The New Northern Central

[Philip H]

Fun fact. After a few moments with my stud finder I discovered that the studs are on 24" centers. So 3/4" ply it is!

If you spend the dough for good quality 1/2 inch you should really be fine.

[Specter3]

Might you run one length of 1x3 between the shelf bracket pieces to form an I shape? More firmly anchors the horizontal and offers anti-sag support to whatever you lay over the top. I would think it would allow thinner ply thereby saving $10-15 a sheet.  Ply is getting more expensive as I type this it seems.

[Missaberoad]

How about plywood** attached to the wall anchored to the studs? Then you have a good mounting surface for your shelf brackets at whatever spacing suits your fancy....

** or several parallel horizontal rows of 1x material...

[Dave V]

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[Ed Kapuscinski]

How about plywood** attached to the wall anchored to the studs? Then you have a good mounting surface for your shelf brackets at whatever spacing suits your fancy....

** or several parallel horizontal rows of 1x material...

I don't know, that sounds like a lot of construction for not a lot of gain.

Might you run one length of 1x3 between the shelf bracket pieces to form an I shape? More firmly anchors the horizontal and offers anti-sag support to whatever you lay over the top. I would think it would allow thinner ply thereby saving $10-15 a sheet.  Ply is getting more expensive as I type this it seems.

I've been thinking about either that or using some sort of metal bracket. I've had good luck with aluminum L channel before for this type of thing. I had thought about doing some 1x3 along the fascia, but I want to leave that as unencumbered as possible for mounting things like switch throws, etc... I think the idea of doing it along the back might be a good one.

[wazzou]

Reply #139

My assumption @Ed Kapuscinski is that where you show the 1x3 dimensional lumber, that is a box, correct?
Front and back and girders on the brackets?

That is the way I would do it if employing your technique.

I think with your newly discovered spacing of the studs, this is even more relevant.

[Angus Shops]

I don't know, that sounds like a lot of construction for not a lot of gain.
I've been thinking about either that or using some sort of metal bracket. I've had good luck with aluminum L channel before for this type of thing. I had thought about doing some 1x3 along the fascia, but I want to leave that as unencumbered as possible for mounting things like switch throws, etc... I think the idea of doing it along the back might be a good one.

I’m a believer in the plywood-on-the-walls approach. My last two layouts have been constructed this way. The first of those was because the previous owner of the house had (for unknown reasons) clad 3 of 4 walls in the layout room in 3/4” ply from floor to ceiling. This allowed me to fasten brackets and below layout cabinets wherever I wanted. I’ve repeated this on my current layout in my current house using 5/8” instead, but instead of going floor to ceiling I’ve only used a 2 foot wide band that spans top of upper level to bottom of lowest level (3 levels including 1 level of staging at top or bottom depending on where on the layout). The added bonus this time was that stud spacing was extremely variable in this older house, making the plywood almost a necessity.

I’ve also used plywood to construct the “brackets” either (roughly) ‘C’ or ‘E’ shaped depending on the number of levels. At that first house it was because that previous owner seemed to have a plywood fetish and there was a ton of it to be used. On the current layout I’ve allowed the lower levels to ‘stick out’ farther into the layout room than the upper levels, kind of like levels in a sports stadium, so that the main track is (mostly and ideally) not underneath the structure of the level above. This accommodates the back web of the C or E and gives the lower level track lots of space visually, particularly in places where the vertical clearance between levels is not as great as I might prefer.
Geoff

[wm3798]

@Angus Shops was there a drain in the floor, or evidence of shackles?  I mean... that's some pretty heavy duty construction for the use of someone who's not a serial killer...

Ever read "Devil in the White City?"  Voof!

I know Ed wants a Trapeze Room, but I don't think that needs more than a few through bolts in the ceiling joists!!

Lee

[Angus Shops]

Haha, no drains or shackles! In my experience all “previous owners” have had a questionable grasp on basic carpentry skills. I rearranged a fair bit of that basement and took down a ton of plywood and replaced it with drywall. Don’t worry, none of it was structural; each sheet was fastened with no more than two or three screws, and every screw was a different size and type. And it was all painted brown. My current layout has some of that wood in it, a solid 20 years and a house later. Sheesh.
Geoff

[MDW]

I’m a believer in the plywood-on-the-walls approach. My last two layouts have been constructed this way. The first of those was because the previous owner of the house had (for unknown reasons) clad 3 of 4 walls in the layout room in 3/4” ply from floor to ceiling. This allowed me to fasten brackets and below layout cabinets wherever I wanted. I’ve repeated this on my current layout in my current house using 5/8” instead, but instead of going floor to ceiling I’ve only used a 2 foot wide band that spans top of upper level to bottom of lowest level (3 levels including 1 level of staging at top or bottom depending on where on the layout). The added bonus this time was that stud spacing was extremely variable in this older house, making the plywood almost a necessity.

