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Benchwork, Styrafoam, and Wiring
Mark is planning a DCC layout and wants to hear from anyone who has DCC and layout building experience:
“I am re-entering the hobby after a few years. I am going DCC, and looking at using foam rather than plaster – better for the system. What I don’t understand is the use of foam and wiring through it. Should I put down a plywood base, then add 2″ of foam? How do you anchor the risers on top of all of this, and how difficult is it to run wiring through the foam?”
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3 Responses to Benchwork, Styrafoam, and Wiring
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What follows is my personal preference:
I use a 1/2″ plywood base and put the foam insulation board on top of that. Be careful to use extruded foam insulation rather than styrofoam. Styrofoam has small beads that will find their way into locomotive mechanisms!
I’ve used two methods of mounting the sub-roadbed; working from a plan, I’ve used plywood sub-roadbed mounted on vertical 1x3s to get elevation.
I’ve also used 2″ foam board cut roughly to shape and glued on edge to create terrain. Once that is mounted, I cut roadbed out of the foam terrain, much like a prototype railroad did in hilly terrain. This is actually a little more realistic because the road follows terrain and bridges and trestles have to be built to fit.
Wiring through 2″ foam is pretty easy, I bought long bits (6″) in 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4 sizes. I drill from the top down. Find a soda straw that’s roughly the diameter of your hole and insert it down through the foam. Run your wire down through the straw, then remove the straw.
Hope this helps.
Thanks, Fire Ken! Have appreciated this and other informed responses you’ve given.
Randy,I toured your Michigan Central drunig last June’s River Rail , and was very impressed with your benchwork and concept. Have you got much track installed yet?May I forward your contact information to another MC (actually CASO) modeler? His name is Jim Yaworsky he’s a lawyer in Windsor, Ont. Both of you have Windsor and Detroit in your staging yards. He’s modeling the Canada Southern across southern Ontario. As I recall, you are modeling the Michigan Central west from Detroit. You two should hit it off pretty good. As a fellow New York Central modeler, I’d like to listen in on your exchanges, if you’d permit.Have fun.Ralph Schiring Omaha