Disaster strikes the foamboard and Ameri-Towne backdrop - A good learning experience (But the Mallet is okay).

"There is that tiny split second before a disaster strikes when you realize something is wrong but that it is too late to do anything about it..."

Truer words have never been spoken.  I think everyone here knows that feeling; it' amazing how much and how quickly the brain can process WAY before the body can react.  It is very similar to that feeling where you're leaning back in a chair and it almost goes over.  

I have nothing really useful to say about they layout other than it is awesome, and with your modeling skills, will be even better in no time. Of that I am certain.   

Lee

Your investigation was deftly presented as a true engineering analysis worthy of the National Safety Transportation Board. When I posted my comment on your announcement of going forward, this is why I suggested thin basswood..The other stuff folds like a cheap suit. I am just glad no expensive fiasco resulted...and this kind of stuff just sort of happens...to all of us despite our best laid plans. Best of luck in your re-engineering the thing..live and learn is my motto.

Glad the mallet survived And you found a good solution in the end!  Thanks for sharing your experiences. 

I could fill an entire thread with my mishaps. Maybe we should start "my greatest disaster" thread...I'd start it but my last one on cats was deleted.

Not exactly an impetus to start another one.

Your layout looks excellent.

As you so correctly pointed out, foamboard  is fragile, bends easily and is not structurally sound. I guess that you made it work but here is another option. Whether it is a backdrop or stand-up scenery, here all are mounted on 16 ply artists illustration board; the backs reinforced with a 1/4" basswood frame glued to it. Art board cuts easily with a metal straight edge ruler and a razor knife. I made 90% of an entire town this way and its held firm. As a matter of fact all of the 30 scratch built structures on my layout are made from art board.

Here is one town that is made from nearly all art board save for the modified Lionel station and a couple of salt tubes:

We are triumphant in life because of our failures not our success'.

~ Dick Parker  USAF Ret. / US Navy Logistics.

Words spoken to me quite often by my mentor when I was a young man.  Thanks for sharing the story Lee.  I actually can't wait to try this new method you posted.

Ron

Your very luck that the Mallett suffered no damage. Remember my MTH Imperial Big Boy fiasco? I wasn't so lucky. I think the backdrop looks great.

This is an excellent lesson for us all. Thanks for brining it to our attention.

I am wondering if 1/8" Masonite might not work better for this reason?  I love foamboard but it does have it's shortcomings. 

Art

Lee, I hope the car my "mini-me" was planning to buy from that car dealership was not damaged!

Lee,

Thanks for sharing your trials and tribulations! If one person learns from your mistake, you have succeeded.

As usual, there may be more than one way to tackle a problem. I'm thinking what if you glued some 1x1 vertical supports to the backside of the panel? If you ran them the full distance between your rails, you might prevent the bowing.

just a thought.

Chris

LVHR

This post only shows that Lee despite all his fantastic work is only human like the rest of us.

Great story Lee.

Ron

I am building a layout and will remember your experience - and make many other mistakes along the way, of course.  Your layout looks great.  I am curious: what program or software did you use to create your informative diagram?

Long paint stir sticks, maybe glued/laminated together if weak. I like free

  Have you ever seen the 3-D like pictures made from layers of copies of the same image(item) from a picture?

   Separated by about an 1/16"-1/8" of cardboard strips under each layer, and away from the image edges out of sight. The item stands out from the rest of the photo. A cheap 3-D illusion is the result. Mom used everything from magazines, to Holley Hobbie greeting cards to make them. 

Lee, your thread of dread about the bowing foam board brings up a problem that I have had in the past with gluing foam board and card board.  I will explain in more detail on a separate scenery thread as that is a better place for my inquiry and I don't want to hijack this thread.  As other posters have said, I have used foam board for building front projects but always with a wood frame work to prevent warping.  Glad no damage to loco. 

Lee's experience can be expanded to a lot of Laser Cut models, that use different kinds of materials, and different thicknesses.  Application of glues or paints to one side, often tends to warp the material.  Better kits will recommend application of at least primer paints to  both side and edges to inhibit moisture related/un-wanted material distortion.   IMO, something to consider.  

We agree.

KD

BTW...There's always "Gatorfoam" board to try...stiffer than common foam board. 

