Building Benchwork

January 18, 2012

Tom a keen member of the online model train club shares his idea:

These are a couple ways to build a sturdy but light platform for my S gauge layout. If you buy standard metal wall studs at the home center, say 10 ft. long, use these as the main outside and inside horizontal supports. You can put standard wood 1×4′s between the metal studs for leg support.

For the decking, take a hint from the Aluminum patio enclosure people. The roof sections they use are 4inch foam with thin sheets of aluminum sheets glued to top and bottom. Incredible strength. In the railroad application, use 2 inch or 4 inch blue or pink foam board and sandwich between thin sheets of plywood. You can glue more foam board on the top for the landscape.