Leveling a Train Bench

If you walk into the room and can see the variations, consider fixing it. If there is enough slope that cars roll away, it needs fixing

It might be easier to use a shim on top of any brackets that are lower than the highest one. If the variation is only 3/8" - 1/2" that should be easy.

It's not whether your bench is level... it's whether the TRACK is level.  Your benchwork could be perfect (IMO 3/8" variation is too much.)  But if you build your layout with warped and bellied Fastrack sections (unfortunately common), vintage tubular that has been stepped on, mismatched roadbed from different vendors or batches, high joints between sections of sub-roadbed, etc., you have a recipe for frustration.

Common postwar steam locos like 2034, 2055 are the worst.  They will slow down or stall at the slightest grade or increase in friction.  Their gear ratios are terrible, there's not enough RPM or torque to maintain a set speed.  Conversely, modern locomotives with cruise control will run through a brick wall without slowing, like a robot.  The trade-off with modern locos is a host of possible problems with the electronics, tach sensor, rubber tires, control systems, etc.

I would invest in a bubble level that's no more than 4"-6" long, about the same as a steam loco's rigid wheelbase.  Slide it along the rails or the intended right-of-way as if it were a locomotive.  Depending on your motive power roster, ANY significant bump or grade could affect operation.  And if  you are intentionally building a grade, remember that you have to begin AND end the slope GRADUALLY.  If you go immediately from flat to even a 2% grade, your next post will be about painting liquid tape on the underside of the loco pilot ("cow catcher")!  Hope you're able to get it sorted out and running smoothly!

@Ted S posted:

It's not whether your bench is level... it's whether the TRACK is level.

Well, that's hardly the whole story.  If the benchwork isn't level, it's going to be a lot more difficult to get the trackwork level.  I'd seriously start with getting the benchwork as level as possible, it's a bunch easier to level the trackwork if you have a good base.

A different approach is to build your supporting benchwork as an open grid, then use risers (supports) that can be individually adjusted to produce a level (or rising/falling) track bed. This way, you don't have to be so concerned about irregularities in the basic benchwork.

Did you take into consideration if your floor is level.  If you cut your vertical supports the same length and the floor is not level that can also lead to problems.

Marty

I found the problem and improved things greatly.  I actually have two laser levels (bought one years ago and forgot), but they are both low end made in a large asian county.  I discovered that one of them had poor calibration (not user adjustable), determined by rotating unit 180.  I took the poor unit out of the picture, and with the good unit I had a much better outcome with only a small section off.  I adjusted the small section and I am now with 1/8” variation.  I can live with that.  Thanks for your comments.

Bill

I leveled my benchwork with a 6-foot bubble level because I trust the bubble more than lasers from a large Asian country.

I know the OP was asking about stud-mounted wall brackets, but for my freestanding layout, I installed adjustable feet on the bottom of each table leg, which can be screwed in or out to lower or raise the top of the layout. No real science to it -- I just parked a four-foot bubble level on the track, manually lifted the low end until it was level, then unscrewed the relevant foot/feet to hold the top at that height, before repeating in both directions until everything was level. Easy peasy . . .

I am planning the adjustable leg concept where I have legs and have bought a bunch of adjusters already.

I have many levels.  I have 2', 4', and 6'.  One of the 4' is an old smart level the gives a read out of how many degrees one is out.  I used them as I went, but if one is putting up a lot of brackets on a long wall its possible for the adjacent brackets to be just a few degrees out, but for the whole system to drift up and down over a long distance.  Its a big room.

I assumed the basement floor was irregular and did not measure from it.

I get the idea that ultimately the track level is what counts.  I have tubular in good condition (mostly K-Line).

Bill