Benchworks basics - Rail line foundations

Now that we had the basic supports for the landscaping in place and a rough draft of location of the loops we can start putting down the foundation to lay the rail onto.

We started with the standard 1/4" plywood cut in strips about 4" wide.  We attached these to the supports giving a reasonable bed to build upon.  On top of the plywood was laid hemosote cut in strips about the same width.  FYI this is old school way that my co-builder grew up with.  Since we are now both over 50 that is quite old at that.

Steve researched a bit and discovered a method that is far more sturdy and has less waste, we all like that.  Basically making a 7 layer thick plywood using hardboard.  This does take LOTS of wood glue, so a good foam roller will help lots here.  Also you will be clamping the strips every few inches so a large bunch of spring clamps will be needed.  I will have to explain a bit and I hope the pics will do it justice.

We  bought a sheet of 1/8" thick hardboard and cut it into 3/4" wide strips about 4' long.  While this made LOTS of dark brown saw dust (which I am looking for a way to use), it made an easy to carry and store stack of material.    Basically we set a 1.5"-2" wide T attached to the landscape braces setting the top of the T about 1" under where we wanted the final track height to be.  Once a run of these braces were set, looking like a set of bridge trusses without the bridge, we started setting the hard board down.  This was done a few strips at a time making sure the strips do not end any where near each other (this adds lots of strength).

Glue up one side of a strip and apply it to the side of another.

A few of the good reasons to go with this type of rail-bed are:

1. Solid - When you finish the 5 layer sandwich (for HO scale) this is solid. 
2. Easy prep for the rail - just need to run a belt sander lightly to even out the top
3. easy to build landscape off of - If you like the basket weave cardboard strips this is a real easy rail bed to attach to since there is a nice sized side.
4. Even sweeps on curves - due to the way you build the sandwich the curves are quite uniform so you do not have any sudden diameter changes
5. complex curves easy - S curves while a bit of work are easier IMHO than other rail beds we have tried
6. low scrap - you are not cutting out bends out of plywood and having lots to toss.

A couple drawbacks are:

1. You will use LOTS of glue - I do mean LOTS
2. this takes more time - you have to let the glue harden and you have to be aware of ending each layer away from the other layers.
3. tough to modify/takes much more planning - once laid out it is what it is.  not something you can tweak.  Hence this is not a track bed you can change on the fly.

More detail to come on this new bed - I am not liking my explanation will ask my co-builder to help on this. Or I will look for articles/pics on how to.