I have not kept trains since I was still in school, but I am going to get an HO system running in the coming weeks for myself and boys.
First, I was going to use 3/4" plywood base and then I need to decide on using Foam, Homosote or something else on top of the plywood. I have sufficient benchwork so stability should be fine. I want to put in various elevations so what would work best with the following track I purchased?
I did buy some newer track which is the Bachmann easy track with gray roadbed. Was that a bad choice of track?
I will post other topics for some more questions I have. I am glad I found this site.
Just a sheet of 3/4" plywood with foam on top? You will be able to sculpture elevations out of the foam. The elevations will be limited to the height of the foam. To get elevations in the train track a better method is called cookie cutter. This is where a 1x4s are used to make a grid frame and the plywood is cut out just where the track will be (like a cookie cutter). Everything else is then just covered with the foam for scenry purposes.
The foam in this context is the pink or blue dense foam, not the white beady stuff.
Spacemouse will say it was a very bad choice. That is what he started with a bit over two years ago. The real problem with the track premounted on roadbed (not just EZ-track) is that it locks on into that particular brand. Then there are many fewer different type of pieces to use to create the track design.
The plan old sectional track pieces come in many more different sizes and shapes and the various brands can be mixed fairly easily. Then the final advantage is that it can be intermixed with flex-track, for those really hard to make curves.
Fortunately, if you decide to switch track is the cheapest part of the hobby.
Bachmann EZ track is just about all I use. If I need a section they don’t sell. I cut a section to fit. It’s not hard. I’ve heard many peaple say they have derailments and all kinds of problems with it. I don’t know what they’re talking about. I’ve never had any problem with it. I’ve made grades, switchbacks and all manner of different track plans with it and it works well.
Welcome to the forum. Ther are a lot of us back in the hobby the past few months. I am now back 15 months. You will get a lot of advice here, some of it of value. Foam on plywood works well. You get elevations with something like Woodland Scenics risers or something similar that is home made. If you want a lot of elevation over many feet of track, other methods will work better. Keep is posted and we will “help”. Some days is beats working on our own layouts.
Here is my definition of EZ track problems. Besides the fact that you really need to work the turnouts to get them right, and if they fail you have to pull them off the layout and fix them by unscrewing the bottom. The biggest problem is the height.
To fix it I had to raise the layout higher than the roadbed. It took 6 months to get from here:
to here:
to here.
In the meantime, 3 of the turnouts have failed and the thought of tearing up the layout to fix them is mind boggling. My plan is to rig tortoises to throw the switches.
