Comments on: How to lower your train accessories into your table

By: Mike M.

Mike M. — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 03:08:09 +0000

Low tech works too. Draw the outline for the indentation, drill a hole within that perimeter. Cut with a keyhole saw ($6 at Home Depot, or check grampa’s toolbox) starting from the hole you just drilled. Clean up the edges with a flat file.

I like that you flip the bit cut out to make your platform. Definitely a frugal solution. I would be hunting for some fresh bit of scrap to do the job.

By: Dave Farquhar

Dave Farquhar — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 21:40:32 +0000

In reply to John Dominik. There's a lot of elaborate work being done with foam, for certain. I use traditional materials because I'm not after that ultra-realistic look, but it sounds like he did something similar to what I've done with painted Masonite panels for my scenery. My wiring does its job, but there's nothing pretty about it.

By: John Dominik

John Dominik — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 17:49:39 +0000

I remember seeing a train set when I was much younger that was pretty elaborate (=most of the basement devoted to it). The guy started with 2’x2’x1/2″ plywood panels that were actually about 1/8″ undersized. He would start out with that brown kraft paper (find it in the paint department) and lay out his tracks, streets, buildings, trees, lighting, all the rest. Then he’d glue it (using contact cement) to the top of at least 1″ thick open-cell styrofoam. He’d cut the styrofoam slightly oversized and then angled the edges back about 15 degrees or so. He’d dig down into the stryrofoam to get everything level, then he’d use a pencil or narrow metal rods to poke holes through the foam and run the wires on the bottom of the foam. Everything would run back to the center of the board, where there was a hole. He used a standard connector (he was an electrical engineer by trade), and each panel plugged into a pretty elaborate (he was an electrical engineer) control panel – each panel had something like 32 connectors (old ribbon cables), and on a standard panel, he could run six separate track circuits and eight different light circuits – plus room for expansion. He used a couple of 3″ bolts about 2″ from each corner for legs, and put handles on the bottom so he could remove ’em when he needed. If he wanted to go back and re-work a section, he could just remove the section – the only thing holding it down was weight.