Before you spend a lot of money on shelving, here’s an idea for making railbed with a router for your prized or not so prized collection. I used an $89 Harbor Freight router (high end horsepower and a quarter inch bit straight.
Can also be done with a table saw and dado blade, or a blade that’ll make a min. 1/8" cut.
Hi Roger,
Yes, forgot about that. Right you are!
Incidentally, router will give you the added bonus of being able to make curved groove. I’m just learning how to use the router but I believe you can make curves with the aid of curved jigs for smooth routing.
In this manner, one could theoretically create an entire trolley system without the usage of tracks. One need only take the added step of purchasing, cutting and gluing thin copper used for roofing onto the “rails” plus a center strip for the rollers.
Not sure if you know what I’m talking about. Hope I clearly explained this.
One could also devise switches…
DAVID,
Did all mine with table saw and regular saw blade spaced 1 1/8 inches apart for the wheels.
I ran out of walls.
laz57
Laz,
Looks great! Bet you saved a ton of $$ from what it would have cost to order. (Apologies to advertisers here who are marketing these)[:D]
Hello Laz:
That’s quite a collection. I really like those shelves!
Regards,
John
I did these on the table saw with a 3/32 wide blade. the problem is after buying 6’ of 1x3 & 1x4 in a decent grade that is somewhat straight and knot free I spent almost $8. figure in labor and paint and the $10 aluminum ones are a bargain.
[:D] Isn’t it funny how it usually works out that way. At least you have the pride of ownership that goes with completing a project. They do look nice.
Regards,
John
Here is shelving that I came up with that is inexpensive, nice looking and easy to do.
The shelves are made from 1/2" MDF and cut into 3" strips. Then 1/8" masonite hardboard is cut into 1" strips and glued to the center of the boards. I rounded off the front bottom edges, but this isn’t really neccessary. The shelves can be varnished, painted or left natural. The 3" MDF are flexible and must be supported every 18" or glued to a backboard. The wheels then straddle the 1" strips and keep the cars in place. I find that it is easier and faster to place the cars on this shelving than it is to try and fit the wheel flanges into grooves.
Laz,
What’s more impressive is that you didn’t run out of trains. Thank you all for these ideas. It sure beats the heck out of trying to pack and unpack if you don’t have sidings to keep engines and cars close at hand.
Jack
Jack
GIZ, Thanks for the kudos.
JACK, whatever blows my dress up that nite, I end up running. [;)] Like different stuff every so often. I figured why have sidings? I can cram more junk into those places.
laz57
Laz,
I am accumulating ideas for a layout, albeit smaller. Some stellar “smaller layout” threads on this forum and the pics are encouraging. I won’t have a lot of room for sidings if I want to maximize running footage, landscaping, buildings, perhaps some level differentiation, and the like. So convenient and safe engine and car storage near the layout will be a hot button for me. Better to have a punch list before I start than to look back and wish I had…
Jack
JACK let me know if you want demensions of the shelves? Very easy to make.
laz57
Great pics guys, thanks for sharing your pics and ideas! Dave, very interesting idea on your homemade superstreets idea.
Thanks, Laz. The dimensions would be very helpful. I would have gone the “track on piece if wood” approach without this thread. For display purposes that may be preferable. But for functionality and ease/quickness of train transfer, the router approach would be better for me. While each of us has our favorites, this easy access would encourage me to use all of my trains.
Like another poster who spent about a year in the planning stages, I am reading a lot to get ideas for a smaller permanent layout, first one in about 35 years, and my father built that one 20 years before that. Like the Sundance Kid told Butch, I just don’t want to get there and find out it stinks.
Sidings would be ideal, but for me and my space limitations, the board space would be better used for running footage, landscaping, and “scenes” including buildings. The pics folks post of their layouts are inspiring. The construction photos even more so because they provide the ideas, techniques, and materials that will eliminate huge mistakes on my part.
Jack
David, I like your approach! Interestingly, it mimincs some early rail systems which put the flange on the rail rather than the wheel.