Depth of foam board on 4x8 layout

[kdgrant6]

Thanks. 

Yes, I have a 1/4" birch plywood top to the table.  The 1" Styrofoam lies on top of the birch.  I have screwed in a perimeter of 3/16" hardboard that frames the table. The hardboard extends up 4 inches above the foam on the back and the left side, but only an inch above the track in other places where the views are more important. This perimeter keeps wayward trains on the board and off the concrete 40" below, and it keeps things in place.

[electrical whiz kid]

KD;
How I had intended that to go was to construct a frame; not 1/4" ply.  The frame is usually constructed from 3/4" stock.  Much more resilient and less "wiggle"-but it is your money.  And time.
SGT. C

[jward]

I would build a regular table before I did anything, then top it with 1/2" plywood then the foam. and do this long before I laid any track. you will never regret overbuilding a table, but an underbuilt one wil be an endless source of frustration.

[kdgrant6]

I agree about the sturdiness.  If I had just built a table for general purposes I would have used 1/2" or maybe a '3/4" (overkill) for the top.

But I followed the WGH Madison Line video for the table plan.  I figured they knew better., and their plan was cheaper to build and lighter to move. 

The 1/4' birch top is screwed and glued around the perimeter and 16" on center.  I've braced the legs differently, so there's no wiggle room to speak of, and the table is flat as evidenced by my level. 

For what it supports, I see no problem.  My trains run fine.

[electrical whiz kid]

Your money.  "L" girder system is better.  Get into some of the on-line sites regarding construction before you go monkeying around with a plywood top-which pretty much limits what you do.  I frankly wouldn't do it; especially in light of using Styrofoam.  But like I said, it is your money...
SGT C.

[kdgrant6]

Well, Whiz, thanks for your input.

I guess you'll be able to put your table to heavier-duty use than I'll put mine to. I'll stick to trains and things on mine and not worry about the multi-faceted capabilities of my supported plywood.

Again, thanks.  I'll put your suggestions to appropriate use.

[WoundedBear]

I agree with Rich on the L girder method. I went that route with my layout. Here's a shot of one corner. This central bit of framing is pretty much a 4X8 area. I don't see how one could get much lighter than I have.



And this is now, looking into the same corner. I topped mine with 1/2" G1S fir. I cannot overstress the importance of building your railroad's foundation to the highest degree of quality. It will save you untold hours of grief in the long run.



Sid

[kdgrant6]

Looks great!

But are you really satisfied with those 1x2 legs, even though the bracing looks good. 

Wouldn't 2x4's really make for a sturdier table?  And why aren't you using a 3/4" plywood top?  That would give you a much more solid foundation for the future.  I'm sure that you'd agree that increasing the dimension of the top would supply you with a "higher" degree of quality.

Or am I missing something in this pursuit of the optimal train table?

[WoundedBear]

I'm more than satisfied with the strength. You could park a Volkswagen up there. Those aren't 1X2's they're 2X2's. 2X4's are way overkill....so is the 3/4" ply. It's too difficult to make nice horizontal transitions in the roadbed with the 3/4".

You should look up the spans and weight that an L-girder is capable of supporting. I don't recall the exact figures, but I was surprised.

Have a look through my layout thread for a few more pics of the benchwork.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,8740.0.html

Sid

[kdgrant6]

I checked out your layout plan, Wounded Bear.  VERY impressive.

Where do you plan to park the VW?

[jward]

believe it or not, 2x4 legs are not any more stable than the ones I make from 1x3 and 1x2 lumber. picture ising one of those l girders as a table leg and you get the idea. the advantage is that you can only bolt a 2x4 leg along one side. my l shaped legs are bolted in on two sides which adds to their stability. I always make my legs bolted in so that the table can be taken apart easily if necessary.

[electrical whiz kid]

To all;
There is an old saying ending with; 'it's how you use it".  No doubt some  of you remember the late Jack Parker of "Central Valley".  He was a big proponent of 2X4 construction; and while it was pretty strong, was it all that necessary?  Actually, there are a dozen ways I can think of to get around the issue of support.  In my case, I wanted adequate stowage under the layout for reference materials, cars, structures, etc; so I built cabinets that actually support the layout and accomplish the other demand as well.  In actuality, I wouldn't have normally done that, aside from my initial reasoning.
What I had done previously was to build a system of sawhorses, using 3/4" clear pine.  These were adjustable, and stronger than a Georgia mule, while maintaining a low profile.  The "L" girder system was bolted to them, the whole shebang was then bolted to each other.  Again, there was storage shelving generally running the configuration of the layout, installed the horses that satisfied the demand at the time.
Both of these systems had merit for me at the time of construction, each for their own reasons.  I don't advocate any one over the other; only that what the modeller does works for the modeller, and leaves said modeller alone.  Sid's "L-girder" construction is an excellent example of what can work FOR you.  Light, inexpensive, and totally accessible, it is within the grasp of most people in this hobby.  Over the years and in many periodicals, such as MR, there have been many concepts.  As I had aforementioned, it's your money.  For mine, I am sitting here typing, and enjoying a plate of Domathes avgho lemoni...
SGT C.

[Jerrys HO]

I used 2x4's for legs because they were readily available at construction site's in the scrap pile's or leftover's (ask before removing) .

[electrical whiz kid]

Jerry;
That is a HEALTHY bit of advice.  A lot of guys have gotten in a world of...  stuff because they neglected to get permission.  By trade an electrical contractor (E-1), I see a lot of things like that happen.  Bottom line?  It is private property, and the materials were bough by another party.  Again, I applaud you for that input.  Be well!
SGT C.

[philws]

How do you secure E Z TRACK to the foam board?