BENCHWORK PROS AND CONS

I am on my first permanent layout, not really experienced in all this and I'm not really sure which is best? I imagine the riser type with the plywood cut for the track or L-girder or similar would take longer and you would have to be more accurate with your track plan and construction? Also I am not certain how one would do the buildings and other things with something like this, but I haven't really studied this method either so I know little about it all. However, I have seen some pretty fascinating layouts that were built this way! 

I didn't want to fiddle with all that and went for with Mianne benchwork with the solid top. The basic table or 6'x16' was ready for track in about a day with no mess and was quite easy to assemble. I can easily add on to the benchwork or add another level or whatever without a lot of trouble. Since it's my first, this was sort of an experimental trial to see what I liked and what I didn't like. The original plan was to try this out, experiment and then add on to it to make it larger. I have figured out a few things, but as yet have no definite track plan for the expansion. I have ideas about what I want, just can't seem to make up my mind as some compromises will need to be made and I can't decide on the compromises? So I am somewhat stuck.

If you already have a good plan then maybe your decision will be a little easier? I am not sure I would do things much different if starting over, but I now have more experience and would probably have a much better track plan to start with. I'm sure others will have much better advice and I will be following along here as well. I definitely still have a lot to learn myself. Good luck in making your choice!

I currently do  not have an O Gauge layout; however I have built N-scale layouts in the past and am a big fan of the "cookie cutter" construction, and will be building my O Gauge layout in that fashion.

A shot from the interweb the shows the general idea:

 If you are doing a multi level layout and incorporating mountains, hidden trackage and such. If something goes wrong like a derailment. With a solid table it's impossible to reach the next level from underneath. You'll end up having to climb onto the table.  I'd cut the roadbed out of plywood and place it on risers screwed to the benchwork. Much to keep level or add grades. As far as buildings. You can actually build everything at the workbench on a piece of plywood precut for the space. A lot of details can be added at the workbench and when complete can be placed on the layout.

Three levels each step up using a smaller loop?  That is simple.  Use a hollow wedding cake approach with only steps, no risers.  Model Railroad Benchwork should be your ticket.  They make a curved benchwork product that will perfectly  fit your needs.

Mianne is great for a quick up and run flat deck approach but for what you want Curved Custom Benchwork from Model Railroad Benchwork would be the way to go.  However, with Mianne,  you need to use a full cover flat deck which is creatively  very restrictive.

Model Railroad Benchwork  (224 201 9868)  is a OGR banner advertiser.  Nice workmanship, very reasonable pricing, custom fabrication at production prices.

Depending on the overall layout size, you could even fashion a work area inside the core like at the HO San Diego layout.

I think it really depends on how much elevation change you want. I have some grades on the lower level of my layout, and the benchwork is open grid. I'm sort of wishing that I had done straight decking, because now I'm going back and filling in the holes. When I built my upper deck, everything is flat, so solid deck was a no-brainer.

These are old photos, but you can see the holes I'm talking about. Some have been filled in already.

Jim Harrington posted:

I currently do  not have an O Gauge layout; however I have built N-scale layouts in the past and am a big fan of the "cookie cutter" construction, and will be building my O Gauge layout in that fashion.

A shot from the interweb the shows the general idea:

 

Hi Jim, you know who built that layout?

No - I grabbed image from the internet.

Thanks Jim.

 a combination of both,  solid top for the main, bottom level, then shelf levels coming off the wall for other levels, then there will be risers built off the main level to create the ramps to the other levels........