For those new to model railroading, I have used a title most of us used when playing with toy trains as a child. Where I grew up, we put our trains on a “platform.” In model railroading, benchwork is the base (and the supporting structure such as table legs) upon which the track, scenery, and structures are placed. The inspiration for this railroad’s benchwork came from “N Scale Model Railroad That Grows” by Kent Wood and Ric LaBan (Kalmbach Publishing Co., 1996). I was looking for a light weight layout that could be moved easily because it would occupy a portion of our home’s “bonus room.” It needed to be easy to lift and carry to the attic when not under construction or being used by our grandchildren. Wood’s and LaBan’s benchwork met these requirements. I considered other alternatives. In the model RR club of which I am a member, some have built railroads on hollow core doors. These are obviously sturdy and are also light weight when compared to 3/4″ plywood of similar dimensions. Other books have suggested using styrofoam insulation used for home construction. Some suggest using 2″ thick sheets and others suggest gluing 2 such sheets together. Wood and LaBan construct their benchwork out of foam core. I rejected the hollow door alternative because I believed it would be too narrow. A standard 30″-wide door appeared to me to force a short turning radius for the curved track and thus perhaps restrict the use of longer rolling stock such as container cars and the more lengthy box cars. The styrofoam insulation appeared very interesting but I had trouble finding thicker sheets here in southern Virginia that are suggested by some authors (2″ – 4″). Moreover, styrofoam would require the purchase of a foam cutting tool that appeared rather expensive and would take some experience to use effectively when cutting valleys, stream beds, or building mountains. Thus, foam core appeared to meet my needs the best. I won’t repeat here the construction techniques Wood and LaBan describe. Their book is filled with many important suggestions and building techniques beyond the specifics of the model railroad they suggest the reader attempt to build. For these reasons, IMHO it is a very worthwhile purchase. That said, here are some challenges I had to meet in order to follow their suggestions. First, they suggest using 1/2″ thick foam core, 40″ x 60″ in width and length. I could only find 3/16″ sheets in the correct dimensions. They suggest that if this thickness is the only available, glue two such sheets together. I did, using 3M’s “Super 77 Multipurpose Adhesive.” Second, Gluing the sheets together with this adhesive was a bit tricky. Once applied to the foam core in accordance with the product’s directions, it acts like contact cement; when two surfaces TOUCH each other, they are bound together forever. So gluing two 40″ x 60″ sheets together required two people working together very slowly and carefully to get the sheets aligned exactly before the tacky surfaces touched. Other than that, building the benchwork was as easy as they accurately describe. In the photographs included in the “Track” category here, you will see the result. Am I pleased with the result? Yes, it was simple to build and is very light weight. I have one reservation. Because it is very light weight, when lifted at the four corners the whole layout flexes. I am concerned that when I try to move it any distance, the flexing will cause the scenery constructed on the surface to crack, break, and perhaps fall off. So far this has not happened, but I have not moved the layout any distance. When I build my next railroad, I will glue three sheets of 3/16″ foam core together. Perhaps this will substantially reduce the flexing.
