Aberglaslyn...of sorts

[Peter Richardson]

Thanks Mick and Julien

This photo gives an 'aerial' view of most of the layout. Just 160 x 60 cms with a continuous run. I find it very relaxing to watch trains trundle round. The newly created halt gives somewhere to stop at and I hope in time to consider what operations I can run moving goods etc from station to siding at other side etc. I think I will have to reduce the amount of stock on layout!

One of the sidings at the station may eventually lead to another board...009 News, Forum and YouTube etc provides great inspiration for further scenes!

Julien, that's a very helpful picture and lets me see how I could do a bridge on the curve using this planking approach.

[Peter Richardson]

Photos attached.

Foam board has certain benefits for scenery but more problematic for point motors and signals!

[Graeme Dunbar]

I had a recent thought on that based on our currently developing ScOONs modular layout. It has not been tried out on foam insulation baseboards but it might be transferrable.

We are laying 3 mm cork or equivalent (I'm using 3 mm dark grey dense synthetic rubber foam sold as track underlay, manufacturer forgotten) on top of Scale Model Scenery baseboard modules.

Where we need the track to be fixed more firmly such as at the module joins we are using track soldered to PCB sleepers (others use Railpro rail aligners) glued firmly to a solid 3mm base. I'm using three laminations of 1 mm plasticard.

If using underlay over a foam baseboard then a similar thing might be done under the relevant part of turnouts. A bit of 'cut and cover' tunneling could be done, with a sufficiently large hole made in the foam and covered with 3 mm of rigid material. Small blocks of wood etc. could be glued to the underside for screwing point motors to.

It is just a variation on the old method of drilling or cutting an oversized hole in a baseboard top and covering it with thin card with a slot for the actuator wire.

[Graeme Dunbar]

I had a recent thought on that based on our currently developing ScOONs modular layout. It has not been tried out on foam insulation baseboards but it might be transferrable.

We are laying 3 mm cork or equivalent (I'm using 3 mm dark grey dense synthetic rubber foam sold as track underlay, manufacturer forgotten) on top of Scale Model Scenery baseboard modules.

Where we need the track to be fixed more firmly such as at the module joins we are using track soldered to PCB sleepers (others use Railpro rail aligners) glued firmly to a solid 3mm base. I'm using three laminations of 1 mm plasticard.

If using underlay over a foam baseboard then a similar thing might be done under the relevant part of turnouts. A bit of 'cut and cover' tunneling could be done, with a sufficiently large hole made in the foam and covered with 3 mm of rigid material. Small blocks of wood etc. could be glued to the underside for screwing point motors to.

It is just a variation on the old method of drilling or cutting an oversized hole in a baseboard top and covering it with thin card with a slot for the actuator wire, but extending to the whole point motor, not just the wire.

[Peter Richardson]

Graeme, I followed what you have outlined and it is doable to install point motors or indeed any device required under the track. As a rookie, I probably just took a bit longer and my method was perhaps not the easiest route.

I dug a square out of the board, creating what appeared to be a 60mm deep mine shaft! I then lined this with 2 mm plywood (I think) and then laid a small section on top. I could then attach the pint motor to this piece of wood and relay the track.

The downside on my layout is that if the point motor needs attention, I gave to dig up this part of the scene, or at least removal gravel and lift out point. If motor was under the board this would be easier.

I could of course have drilled out the bottom of the actual baseboard so motor could be accessed.  However, such access would require long fingers as one would have the reach more than 70mm to get to where point motor is attached to the wood.

I was using the new Peco twist lock point motor as I thought its design would help me as I'd never tried to install a pint motor before.