I've finally started on my HO track.
It will be 69' long, and will fit on two 4x8' tables arranged in a 4x16' configuration.
The tables (aka 'benchwork') are L-girder construction, much favored by the model railroading folks. I used 'How to Build Model Railroad Benchwork' 2nd edition as my reference and how-to guide.
The benchwork is very light, very stiff, and was easy to construct. You can find more pictures in my album.
The roadbed is going to be a combination of 'cookie-cutter' and traditional 'roadbed' type construction. I will be using 1/2" MDF as the base.
The layout design is a HO version of a commercial 1/24 scale 'Hillclimb' track. Hillclimb tracks are favored in the commercial environment because they are significantly more efficient in their use of floor space than regular tracks. Since they are also a decent design from a driving standpoint, hillclimb tracks are very popular in commercial raceways. The decreasing radius turn on the flat portion of my design is not found on normal hillclimbs. I lifted that from a commercial track design called the 'Odessa'.
I chose a hillclimb design because I *might* build a routed 1/32 scale hillclimb track someday. Hillclimb tracks are a tough type of track to build because of the elevation and visibility issues, and I thought that I would take advantage of this chance to 'practice' with plastic track first.
Here's my layout:
The normal direction of travel is 'up' the donut.
For comparison, here is a commercial hillclimb track that is a mirror image of my layout:
Using recommended ergonomic eye heights I found on the Web, plus a CAD model I built to check sight lines, it appears that having the hillclimb portion of the track 7" above the bottom portion should allow everyone to see both levels.
Neither the uphill or downhill portions of the track will be banked. I may camber the downhill portion a bit, but that isn't definite yet.
-- Bill
It will be 69' long, and will fit on two 4x8' tables arranged in a 4x16' configuration.
The tables (aka 'benchwork') are L-girder construction, much favored by the model railroading folks. I used 'How to Build Model Railroad Benchwork' 2nd edition as my reference and how-to guide.
The benchwork is very light, very stiff, and was easy to construct. You can find more pictures in my album.
The roadbed is going to be a combination of 'cookie-cutter' and traditional 'roadbed' type construction. I will be using 1/2" MDF as the base.
The layout design is a HO version of a commercial 1/24 scale 'Hillclimb' track. Hillclimb tracks are favored in the commercial environment because they are significantly more efficient in their use of floor space than regular tracks. Since they are also a decent design from a driving standpoint, hillclimb tracks are very popular in commercial raceways. The decreasing radius turn on the flat portion of my design is not found on normal hillclimbs. I lifted that from a commercial track design called the 'Odessa'.
I chose a hillclimb design because I *might* build a routed 1/32 scale hillclimb track someday. Hillclimb tracks are a tough type of track to build because of the elevation and visibility issues, and I thought that I would take advantage of this chance to 'practice' with plastic track first.
Here's my layout:
The normal direction of travel is 'up' the donut.
For comparison, here is a commercial hillclimb track that is a mirror image of my layout:
Using recommended ergonomic eye heights I found on the Web, plus a CAD model I built to check sight lines, it appears that having the hillclimb portion of the track 7" above the bottom portion should allow everyone to see both levels.
Neither the uphill or downhill portions of the track will be banked. I may camber the downhill portion a bit, but that isn't definite yet.
-- Bill