[barnmichael]

I want to set up an indoor streetcar line. Just a simple single track running along the wall with a reversing unit so it just goes from one end to the other, waits a while, then goes back. It will go around three walls and have two corners. I was thinking just some 3/4 x 4 boards on shelf brackets and mounting the track on that. It will be 7-8 feet high, so the roadbed won't be seen. My question is, should I run the board right against the wall, or have it an inch or so away from the wall? I was thinking of using six inch shelf brackets, then mounting the boards at the ends of the shelf brackets, giving them about an inch and a half from the wall. Then I would mount the track with the ends of the ties aligned to the outer edge of the boards.

Does that sound reasonable?

 

[rgolding]

Sure it does. It will stick out quite a bit on the radius of the corners.

 

[Stan Cedarleaf]

Posted By barnmichael on 09/06/2008 11:55 PM
I was thinking of using six inch shelf brackets, then mounting the boards at the ends of the shelf brackets, giving them about an inch and a half from the wall. Then I would mount the track with the ends of the ties aligned to the outer edge of the boards.
Does that sound reasonable?


Yup, I would agree with Ric, Michael. The 6 inch brackets will work nicely. That way you shouldn't have any problem with clearance on the corners running in either directions. The overhang of the trolley shouldn't be a lot but you certainly don't want it scraping the wall as it turns.

One other factor you might consider would be to use a "sound deadning" material under the ties. Even the noise of the lightweight trolley could transfer from track to the 1x4's to the brackets to the wall and become a source for annoyance......

However, you'll enjoy it running back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and back and forth........

Well, you get the idea.. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif

 

[barnmichael]

Thanks for the tip, Stan. I hadn't thought too much about that. Maybe use some 1 inch blue Styrofoam insulation for a roadbed? Cut it at an angle on the sides and paint or otherwise coat the edge to a dark color. Should work okay.

 

[Guest]

i would like to suggest an additional inch of width from the wall.
just in case that you one day might think about a "background" of housefronts and half trees and the like.

 

[stanman]

Yes! I'm really glad I left an extra inch or so of space next to the wall. It's allowed me to add several facades - such as this one:

 

[Bill4373]

sound deading, you could use homosote, comes in 1/2" and is gray (made of old newspapers)

 

[vsmith]

When I had my short lived ceiling layout, I simply used felt or foam rubber, about 1/4" thick under the track. Your biggest noise though will be from the metal wheels rolling on metal track.

I also agree, keep it away from the wall, I used no less than a 1x8 shelf so like Stan, I could place facades along the way.