Re: Advice on layout: Screws?

stealthboogie <stealthboogie@xxxxxxx> wrote in
news:c1196178-0ef9-4840-8515-746bd256dced@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

On Feb 15, 12:46�pm, David Nebenzahl <nob...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On 2/14/2008 8:40 PM Roger T. spake thus:

Since you're just starting out, I'd recommend laying track
directly on plywood

God no! �That's the worst advice you can give anyone. �P
lywood is hard to
spike into and is noisy.

If the suggestion is that the O.P. build a temporary layout first,
how about this: use screws to secure the track directly to the
plywood. A little more effort, to be sure, but it would allow them to
reclaim the track with absolutely no damage when they go to build
their permanent layout.

Why waste the time?... if it's all about temporary and not learning
how to lay track properly why not just go out and buy premade Bachmann
track (with the real simulated plastic ballast look) , snap it
together and Voila! Instant layout! Screw... no wait... forget the
damn screws, OR tacks, nails, white glue, CA, Barge (for that Rod
Stewart twist), liquid gooy stuff, duct tape, staples, bailing wire
and any other means of mechanical bond.

Heck, forget the plywood... just plop it down on the living room
floor and pretend the plush carpet is a vast sea of vegetative
scenery.


Doug


But it's not about a temporary layout. It's about an expendable first
layout. It's more important to get track connected together properly
than go through all the trouble of roadbed, track plans, and all that.
If, at the end of the day you don't know what a quality track connection
feels like, or looks like, your trains will never run right. Laying
track directly on plywood eliminates all but one or two other factors.
It's learning to walk on your skates on carpet before you even attempt to
learn to skate on ice.

If the OP feels after laying a loop of track on plywood that he's learned
enough to start a real layout, that's great. If not, he can take the
track up and try a different system. Perhaps throw a snap switch in
there and have a siding. As a kid, doing this kept me busy for quite
some time. I learned how quality track connections were made, and when I
"became a model railroader" (rather than a kid with a trainset) and
started using cork roadbed, the trackwork was quite good.

Puckdropper
--
Marching to the beat of a different drum is great... unless you're in
marching band.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Advice on layout: Screws?
    ... If the suggestion is that the O.P. build a temporary layout first, ... use screws to secure the track directly to the plywood. ...
    (rec.models.railroad)
  • Re: Advice on layout: Screws?
    ... directly on plywood ... their permanent layout. ... damn screws, OR tacks, nails, white glue, CA, Barge (for that Rod ... at the end of the day you don't know what a quality track connection ...
    (rec.models.railroad)
  • Re: Advice on layout: Screws?
    ... If the suggestion is that the O.P. build a temporary layout first, ... use screws to secure the track directly to the plywood. ... The idea is to get a feel for how to lay track, and how to design a layout, and do it in such a way that the track can be retrieved and reused when they decide to build a *real* layout. ...
    (rec.models.railroad)
  • Re: Print..
    ... Post like theese really screws up the layout in my newsreader! ... Kim Steinhaug ...
    (php.general)
  • Re: Sundeala
    ... it needs an awful lot of support and even then will still warp ... plywood or chipboard are cheaper and more stable in an internal ... boards from my previous layout. ...
    (uk.rec.models.rail)