I’m starting a new lightweight layout and am thinking of using ceiling tiles as the base, mounted on a 1" x 4" framework with cross pieces every 2 feet. On top of this will be 1"x2" straps and the ceiling tiles will be stapled upside down to give a uniform flat rough finish to the base. Track will be laid on top of a standard corkbed glued to the tiles.
Also, I have to plan on some reverse curves. They will be 30" radius with a 12" straight section between them. Will that be OK for my longest passenger cars which will be about 11" long?
Has anyone had experience or advice for this kind of layout method?
Your base sound ok and very similar to taht of using foam over open frame base, which is what I did.
The only problem I may see is if you add glue to the backside {fiberous side} of ceiling tile or even wet paint you may have expansion issues of the tiles fiberous material, whereas extruded foam {blue from Lowes, Pink from Home Depot} won’t expand and warp like that.
As for the length of train a certain reversing loop can handle i don’t know, I don’t do reversing loops and don;t know if there is a calculator available for that …but an 11 INCH train {as you have it listed there} is fairly SHORT in any scale, even Z scale. Do you mean an 11 FOOT Train?
I would use foam instead of ceiling tiles. I think it’s lighter and the foam pieces are bigger so you have fewer joints. Also ceiling tile tends to be dusty and to easily crumble around the edges. I also think humidity could be a problem with ceiling tiles.
Yes, your 12" between the reverse curves (usually called S curves) will be fine for 11" cars. The rule of thumb is to be longer than your longest car.
I think you’re asking for big trouble using ceiling tile…any kind of moisture, humidity, or liquid spills and it will lose its shape and integrity. Expansion, contraction, crumbling, bending. Yikes!!
I suggest 2" foam. Impervious basically, and lighter and stronger.
Also have you considered that any advantage in weight (or cost for that matter) with tile will be more than offset by the weight and cost of all those cross-braces?
Personally, I use 5/8" rough plywood that can be cut into any undulating curved shape and cut in undulating river and harbor banks. I used a shallow pull-out drawer for a sawmill pond, to allow for reaching distant track. My 24’x24’garage loft HO scale,(around the room layout. with an inside stairway, is supported by four old three-drawer dressers and 2"x4" supports to 1"x3" 24" square box framework,(that is drilled for wiring inserts. I use reinforced plywood arcs to build large mountains, with heavy screen wire covered with plaster cloth and either Sculptmold or Hydrocal plaster, (drilled for implanting skewer tree trunks, that are spray painted, and scraps of 2" foam insulation board for little mounds. The fascia is made of Luan sheets, that is flexible and sturdy enough to implant electronic controls. Forget the idea of using ceiling tiles. It crumbles and is not strong enough to support elbow pressure. I use “Smooth” Hydrocal plaster for river bottoms and roadways. I assume that you are planning on HO scale. Post a scale diagram of the room, showing all obstcles. windows, doors, etc. In order to Post photos on the Forum, you must use Photobucket as a Host. If you do not know how to Post, we would be glad to explain. Click on photos to enlarge them. Bob Hahn
If you’ve ever seen the ceiling in a building where the roof leaks, you’d understand all of the advice leaning towards using foam insulation. Remember, when you ballast your track, add scenery, etc., you’ll be wetting it over and over again.
