Soundwall at Layout Edge for Topple Protection?

[tehachapifan]

I have a pretty neat little engine service facility near the edge of my layout (yeah, pretty dumb) that I would like to park engines at more often, except I worry about me or someone else accidentally elbowing them off the layout and I also happen to live in quake country. I thought about doing the Plexiglas thing along the fascia edge there but didn't think that would look too good. Chain link fencing would no doubt get mangled in this area. Thinking about maybe modeling a "concrete" sound wall between the facility and layout edge. I would want to make it realistic for the scene but still be sturdy enough to provide the needed protection. I would also want it to be fairly tall to provide the needed protection (maybe 15-20 scale feet tall or so). Anyone done something similar that they could share or happen to have any photos or links to a proto facility with an adjacent sound wall? Thx!

[peteski]

IMO, Plexiglas doesn't look that bad.

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It allows for a view which would be hidden by a solid wall. And it can be made easily removable for photo sessions.

EDIT: fixed broken photo links

[C855B]

Nice. That's a really quality finish job on that plexi. Looks laser-cut, too. 3/16"? Any tips on the process for the roundcornering and edge finish?

I think the knee-jerk reaction against using plexiglass is from the poor finishing we've seen especially on layouts at train shows, that it's the usually 1/8" "cheap" stuff from DIY stores, and also that it's invariably scuffed-up from years of layout setup and teardown, plus repeated public "contact".

The extra effort and expense shown in your pictures makes for a big difference.

[tehachapifan]

That does look good! I am also interested in how yours looks as good as it does.

[Noah Lane]

There is a chain called TAP Plastics who will laser cut sheets of plexiglass for you.

Just take them your dimensions, and they'll have it cut in a day or two.  Their prices are usually fair.

Check their locations here:
http://www.tapplastics.com/about/locations

 

[C855B]

Thanks... I used to live in S.F. and spent many hours in Tap's San Mateo showroom imagineering projects. So obviously I know their capabilities, but am curious if that was the method used on the layout in Pete's pictures. Tap can get a little pricey in light of the scope of the layout I'm building, so if there were other techniques on... uh... tap that could get similar results, I'm all ears.

[eja]

IMO, Plexiglas doesn't look that bad.

Off subject, I know, but what did you use for the Amtrak building in this photo?

[tehachapifan]

That does look good! I am also interested in how yours looks as good as it does.

...also, what thickness did you go with and what exactly is the material used? Were you able to drill the mounting holes easily?

I think maybe I will go this route and we do have a TAP's nearby.

Thanks

[peteski]

Thanks for the kind words everybody. That layout is friend's of mine: Ernie Poole.  However I spend hundreds of hours working on that layout and many structures on it are built by me (so is lots of electrical and electronic work under it).   It was featured in  May 2009 issue or MR mag.

Some of you might remember couple of threads about it from the A-Board:
http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=52943
http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=62981

The Amtrak depot at Garrison is from Blair Line

Plexiglas/acrylic material is whatever Ernie found in either local hardware store or a local plastic supplier.  It coudl laso have been a local window repair shop. I'm pretty sure it is plain acrylic, not polycarbonate.  I would have to measure it to be sure (he made these several years ago) but IIRC, it is 1/8" thick. Might be 3/16". As far as finishing it goes, there is nothing fancy. The corners were rounded with a file then all the edges sanded with sandpaper.  Holes were made by careful drilling with a variable speed cordless drill (at a slow speed, not applying much pressure), using regular HSS drill bit.  The finish screws, acorn nuts and related hardware is from a local hardware store.

EDIT: some additional info.  We did this before all the fancy laser cutting was available. Working with acrylic is not all that different than with styrene.   I don't recall if he cut the materials himself or had it cut to size at the shop.  But I have cut acrylic for many of my projects and it isn.t all that difficult. I either score it with a spacial blade and snap it oreven use a table saw with a blade for plastics (and I run my table saw at a slower speed).

[tehachapifan]

Thanks, Peteski. You've changed my mind and will be making a trip over to TAP's in the near future.

[mark.hinds]

Working with acrylic is not all that different than with styrene.   

This has been my experience; use low speed and go slowly.  For example, the clear 3" disk in the following image (facing "up") was made using simple power tools, including drilling a hole in the center, mounting the rough disk in a power drill and filing the edge into a perfect circle, and finally "machining" a lip into the edge using a dremel and home-made jig.  It is 1/4" plexiglass. 



Mark H.