All great suggestions! Thank you all! What about marking the centerline of curves ?

So using a caulk adhesive to glue it to the cork road bed is better? I was afraid of doing that because I didn't want to permanently attach it. I'm starting out with building the Cripple Creek Layout from HO Start to Finish but figured eventually I will want to rearrange things or do something else entirely.

The biggest frustration at this point is trying to find the time to go and get the plywood. Anything bigger than a 2' X 4' piece and I have to use my wife's car which means its no longer a stop at the hardware store on the way home from work deal anymore.

I do remember my question from earlier though! If I completely redo the cork bed, are there any tips or tricks to penciling in the layout for the center of the track?

Grrr....    lol. I got the Masonite because it's light and I could fit 2 x 4 sheets in my tiny Cavalier. It was also cheaper for that than plywood in same size sheets. Oh well, guess I'll have to get the plywood before I proceed any further. At least all I've done was attach the cork track bed which won't be too hard to rip up and redo.

I had another question but it escapes me at the moment.

Jeff,
     Even with one by four stringers underneath? I have one by four framing spaced every 24 inches
Tim

Thanks for the great info! Indeed the "hardboard" is Masonite, I was blanking last nite and couldn't remember the name for it! Lol. I've got two plans so far. The first is using the nails I used for the cork track bed I hammered that in to make a hole then used the pins which seemed to work pretty well and stay tight in place. The other is purchasing some Athens track nails and using them with pre drilled holes. Not sure why I'm not hot on the idea of gluing the track down ?

I do have a multimeter. I'll have to check the resistance when I get home tonight.

Except that my loco wouldn't run with a 3 ft length of wire (well it ran, but only within like 1 1/2 track sections of the feeder track. When I cut it down to 6 inches or less it worked fine.

They are Peco Streamline 14 pins and are approximately 9/16" long. I've tried both nailing them and securing them with needle nose pliers. The hardboard is basically the pegboard stuff from Menards without the holes in it. Its 1/4" thick.

Is there a particular gauge / length of wire needed to connect the power to a track? I connected my Railpower controller to my track with standard 14 gauge wire left over from a remodel and it works fine unless the wire is too long, which seemed strange.

So I finally have my table built using hardboard for the top / surface. I laid the cork board track bed and now I'm trying to nail the track down with track pins, problem is they are so thin that they don't penetrate the hardboard and instead end up bent.

So I thought I'd just drill the hole for the pin, but problem is I can't seem to figure out what size bit I would need since they are extremely tiny pins.

Anyone know if they are standard size?

Thanks!

Can anyone please help me out? I'm looking for:

1) A good recommendation for a book on benchwork

and

2) Help figuring out how to build a table that will disassemble into smaller pieces when not in use.

also any good web site resources on bench work would be great as well.


Thanks!

I've already made the decision that I'm no longer using foam core board anyways, not after this setup. I'm trying my best to make it work because I spent the money on it. Especially when luan 1/4" is only $9.99 a sheet at Menards. The 1X2 isn't too bad. I framed it out and then placed a crossbeam where the seams are for the foam core board. I made the frame larger so that I was able to sink the foam core board flush with the top and tacked strips around the edge to nail it to.

But definitely would prefer doing some benchwork next time.

Thanks for the link! So is there a way to add a decoder to the Walters train line locomotive I got? It's 931-103 HO EMD GP9M RTR ATSF BLUE.

I just purchased a Dynamis DCC Controller in the scratch and dent section of the local hobby store. Does anyone know if this will work with a non-DCC locomotive?

Well, I made a decision to go the piecemeal route. I decided to try and follow the book "HO Railroad from start to finish" by Jim Kelly. So I bought the Atlas code 100 nickel silver track and cork roadbed. I bought a Walthers Santa Fe locomotive to start off with and a Railpower 1300 controller to give me a basic start. I figure by following the book it will take me a while to go through each chapter / step and that will help spread the cost over a longer period of time. I'm building a table using 1X2 frame with foam core board as the top /surface.

The only problem I'm seeing is that some of the components used in the book are no longer available (not very many though! ) and so I have to find a suitable alternative to the Con-Cor 6100 ramp/hopper car set and the operating hopper cars. Also need to find an alternative for the faller B-950 Cement Mix Plant.

Any suggestions?