Glad you recovered mostly unharmed, at least no major damage anyway. I think the second back drop looks very nice too.

As dkdkrd says above and I mentioned in the previous thread, the Gator foam is supposed to be paintable and a bit sturdier than regular foam board. I also have made things from foam board for my grand kids. They wanted to paint the items. Ended up just like you describes in the first post, all warped out of shape. I haven't tried the Gator foam, but it has good specs, Gator Foam Board  

I like the accident scene recreation diagram. Maybe you should have made a career as a NTSB investigator?

Oh C'mon Lee!  No pictures!  No 1/48 scale NTSB investigator with a 1/48 scale clipboard grilling a distraught 1/48 scale engineer, while disgruntled 1/48 scale fireman lay out hoses to prevent any 1/48 scale fires while 1/48 scale Foamers take video . . .

Lee

Thanks for sharing, Glad the engine came out un-harmed

Steve

Lee, Sorry to read of your disaster.  I might mention that for my card stock modular building product line in my instruction sheet I specifically urge customers NOT to use foam board but to USE Gator board for mounting drawings and add ons. Some of my backdrops are over 14 years old at this point and have not warped or caused a problem.  For those who are not familiar with the difference, foam board has a paper face and will easily bend with any stress or humidity. Gater board has a fiber face. I attach my backdrops to the wall with velco again I have had no problems moving the backdrops around over time.

Lee...I had missed this post.  Sorry for the disaster but you fixed it in your usual successful and positive manner!  None of my Ameritowne fronts are mounted on foam core because I learned the same lesson you did...  My building backdrops are all of printed buildings mounted on cardboard and some on foam core....

Alan

I plan to use most of the fronts elsewhere.  Not sure just where yet, but they will not go to waste.  for background fronts, it is hard to beat printed images.  Light, easy to make and re-size, and so quick to do. 

It amazes me how closely our model wrecks simulate real ones. When you have an 11 pound engine running at speed with a train behind it, there are some terrific forces generated and they will do damage; sometimes lots of damage. My J1-a ripped the loading dock off the station and just derailed the pilot truck. Glad the engine survived. Meanwhile, my Bristol Board on Builder's foam streets continue to delaminate. It's going to be a repair job for the grandkids.

Trainman2001 posted:

 

It's going to be a repair job for the grandkids.

Whenever the grandkids come over I silently whisper under my breath - "Remember it is just a toy, Remember it is just a toy, Remember it is just a toy....."  Lots of laughs though....

Grandchildren make up for with enthusiasm what they lack in subtlety when reaching for and touching the layout.  I've lost a number of streetlight poles, etc., but never any expensive locos or such, and I gave away a nifty diecast car one wanted, but like you say - they are just toys.  

My nine year old grandson is actually more careful with my trains and layout than I am. While I have messed up several items myself and caused a few train wrecks while fiddling with switches while trains were running, he has messed up absolutely nothing! He is very careful and he's also a very thoughtful young man. However, he does get a good laugh when Papa wrecks the trains.

I have a very similar experience. Instead of wrecking the trains, my 10 year old, caught the Allegheny's brass tender in mid-air as it was about to crash to the floor. He's done moves like that before. He has terrific reflexes. The kids never, ever have damaged equipment even when they were little. Only when #2 was 2 years old did he reach out and grab my J1-a as it roared by, derailed it and it smashed to the floor (after hitting my leg). From that day forward he's only built the trains, not damaged them. I believe in starting them very young and teaching them how to handle important things, but with supervision. If let them know that it's not forbidden, but needs guidance, most children will do the right thing.

The trains were the best "control" the "grown ups" ever had over me.

Running Gramps trains had to be earned...by respecting them. "His toys, not mine"

It might take one, or two oops, and some tears out of everyone to get there*, but I found my experience one of the best for teaching true respect. It was applied to respecting my own things, too. Why should I be trusted with others things, or receive a replacement for something, if I am neglectful.

*He didn't stay angry long. Sort of "initial shock" stuff, then an explanation of why, a smile, maybe a "sorry, but "time out" now go". I don't remember what I broke once, but it was rare. He didn't cry, he wept in immediate shocked mourning, so seeing him, so did I, deeply. My "awakening" to trespass, without a word.