Construction

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Review of Construction Techniques

Framework

The framework of the layout was first built of 1x3 pine in boxed-frame construction.  Cool Hint!!! I have now found that I can make much better framing lumber by buying a sheet of 3/4 plywood and ripping "1x3" stock out of it.  Its straight, doesn't warp and costs less than the pine 1x3s.  For the same price, I think I can get 4 free plywood 1x3's out of a sheet of plywood versus individual pine boards.  The box frame sections are usually 2-foot by 8-foot in size, with three intermediate and two end cross pieces.   Legs on the peninsula are 2x2's. 

 Base

The base of the layout is 2-inch expanded foam board - the pink stuff, or sometimes the blue stuff.  Only the Helix is plywood, as I need the most clearance in the spiral.

Trackwork

Owing to already having an abundance of it,  the lower level track is all Atlas code 100.  At the top of the spiral (helix) I began using Atlas code 83 track.  It is better looking, and since it is on the top level, it is subject to closer inspection.  I have some old Code 55 stuff that I will use on mine sidings where appropriate.

All of the mainline tracks are laid on Woodland Scenics foam roadbed, held to the foam with Woodland Scenics Foam Tack glue.  Yard tracks are laid directly on the foam.  I transition from roadbed to foam by cookie-cutter cutting the foam and pushing it up to the roadbed level.  I originally tried Elmer's yellow wood glue.  It adhered okay to the foam, but would not hold well to the plastic of the track.  The Woodland Scenics Foam Tack is much better.  It's worth the $10-plus price per bottle.

I super elevate the tracks at curves.  See a detailed explanation on the Super elevation page.

A quick preview of construction progress each year is available on Layout Progress

Here is a close-up of the framework.  I made a series of wall brackets from a 3-inch wide strip of plywood, to which I screwed a 2x2, then attached the plywood "shelf brackets" you see here.  The shelf brackets are notched to accept the box frame back piece, and are shorter than the depth of the box frame.

Also shown is the wiring that distributes track power (black and white wires) and accessory power (red and blue) to each level.  A 4-conductor bus runs along the insdie front of the lower box frame.  Suitcase connectors allow a splice, and terminal blocks allow local track wiring to be tied into the bus.  I repeated this wiring setup every eight feet.

Here are the three pieces used in the wiring above.  I bought the suitcase connector (blue thing) and wire loop (black thing) at Menards, as they were a LOT cheaper there than someplace like Radio Shack.  The terminal block came from some vendor on eBay who sold long strips of these.  I cut them into 4-terminal sections.