# Help with Christmas layout roadbed



## FFCobra (Oct 20, 2008)

Last year I put up a 60' x 60' layout in the front yard. It was a real simple design; just two main lines. Under the track I used 2" x 2" wood cut to 36". To level it out side-to-side I just used scrap wood and shimmed it up. It worked good, but I had to check it almost every day. I'm sure there must be better ways. Are there any other cheap and easy ways to lay track for a few months?

I have to set this up by myself in a couple of days, so I don't have time to do a lot of construction. So whatever I use has to be simple. I was thinking PVC pipe somehow? Or maybe using 1" x 4" wood to run under the track? 

This year I plan on running 3 main lines around the outside and maybe an end to end line with a reversing unit.

Of course any ideas for layout design would be appreciated.

Here are a couple of pictures from last year.

http://www.peirspeed.com/trains/IMG_8339.jpg
http://www.peirspeed.com/trains/IMG_8337.jpg
http://www.peirspeed.com/trains/IMG_8385.jpg
http://www.peirspeed.com/trains/IMG_8339.jpg

Thanks,

Bill


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## Bighurt (Sep 15, 2009)

I think the search function is working now, a lot of threads in this forum about ladder roadbed and PVC roadbed in general. If not the last 5 pages have a pletehra of info. 

As for the layout i think its a great idea but you must have a lot of trust for you neighbors, I wouldn't think of leaving a layout in the front yard. Now a locked storage barn is a different question. 

Beautiful house BTW...Kids or Grandkids?


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## FFCobra (Oct 20, 2008)

Posted By Bighurt on 22 Oct 2009 06:31 PM 
I think the search function is working now, a lot of threads in this forum about ladder roadbed and PVC roadbed in general. If not the last 5 pages have a pletehra of info. 

As for the layout i think its a great idea but you must have a lot of trust for you neighbors, I wouldn't think of leaving a layout in the front yard. Now a locked storage barn is a different question. 

Beautiful house BTW...Kids or Grandkids? Thanks for the tips. I did a search and its confusing, but I'll give it another try. I did a search for "ladder roadbed" and nothing comes up. What is a ladder roadbed?

It's my kids. They LOVE trains. My son had a g-scale running around the top of his room before he was 2. 

We pick up all the cars each night and take them inside. And we only run the trains from 4 PM to 9 PM each day. 

Thanks,

Bill


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## Bighurt (Sep 15, 2009)

Well my oldest is almost 3 so I better get on that around the room layout...although I need to finish my own first...LOL

It takes a lot of work to move the trains like that, I myself am working on a solution, nothing to report.

Ladder roadbed is a unique and better eplained in a defined article;

http://www.donet.com/~paulrace/trai...adder1.htm

Most of the example is semi perminant but I'm inclined to think it could just as easily be a temp setup at least for the season of Xmas.

Best of Luck!

Jeremy


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