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How To Create Support & Protection For Portable Layout
Dan asks readers this question:
“I am currently putting together my first portable layout to display on Canada Day. I am using two 2×8 foot pieces of 2″ styrofoam SM as the layout surface which will run two separate oval tracks. My current struggle is designing a frame that the styrofoam will sit inside of and hold all together plus provide a No Touch zone and derail barrier. I do not plan on adding legs at this stage as time is limited. I will be setting it up on some fold out tables at our town hall.”
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One option would be to have six 1×6 boards – two at 8 foot each and four at 2 feet each. These are to stand on edge around the foam. Attach these to each other using 6 hinges. Four hinges would go inside the corners. The other two would go on the outside where the two foot pieces meet. When the foam is lifted out, the frame can then fold together; when the foam is inserted, the frame keeps the foam together. The support tables would need to be long enough to support not only the 8 foot foam, but also the frame on each end.
For a no touch zone you could add 6 to 12 inches of Plexiglas to the top edge of the frame by either screwing it into the sides or cutting a kerf into the top edge of the boards deep enough to hold onto the Plexiglas.
If at some time you want to attach legs to the frame, you’ll need to add some kind of shoulder or ledge to the bottom of the frame to keep the foam from falling out the bottom. That shoulder would be limited to the end pieces and the middle section of the 8 foot pieces so that the shoulders don’t prevent the frame from folding together. (The legs would attach to the outside of the frame.)
Here is my portable show layout. I did not use styrofoam. It is comprised of four modules that sit on two 8 foot folding tables. The two long modules clip together one on top of the other and are light enough for one man, a 76 year old man, me, to carry them easily. Power for the tracks is automatically connected when the modules are clipped together, no plugs, sockets or wires. All of the buildings are packed in a box for transportation.
The picture is an early version of the layout, I have many more building for it now. I run two and three rail, AC, DC and Digital on it.