A portable, lightweight layout
A portable, lightweight layout
As part of rejuvenating our garden railroad club ( www.sdgrs.com ) I have wanted to make a modular oval, preferably double track, that could be EASILY transported to our monthly open houses.
Requirements:
- light
- sections small enough to fit in small trunks or back seats
- 10 foot diameter on outer track
Clearly the modules need to be about 4' or less long, which means breaking the "ends" into 3 or 4 modules.
Probably use Split Jaw connectors
I've been thinking of using 2" thick foam with luan plywood on at least 3 sides, and end plates of maybe 1/2" ply with locating pins.
Legs could be done like our Z scale, with adjustable screw feet in 2 x 2 inch wood legs and only one pair of legs at each module "joint" - saves the number of legs and overall weight.
I'll be sure to document it.
I'll lay out the ovals with 10' diameter on the outer, and get clearance for 1:20.3 locos on both the outer and the inner.
Then I'll draw out what I need and see the size of the corners, as pentagons. If the size looks manageable, then I'll make up a couple of straight sections.
I'm thinking now 2" foam, skinned on 4 sides with very thin luan plywood glued to the foam. The "end plates" will probably be 1/2" plywood, with some kind of locating pins to align them.
If this works well, a single clamp will hold the modules together
I like the idea of the 1-1/4" conduit for legs.
I think I have a start... now to research the numerous threads on clearances on curves with 1:20.3... I guess a Bachmann K-27 is the worst case test?
