10-02-2011, 06:41 PM
Justin;
The main reason that most folks are currently using the foam, besides building lighter weight layouts; is in order to have some scenery below track level.
Even on a typical industrial spur, where the land will be quite level, you'll still find drainage ditches along the track and roads. You can build up contours above track level with plaster or similar materials, but no easy way to carve small drainage ditches in to your HCD's.
I'm sure you've seen articles about this or that layout, where multiple layers of foam have been stacked in order to achieve enough elevation to put in that trestle or bridge over the river, etc. It's just another way of building a layout, rather than the older tried and true methods of cutting your roadbed and putting it on risers.
You can of course have some track on roadbed to give it a higher elevation then a spur running off of it to give the impression of such details and that might be something to consider if you choose not to purchase the foam. For example, on your layout, the former "main line" would be on the roadbed, but the spurs coming off it would not. You'd just let the track form its own slight grade down toward the industry and then fill it in with ballast.
As Howard has pointed out, many modelers are also using inexpensive ceiling tiles, layered as needed and carved to get contours on their layouts and the results are really nice. You'd have to weigh the cost of the number of ceiling tiles you'd need versus the cost of a 1 or 2 inch thick sheet of extruded foam.
Like most things in this hobby, it's pretty much up to you how you want to build the basic layout and how you think the end result will look. If you think that you'll be making a lot of changes to your basic track plan, then just use a simple method to temporarily keep the track in place (many good ideas have been suggested) and in the mean time save up for the foam then put it on the layout when you are ready to lay out the final plan.
Main thing - don't get in to such a rush to get something running that you won't be pleased with the final result.
The main reason that most folks are currently using the foam, besides building lighter weight layouts; is in order to have some scenery below track level.
Even on a typical industrial spur, where the land will be quite level, you'll still find drainage ditches along the track and roads. You can build up contours above track level with plaster or similar materials, but no easy way to carve small drainage ditches in to your HCD's.
I'm sure you've seen articles about this or that layout, where multiple layers of foam have been stacked in order to achieve enough elevation to put in that trestle or bridge over the river, etc. It's just another way of building a layout, rather than the older tried and true methods of cutting your roadbed and putting it on risers.
You can of course have some track on roadbed to give it a higher elevation then a spur running off of it to give the impression of such details and that might be something to consider if you choose not to purchase the foam. For example, on your layout, the former "main line" would be on the roadbed, but the spurs coming off it would not. You'd just let the track form its own slight grade down toward the industry and then fill it in with ballast.
As Howard has pointed out, many modelers are also using inexpensive ceiling tiles, layered as needed and carved to get contours on their layouts and the results are really nice. You'd have to weigh the cost of the number of ceiling tiles you'd need versus the cost of a 1 or 2 inch thick sheet of extruded foam.
Like most things in this hobby, it's pretty much up to you how you want to build the basic layout and how you think the end result will look. If you think that you'll be making a lot of changes to your basic track plan, then just use a simple method to temporarily keep the track in place (many good ideas have been suggested) and in the mean time save up for the foam then put it on the layout when you are ready to lay out the final plan.
Main thing - don't get in to such a rush to get something running that you won't be pleased with the final result.
Ed
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"