I don’t have the RR-Tracks program or templates. I just lay the track and see how it fits together, I cut to fit where needed, use both GarGraves and Lionel tubular O and 027.
I have a second level, cut four 2 X 4’s about 18 inches long, drilled holes in the tops and bottoms of the 2 X 4’s, drilled holes in the plywood and mounted the upper level plywood to the 2 X 4’s with # 6 wood screws about one & a half inches long. Covered the 2 X 4’s with green mat paper like the rest of my layout, 2 X 4’s not as noticeable, run wires up the 2 X 4’s for the upper level wiring.
Not that I ever did anything like that, but a “friend” forgot that he had a Williams RF-16 Shark sitting on a hidden holding track when he switched from conventional mode to TMCC and put 18 volts on track… you can imagine the rest. The RF-16 catapulted from the tunnel, was badly gashed and its nose cracked and there wasn’t too much left of the scenery (including a freight house) sitting on the outside of the 042 curve from the tunnel. A quick body swap with the undamaged dummy (engine, not operator) solved the problem.
My track is now several inches away from all table edges. And I no longer have raised track sections because I was finding the need to add guard rails…
FROM EXPERIENCE: I have to agree with Frank53. Check the clearance between the outside rail and the benchwork table side AND the clearance between the individual track lines especially on the curves. Just to be sure you have allowed enough room, run the trains on the individual lines at the same time so that you can see just how close they actually come to each other. (You will be glad you did. Trust me)
I have to agree with traindaddy1 about clearances and want to mention that you may need more clearance than what is stated in some track layout manuals as these are general clearances, sometimes a quarter inch more is needed especially when running large steam or diesel engines. Check the overhang around curved sections as that is where most problems occur, example park a 70 foot Madison on a curve and try to pass by on the other track with an SD-70, sometimes it is the front end of a diesel or steam engine that is a problem.
Here’s a good one or should I say a bad one . Do not lay your wrist down on the track while wearing a wristwatch, with spiedel metal band, with 20 vollts of TMCC juice going through it . You may get a little burn.
jimhaleyscomet I did the same dumb thing ! Only kept 1 ho engine/dummy set with a crane car and crane tender and 1 old steamer in O guage. Now I’m shopping ebay to replace some . Problem is prices skyrocketed.