After about 5 years, I have finally started building a small layout, or my retirement layout, as I call it. I started a fairly good size layout about 3 years ago, when we moved to Ohio. Never got to the track laying stage, just built the benchwork. However, health issues seemed to tell us we needed to downsize, and move back closer to the kids and grand children.
So, after all the downsizing and moving, we ended up in our retirement home, which had little room for a layout. I finally figured out that I could build a small layout in half of the garage. I decided to keep it very small, and simple, so my wife does not have to deal with a big mess if I should suddenly be gone. I also wanted to actually build something I could finish in my lifetime, as I am almost 75, and you never know!!
I ended up selecting one of the small, Ken Hoganson track plans from an issue of OGR. I wanted it to be 4x8, have room for some descent scenery, and be built of light weight components that I could load, haul, cut, and assemble myself. I built the benchwork from 1x4 lumber with cross bracing on 12" centers. I then topped it with nice lightweight 1/4" plywood, with an overlay of 2" thick pink Styrofoam. My old layout building method, used 1/2" plywood and 1/2/" Homasote, neither of which I can carry any more. The legs are cut from 2x4's, with a castor on the bottom of each leg. After gluing down the foam, I painted it a nice earth brown color. Now, at long last, I am ready to lay track. Here are some photos. I will post an update when I get some track put down.
Jeff
