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2/14/23 - I finished the framing of the O gauge bench work. This monstrosity........I mean engineering feat of modern construction actually has a purpose. I will be constructing a double track curved trestle at some point. I wanted to provide a low base for the bottom support. Looking back I'm sure I could have come up with an easier way to build this instead of angling all of the framing. However, it will serve the purpose and eventually be covered up.

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I also installed the the pipe hangers for the wiring. Well, I installed most of them until I ran out. Not sure how I miss counted by 13. Oh well, I'm sure I will be back to Home Depot someday.

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3/24/23 - The roadbed for the O gauge track has been cut out. I posted another thread on the Forum asking for other member's opinions on how to make the roadbed since this type of construction is new to me. I got a lot of good information. I ultimately decided to cut the roadbed out of 1/2" birch plywood, following the curves and straights of the layout of the track.

I drew the layout of the roadbed on CAD. I then broke it up into sections where I thought it would lay out the most efficiently on the plywood sheets.

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Then on the computer I took those sections and fit them together on 4'x8' sheets of plywood, arranging them for the best fit and minimizing plywood waste. It worked out that I need four sheets of plywood. Here is a drawing one of the layouts.

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Next, I printed out full size drawings of the plywood layouts. I then cut out each paper piece of roadbed. These paper patterns were laid on top of the plywood sheets and traced with a marker.

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Then it was time to fire up the jig saw. It did take a while to get all the pieces cut out. The roadbed sections were taken downstairs and laid on top of the L-girder benchwork. It took some maneuvering to get everything correctly in place. I still have to do some minor trimming and also add some additional joists where needed.

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Next will be the splices for the roadbed sections and the installation of the riser supports.

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Last edited by NJCJOE
@NJCJOE posted:

3/24/23 - The roadbed for the O gauge track has been cut out. I posted another thread on the Forum asking for other member's opinions on how to make the roadbed since this type of construction is new to me. I got a lot of good information. I ultimately decided to cut the roadbed out of birch plywood, following the curves and straights of the layout of the track.

I drew the layout of the roadbed on CAD. I then broke it up into sections where I thought it would lay out the most efficiently on the plywood sheets.

20230312_161508

Then on the computer I took those sections and fit them together on 4'x8' sheets of plywood, arranging them for the best fit and minimizing plywood waste. It worked out that I need four sheets of plywood. Here is a drawing one of the layouts.

20230312_161424

Next, I printed out full size drawings of the plywood layouts. I then cut out each paper piece of roadbed. These paper patterns were laid on top of the plywood sheets and traced with a marker.

20230312_162327

20230312_16190320230312_16182920230312_16175920230312_161726

Then it was time to fire up the jig saw. It did take a while to get all the pieces cut out. The roadbed sections were taken downstairs and laid on top of the L-girder benchwork. It took some maneuvering to get everything correctly in place. I still have to do some minor trimming and also add some additional joists where needed.

20230320_19184520230320_19183320230318_19104620230320_19180120230320_19181220230320_19182020230320_191742

Next will be the splices for the roadbed sections and the installation of the riser supports.

Wow Joe you’re a one man engineering firm. Very impressive.

Jay

@mike g. posted:

fringe benefits from work! Very cool!

I guess I if needed I could always go to the local printing shop and have them do it! Thanks for the information.

@NJCJOE- great work on the roadbed. A little time spent in CAD saves a lot of time in the shop (and a lot of wasted plywood). I have a 36" wide format printer in my office too. It's only B&W though so I can't print my backdrops on it.

Bob

@NJCJOE posted:

3/24/23 - The roadbed for the O gauge track has been cut out. I posted another thread on the Forum asking for other member's opinions on how to make the roadbed since this type of construction is new to me. I got a lot of good information. I ultimately decided to cut the roadbed out of birch plywood, following the curves and straights of the layout of the track.

I drew the layout of the roadbed on CAD. I then broke it up into sections where I thought it would lay out the most efficiently on the plywood sheets.

