I am planning a new N-guage layout and am thinking of using foamboard for the surface. There are many different foamboards and I’m considering Extruded Polystyrene (EXP) in a 2" thickness (pink, blue, green, color doesn’t matter). The overall size will be 6’ x 8’ done in 2 - 3’ x 8’ modules so it’ll be easier to work. Each module will have 1" x 4" outer framing with 1" x 3" interior framing making up 1 1/2’ x 2’ squares. Based on 1 1/2’ x 2’ squares can I get away with thinner foam, or should I stick with 2"? Also, living in central Florida I haven’t been able to find the board. Are Lowe’s and Home Depot the usual retailers? Thanks for any help you can give me.
Up north here in Michigan that type of extruded polystyrene foamboard can be found at places like Home Depot and Lowes. Down South in Florida where the weather is warmer for more months in the year it might be less available. Some 2" foam is harder than others since it is meant to be walked upon during construction.
With the 2" thick foam in N Scale you will be able to use a Woodland Scenics foam knife to carve realistic scenery shapes below the track level. Then you can fill the features in with any realistic looking material.
Andrew
See if they can special order it for you. It works well I think. I have 2 layers of the 2 inch on top of a simple 2x4/1x4 framework of 3’ x 7’
I just ordered pruchased four sheets of 2 inch foam board. I tried going through LOWES and Home Depot, but they had minimum orders of 11 sheets or more, and they were selling it at $53 each. But talk to the people at the pro desk. They know the local distributors, and can probably hook you up with one that will be able to order a smaller quantity. Good Luck. By the way, I got mine for $35 a sheet.
In mild-winter areas (at least, areas that are usually mild-winter), it will be nearly impossible to find foamboard at Home Depot or Lowes. You’ll need to locate an insulation distributor or dealer who sells to the building trade.
Dealer finder info for pink and blue foam: Finding pink and blue foam
I just did this for my stepfather before he switched back to HO scale. I’d suggest you go with the 2" board and even with that you are not going to get a perfectly flat surface. The thinner foam will have less ridigty to it. If you want to go with a thinner 1" foam then you might want to plan to have a very thin layer of plywood below it to stiffen things up.
While the 2" board is nice for scenery there is aproblem if you are going to go with undertable mounted switches. The board is two thick so your have to gouge out the bottom to get the switches installed.
Both Lowes and Home Depot carry the stuuf 9each with a different brand) and i saw someone mentioning they had to order a bundle and that they were $53 a sheet. Can speak for Florida but up here in NY they are a stock item take as many or as few as you want and they aren’t $53 a sheet.
My HO 20’ x 23’ walk in layout is built on 2" thick sections on top of 1x4 frames with two cross member 1x4s spaced an equadistance apart. The 2’ x 8’ sections are held togeather with two carriage bolts on the ends and four carriage bolts on the 8’ side. I also have dowl pins between the sections for allignment. I have learned that there may be some taper to the edges that are not reallyl noticible unless you are looking for them. The foam boards are glued to the top of the 1x4 frames with Liquid Nails for Foamboard. Now called Liquid Nails for Projects.
As for switches I cut out a 4" square of foam all the way through where the switch points are going to be according to plan and glue a piece of 4" x 4" MDF 3/4" using the same Liquid Nails and then I use Tortise switch machines on the underside. The difference in sound between trains running on the foam board and over the MSD squares is negligible after installing the foam WS roadbed and ballast. Since I model the NYC which is known as the “Water Level Route” a big flat expanse is not necessarily a bad thing. Only in one spot did I need to go more than 2" below the surface for the Mad River crossing in Ohio. I dropped the 1x4 frame down another 2" thickness under the top sheet and reinforced the frame.
My intent was to make the layout transportable (not portable) as I spent many years in the Air Force and my layouts generally went around the world with me, so I have placed no turnouts on the joints where the sections join. Not a problem if you are in the design stage and work around it.
Paul
Dayton and Mad River RR
Thanks, Paul, the way you did your layout reinforces what I’ve been thinking.
Mine will be suspended from the garage ceiling on a double pulley system, so weight is a factor (100 pound max). There will be four lift points wth eye bolts going thru the layout to 2 temporary 1x4’s underneath so the entire layout is lifted and the weight is evenly supported and distributed. The lift points make a 4 x 6 square for a 6 x 8 board.
Thanks for your answer and thanks for your service to the Country. I retired from the US Army Reserve after 29 years, and although I didn’t have the amount of active duty that you had I’m still proud to have served.
John