I’ve also used plywood to construct the “brackets” either (roughly) ‘C’ or ‘E’ shaped depending on the number of levels. At that first house it was because that previous owner seemed to have a plywood fetish and there was a ton of it to be used. On the current layout I’ve allowed the lower levels to ‘stick out’ farther into the layout room than the upper levels, kind of like levels in a sports stadium, so that the main track is (mostly and ideally) not underneath the structure of the level above. This accommodates the back web of the C or E and gives the lower level track lots of space visually, particularly in places where the vertical clearance between levels is not as great as I might prefer.
Geoff

Me too.   My upper deck track rises 18” with a crap load of bridges so the continuous plywood sheathing allowed me screw in plywood brackets wherever they are needed - with no regard to stud locations or building complex frames.   That said, it’s probably overkill for what Ed is contemplating.....

Michel

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm continuing to review the layout plan and keep making revisions.



I'm excited that I figured out how to get better staging in place for the branchlines and MA&PA interchange in York: put them behind the backdrop! I know, I know, this is risky, but I'm willing to take some steps to mitigate the risk (like having a low backdrop to screen the area that I can easily get behind).

I adjusted the Windsor St Yard track some. CP Windsor is gone. I don't want to deal with building the interlocking and I don't think Conrail would've either when there was another easy way to accomplish the same thing it did (by running trains that need access to the yard up the yard runner).

I've lengthened the street running by realizing that the track there can go above the helix (it'll be about 10" down below track level there).

I've switched as many mainline turnouts over to #10s as possible. I figure SD40-2s and 89' flatcars will appreciate those.

I have also adjusted the mid-run Choadlix to only be a single turn. As I made adjustments the grade was flattening out and even with a single turn here it still gets me 2.5% as the ruling grade.



Not much has changed on the lower level, but I did make some subtle improvements to the Stewartstown interchange.

One thing I'm struggling with is the shorter double ended siding in New Freedom. I'm planning that to be where helpers hang out, but I'm not sure how best to plan it from a signaling perspective. I think it'll be more fun to make the switches into it hand throws that need to be unlocked, but I'm not sure about that.

And here's the whole thing in 3D.



This weekend I plan on doing some more room repair, including replacing the window (now with Lee's blessing) and hopefully picking up some materials from @mu26aeh I'm getting close to benchwork time. I can almost taste it!

[Dave V]

Just remember the Tony Koester rule of staging.  Take what staging you think you need, multiply by two, and then add one, and that's what you build.

In your 1985 era, is the original M&PA still intact as far as Delta or to Red Lion?  Or in your world did they still operate the former PRR from York to Hannover like they did under Emons?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Just remember the Tony Koester rule of staging.  Take what staging you think you need, multiply by two, and then add one, and that's what you build.

In your 1985 era, is the original M&PA still intact as far as Delta or to Red Lion?  Or in your world did they still operate the former PRR from York to Hannover like they did under Emons?

My thoughts on it are that they hung on the way they basically did until Emons: serving a small fragment of their former empire, maybe as far as Red Lion. I'm only planning on handing off a few cars to them at any time, but I really like the fun it'll give the dispatcher when they need to get railroad to come out and get their cars which, of course, have also had to have been set off by a local.

[Point353]

I'm excited that I figured out how to get better staging in place for the branchlines and MA&PA interchange in York: put them behind the backdrop! I know, I know, this is risky, but I'm willing to take some steps to mitigate the risk (like having a low backdrop to screen the area that I can easily get behind).

Make that section of the backdrop in front of any hidden staging tracks a removable panel and build a pocket in the benchwork so that it can be easily dropped in and pulled out.
Put rerailers in the tracks on either side of the turnout leading into the two hidden MMID staging tracks.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Make that section of the backdrop in front of any hidden staging tracks a removable panel and build a pocket in the benchwork so that it can be easily dropped in and pulled out.
Put rerailers in the tracks on either side of the turnout leading into the two hidden MMID staging tracks.

Almost EXACTLY what I was thinking!