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Tinplate Layouts

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SH Southwest HiawathaOGR Forum Member

Here's mine. I have a very similar space to work with (13x13). It essentially consists of a loop of STD-87 track around an 0 gauge layout. The four outer corners will be used for Standard Gauge buildings and accessories. The Standard Gauge track is from USA Track. Construction is modular but a bit unconventional; I can post some photos of the construction techniques involved if you are interested. All lumber was squared up with a jointer and planer, and table tops were trimmed with a router so they would mate up without gaps. Access is through a removable section; the joint lines can be seen in the foreground of the first two photos. I generally just use it as a duck-under, removing the section only if I'm going to going back and forth a lot working on the layout or if a friend with a physical handicap visits.

 

Here are the photos. The first three show the basic configuration. The last photo, taken quite a bit after the first three, shows the 0 gauge yard and control panel.

Layout 7-6-13 [1)

Layout 7-6-13 [2)

Layout 7-6-13 [8)

Yard Area 1, 8-27-15

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  • Layout 7-6-13 (2)
  • Layout 7-6-13 (8)
  • Yard Area 1, 8-27-15
SH Southwest HiawathaOGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by H Scheg:
Southwest, thats awesome, Id definately love to see some more photos, I am thinking 1x4 framing with 5/8 plywood on top with some carpet laid down on it, and some trim like what you did!  ��
OK, here are some photos taken during the construction phase. The layout has a 1/2" plywood top on 2x4 framing. Legs are made of 2x3, which I got by ripping some 2x6 that I got for free. The leg braces are made of the same 1/2" plywood as the top. I chose to brace the legs at the top, rather than cross-brace them as is recommended in most layout-building manuals. The cross-braces would have badly compromised the much-needed storage space under the layout. I chose to use 2x4 framing for two reasons. First, I wanted an absolutely bombproof structure. I am going to have to walk on the top to reach light fixtures, ceiling fans, and skylights. Second, a 2x4 gives you a bigger target when you're drilling screw holes to attach the top. I drilled holes in selected places on the bracing so I could run wiring through the bracing rather than under it. It's a lot easier to do that on a drill press before you assemble the module than it is later when you have to pretzel yourself under the layout. The wiring holes were carefully measured to make sure they would line up between modules.
 
ALL lumber was squared up on a jointer and planer. The wood you get these days isn't very straight and I had to take quite a bit off to get everything straight and square. Each leg is fitted with an individual height adjuster. When I assembled the modules into a layout, I used both a pair of spirit levels and a laser to level the top. The whole thing is level to within 1/8* over the entire surface.  I assembled the framing for each module and then cut a piece of plywood slightly oversize. I used a router to shave the top down to an exact fit on the frames. That gave me the ability to fit the modules together with near-zero gap.  
 
The plywood table top is covered with 1/2"sound board cut to fit. The sound board was vacuumed and primed before cutting to keep the dust down. Sound board holds screws quite well, and it's cheap. I thought about using carpeting, but a friend with a lot of layout-building experience suggested that it would be difficult to keep clean.
 
The fascia is lauan plywood, sometimes called Philippine mahogany. It was sanded to 320 and finished with mahogany stain and two or three coats of semi-gloss polyurethane varnish. The control panel is finish-grade Baltic birch plywood,also finished with semi-gloss PU. 
 
Here are the photos.
 
First, I laid out a rough approximation on the floor where I was going to build the layout. This gave me a much more realistic idea of how things would fit together and what the clearances would be than a paper drawing or design software. I didn't have any Standard Gauge curves, but I had a pretty good idea how much space to leave around the outside. 

Floor2

 

Next, I figured out a configuration for the modules. I made a couple of minor changes as I was building it to adapt to available sizes of plywood, but this was basically how it was built. 

Module_Configuration

 

Here's how one of the corner modules was built. Note the bracing on the obtuse-angle joints, and the hole in the middle of the cross-brace for wiring. The small router sitting on top of the module is the one I used to trim the table top. It uses an oversize base plate and a flush-cutting bit with a roller guide. 

Corner_Module

Module_Bottom

Module_Bracing

 

Here is the first group of modules in place, followed by a shot of the entire layout in white primer before I started to lay track.

3-Modules in place

In the White 1

 

And that's the construction phase.

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  • Floor2
  • Module_Configuration
  • Corner_Module
  • Module_Bottom
  • Module_Bracing
  • 3-Modules in place
  • In the White 1
Last edited by Southwest Hiawatha
Carey TeaRoseCarey TeaRoseOGR Forum Member
Southwest Hiawatha posted:

Here's mine. I have a very similar space to work with (13x13). It essentially consists of a loop of STD-87 track around an 0 gauge layout. The four outer corners will be used for Standard Gauge buildings and accessories. The Standard Gauge track is from USA Track. Construction is modular but a bit unconventional; I can post some photos of the construction techniques involved if you are interested. All lumber was squared up with a jointer and planer, and table tops were trimmed with a router so they would mate up without gaps. Access is through a removable section; the joint lines can be seen in the foreground of the first two photos. I generally just use it as a duck-under, removing the section only if I'm going to going back and forth a lot working on the layout or if a friend with a physical handicap visits.

 

Here are the photos. The first three show the basic configuration. The last photo, taken quite a bit after the first three, shows the 0 gauge yard and control panel.

Layout 7-6-13 [1)

Layout 7-6-13 [2)

Layout 7-6-13 [8)

Yard Area 1, 8-27-15

WHAT is that Virginia and Truckee piece?? How fun, it makes me think of the Nautilus in "20,000 Leagues under the Sea" with James Mason!

Chris LoneroChris LoneroOGR Forum Member

Just a word to the wise from someone who's been there.  5 rail track is a great idea if someone made curves for 5 rail.  I had Gargraves 5 rail and it was the biggest "PITA" to work with then you can emagine. I had a 72" loop and all the curves have to be bent as best you can and cut to fit bla,bla,bla! The track never fit together right and the curves were not true.  I like to think I have a bit of mechanical ability but that stuff was not worth the time,money and  hassle!  If I had the space and time I would make 5 rail from good old tried and true tubular track like Steve and Scott did.  Just last week I got some curves of standard gauge 72" from Kirk at USA track and the quality of their track is second to none!   

Here is a video of my layout the LCCA did a while back just to give you an idea of how my layout is set up.  

 

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