20230312_161508

Then on the computer I took those sections and fit them together on 4'x8' sheets of plywood, arranging them for the best fit and minimizing plywood waste. It worked out that I need four sheets of plywood. Here is a drawing one of the layouts.

20230312_161424

Next, I printed out full size drawings of the plywood layouts. I then cut out each paper piece of roadbed. These paper patterns were laid on top of the plywood sheets and traced with a marker.

20230312_162327

20230312_161903

Then it was time to fire up the jig saw. It did take a while to get all the pieces cut out. The roadbed sections were taken downstairs and laid on top of the L-girder benchwork. It took some maneuvering to get everything correctly in place. I still have to do some minor trimming and also add some additional joists where needed.

20230320_19184520230320_191833

Next will be the splices for the roadbed sections and the installation of the riser supports.

Impressive!!!!!

Peter

@NJCJOE posted:

3/24/23 - The roadbed for the O gauge track has been cut out. I posted another thread on the Forum asking for other member's opinions on how to make the roadbed since this type of construction is new to me. I got a lot of good information. I ultimately decided to cut the roadbed out of birch plywood, following the curves and straights of the layout of the track.

I drew the layout of the roadbed on CAD. I then broke it up into sections where I thought it would lay out the most efficiently on the plywood sheets.

20230312_161508

Then on the computer I took those sections and fit them together on 4'x8' sheets of plywood, arranging them for the best fit and minimizing plywood waste. It worked out that I need four sheets of plywood. Here is a drawing one of the layouts.

20230312_161424

Next, I printed out full size drawings of the plywood layouts. I then cut out each paper piece of roadbed. These paper patterns were laid on top of the plywood sheets and traced with a marker.

20230312_16232720230312_161759

Then it was time to fire up the jig saw. It did take a while to get all the pieces cut out. The roadbed sections were taken downstairs and laid on top of the L-girder benchwork. It took some maneuvering to get everything correctly in place. I still have to do some minor trimming and also add some additional joists where needed.20230320_191833

Next will be the splices for the roadbed sections and the installation of the riser supports.

Now THAT is how you build model railroad benchwork! 

You should submit this as an article in OGR.  You've already written most of the text and have great pictures.  It would be a service to your fellow modelers, and you'd make a few hundred bucks.

05/07/23 - The O gauge roadbed installation is complete. It was more work than I had anticipated. A lot of checking and re-checking levels to get everything right. I have a few small grades going from one end of the layout to the other. I was able to keep the maximum grade at around 1-3/4%, most is closer to 1%. I was amazed at how many roadbed splices and risers I need to cut. Here are some of them.

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Once all the sub-roadbed was in place, I covered it with the foam roadbed a lot of the modelers get from the gentlemen on Ebay. The stuff is great. So easy to work with. I did find cutting the section down the middle for the curves made it easier to lay down. This was attached to the plywood sub-roadbed with white glue.

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I'm sure a lot of you have been following corsair29's layout build and deconstruction thread here on the Forum.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...tructon-update4-7-13

Steve is a friend of mine and I had always admired his double track curved trestle he had on his layout. I spent a lot of time over the years studying the trestle and taking pictures of it. When it came time to design my layout, I had decided to incorporate a similar type trestle. So, at the end of one of my islands I left a depressed area for this future structure.

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Well, Steve has started dismantling his layout for a future move. He graciously offered the trestle to me for use on my layout. After  a lot of measuring and tweaking of my layout design, I was finally able to get Steve's trestle to fit my benchwork. I am so excited to have this as part of my layout. Steve and his brother did an amazing job building this structure and I'm honored that it can continue to have trains running across it. Thanks my friend.

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Next up is track laying.

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@NJCJOE posted:

I was amazed at how many roadbed splices and risers I need to cut.

Next up is track laying.

Isn't it amazing how the time to do a planned project expands exponentially!

Well done, Joe.......really exceptional. The fact that you could fit in Steve's trestle is really great.... Steve's layout will live on in yours! Very, very, cool!

Good to see you at York.

Peter

Last edited by Putnam Division

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