O-gauge Atlas track using cork roadbed, and I didn't soak it with anything, just tacked it under the track and glued the edges to hold it in place. It's still in the same place. 

If you were doing a tight turn, you might have to soak it to get it to make the turn without cracking, perhaps that's what drives the statement?


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## GRAFFINC (Oct 23, 2012)

*ballast?*

I'm still working on my first 8' long piece... pretty much taking this slow and going to do this one piece start to finish before I move forward with anything else to do some trial and error....

-one question, when you put down ballast, do you do it before you put down your track or after?


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

lay the track first, secure it. then ballast it after it is running 100% .


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