What's the opinion of building side walls to the table top to guard against run away trains crashing to the floor below? Is there a preference as to wall height?
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I make sure that I let my trains watch as much TV as they want and I let them have pizza anytime they want it....that way they don't "Run Away"...
Sorry, couldn't stop myself...
I have not used any barrier or retaining wall to prevent trains from taking the "leap of death" to the floor. I did make a point of putting carpet on the floor, but that is as much for warmth and insulation as for "crash pad".
IF I felt that I needed that type of protection in one spot, I would likely opt for cut plexiglass/transparent plastic and I would likely keep it no more than 6 inches above the bench top...and perhaps only 4 inches above to lessen the visual impact.
Admittedly, I probably will never have that type of problem since I tend to operate at scale switching speeds. I also made sure I had a few inches between the edge of the bench work and the sides of the rail cars so I don't snag them with my clothes when I walk by.
The real problem in my situation is clumsy elbows of the old fat man that owns the layout...oh, wait. That's me. (smile)
For the few high-risk spots where trains swing through curves that are close to the table's edge, I've tried to place a raised edge of scenery or berm in an attempt to create a sort of "guard rail" in case of derailment. The straightaways are lower risk, except for the elbow-bumps, but they're rare (so far). Unless you have lots of little fingers grabbing trains, the Plexiglas shield could be more of a hindrance to the operators, IMHO.
