TastyBake ISL

[Tyson Rayles]

Nice progress Matt. Not sure about why you want some elevation. If it's for under the track only (roadbed) an area like this usually won't have any, the track is right down in the dirt. If I'm going to raise the general terrain I use foam. It comes in many more thickness's than the other products you mentioned and is far easier to use.

[Southern Tuxedo]

Mark – I’m a little to the thread but thanks for posting the updates. I’m not sure how much relief you are looking for but I can picture most of your scene as “street running” through the complex. I can’t see any place that you can something other than maybe a small drainage ditch. You could use any of those products you mentioned. HO cork will limit you to 1/8” in depth. You could look at some foam core board (Gator Board) up to say ½”. I haven’t used Homastoe or ceiling tile so I can’t help you there but I would also consider what is easiest and reasonable (price wise) to get.

Steve,

This is exactly what I was thinking or maybe some worn vehicle tire tracks between the tracks. Here's another picture that shows with black marker where the paving will be going. I avoided the moving parts of the switches because I think that is too complex for my level of experience. Maybe I should do a cookie cutter style of top since there will only be a limited number of areas that can be sceniced with low relief ares. I can infill the areas that will be carved away with a softer material.

Hum, decisions,decisions...

   
   

A couple of questions for you if you don’t mind since you basically mocked up a couple of areas I’m working on now.
In the beginning you said this was 18” x 96” but then said 20+”, so I can figure how it will work for me, what is the width as pictured above?
About how long is the large main building flat? And the bump out portion of that building next to the water tower?

Thanks for sharing the layout

Steve

The base corrugated cardboard that you see in all the pictures is 18" x 96". The reason that I will have to go a little deeper is because the building on the front left is too big for the current size. You can see that it hangs off the edge in the pictures. I also think that I will need a little more space for the backdrop.

Along the backdrop, the building on the left with the trailer unloading docks is 6-1/2"wide x 7-1/2" deep x 6" high.
Next to that, the low brick flat with no windows is 32" wide x 5" high.
Next the tall flat with windows is 58"wide x 8-3/4" high.
The bulk dry good unloading shed in front of the tall flat is 32" wide x 4" high in the front and 4-3/4" in the back to create a shed roof. (It is big enough to house 3-50' airslide hoppers and 1- pressureaide hopper.)

If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for your help,
Mark

[Southern Tuxedo]

Matt,

Thanks for the kind words your input is greatly appreciated.

I now see that cork sheet is probably the most expensive option, so I'm not sure that I would go that route.

Mark

[Southern Tuxedo]

Thanks Mike,

This discussion has me thinking whether I need any type of material on top of the OSB (or plywood). Do I need any type of underlayment to quiet the layout down? Will the track laid directly on the wood surface have any negative effects?

Maybe a thin layer of foam is the way to go.

Mark

[Tyson Rayles]

Matt I always lay at least a 1/2 inch peice of foam on the plywood before I start to build anything. It will quiet the train noise down. It also will let you go back in later and put in a drainage ditch or pond or whatever. Also if you are going to have trees on the layout you can just stick them in, you won't have to drill a hole for every tree or bush that you want to "plant". Just remember to use water based paints and glues on anything that will be on the foam itself. I use Elmer's White Glue for gluing down the scenery materials and the track. The handy thing about using it to glue the track is that if you want to make changes later you can just mist it with warm water, let sit for a few minutes and the track and ballast come right up.

[ratled]

WOW at 58" for the main building it will be nice to see an industry that can hold the volume of "stuff" all the rail cars bring to it. Thanks for the info it helps for planing my plywood mill.

I think a simple 1/2" to 1" foam (the easiest to get will work fine for you. I would normally say go cork over foam as foam can amplify train noise but with the slow switching speeds you may be able to get by with out it


Steve

[Tyson Rayles]

" I would normally say go cork over foam as foam can amplify train noise "

I have had the opposite experience but I'm in N scale and maybe the heavier locos in the bigger scales cause a different effect?

[radivil]

The heftier HO locomotives make the foam vibrate like a drumhead.

[Catt]

"I have had the opposite experience but I'm in N scale and maybe the heavier locos in the bigger scales cause a different effect? "

Both my N scale and my Z scale layouts have 2" of foam over plywood.The foam is a mixture of Green,Blue,& Pink.I was quite surprized to find out on both layouts the different noise levels from the different colours of foam.The noise is not loud and in a busy show you don't here any noise at all.I've gotton so used to the sounds I can tell exactly where my train is on the Z layout at home without even looking at the layout.

One tip I learned qiute a few years ago is if you use just the foam with slats placed every so often for support is to glue rouighly a 2" square by what ever length diagonally across the foam on the bottom it seems to cancel out any train caused vibrations that produce noise,By the way my N scale layout is much larger than that little beauty of Mike's.

[Tyson Rayles]

"By the way my N scale layout is much larger than that little beauty of Mike's."

Boy that's an understatement Catt, you have buildings bigger than my layout !!!!

[FCIN]

This is certainly shaping up to be a very interesting switching layout! More food for thought for my own layout and am even considering having a regional bakery as one of the main industries. Have found several examples of rail served bakeries in different parts of the country for inspiration.

Like the idea of the loading dock along the front edge of the layout too and have played around with a similar idea myself, although I'd want to have a canopy over the dock and have devised a way to do that. Just haven't experimented with the concept thus far.

This layout should provide for plenty of switching operations and I like the idea of the single large industry. Keep it going.

[Southern Tuxedo]

Hi Ed,

Thanks for the compliments, but I honestly couldn’t have gotten this far if it weren’t for those that share their wonderful ideas, suggestions and layouts right here on Big Blue. We have such an inspirational community of modelers here that it is hard not to glean ideas from everyone else. There are so many talented individuals (it would be very hard for me to name all of them) that share their knowledge with those of us that are beginners and could really use some guidance and direction, both directly and indirectly.

Several of your posts and threads have been very helpful to me, so I definitely owe you a debt of gratitude.

Go Big Blue!
&
Thank You contributors for making this the best Model Railroading forum on the web!

Mark

[Herc Driver]

What's the latest on the layout?

[Southern Tuxedo]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for asking.

TastyBake is going to reside in my home office so I have been slowly cleaning it out, reconfiguring the furniture and getting ready to start building. I have all the structural materials, track and turnouts for it, but still need to get foam or homasote. I also need one more Walthers Superior Paper kit for the background flat. In my spare time, I have been doing a lot of research on everything that I will need for the layout so when the time comes, I will be able to just pull the trigger and confidently buy what I need.

I am also in the middle of fixing up my house and getting ready for a new addition to my family (another daughter). Since I can only work on it a few hours a week, it is hard to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time, but I will keep plugging away as time allows.

Please stay tuned for progress reports... ...I promise they will start soon.

Mark

[Tyson Rayles]

If you are letting family and work get in the way of building your layout then we need to speak to you about getting your priorities in order !