# Track alternative in train shed?



## Alan Prichard (Dec 27, 2007)

I just built a train shed for my rolling stock and would rather avoid the $400+ to fill it with standard track. No power requirement since the locos will be backing the cars in. I’m thinking maybe a couple sheets of plywood with cut grooves for the wheels. Anyone try this? Or better idea?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The issue with the grooves is you should treat them with penetrating stain, since water will collect... also perhaps drain holes every so often.

Plastic track might be inexpensive enough.

That said, my storage cabinets are 3/4" plywood shelves with grooves for the cars. The issue might be if you use switches, they would have to be external, or routed down into the wood.

how many feet of track? You can buy the bachmann plastic track pretty cheap on the used market.


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## Alan Prichard (Dec 27, 2007)

I’ll check into the plastic track, I didn’t know that was a thing. Water not an issue, the shed is in a carport with switches outside of the shed.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Then I would be tempted to route the grooves in the plywood... these have been out in the weather quite a few years, in the rain, but not much rain in San Diego


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## Rail_Master4501 (10 mo ago)

Any cheap Christmas tree track would work. Most companies make their plastic track to 45mm. Bachmann steal track might be worth it too since it is fairly cheap.


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## Andrew_au (Jul 27, 2021)

When you do grooves like this, are they set up like actual track (the wheels rest on the baseboard, and the flanges run free in the grooves for guidance), or do the flanges rest on the bottom of the groove?

How far apart do you space the centreline of the grooves?


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Andrew_au said:


> When you do grooves like this, are they set up like actual track (the wheels rest on the baseboard, and the flanges run free in the grooves for guidance), or do the flanges rest on the bottom of the groove?


Doesn't matter - as long as the grooves keep the wheels where you want them to be.


> How far apart do you space the centreline of the grooves?


It depends what is being stored. Measure your widest piece of rolling stock and add 1".

Another alternative is to use one or two strips of wood as rails. Two thin strips glued/nailed 1.75" apart saves you finding straight track, and alternatively, use a 1.5" wide strip of wood and put it in the center of where you want the cars to be, between the flanges.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

On the unit pictured, I cut the grooves to match the back to back standard with a bit narrower, groove width was wide enough to handle thick flanges.

All my rolling stock is properly gauged at 1.575" back to back, so i did not need wide grooves. 

The depth of the grooves is enough to keep the rolling stock there, but making them super deep might weaken the plywood, and no reason to make them so deep to take the "pizza cutter" deep flanges.

If your wood is consistent, whether the cars roll on the tread or the flanges makes little difference in practice. At the transition to real track, yes make the grooves deep enough to handle your flanges.

Greg


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## kottkampjames4 (5 mo ago)

About 10 years ago I created a train shed underneath a house addition. It's 10 feet long and 4 feet wide... 6 tracks holding 8 cars each. I nailed 1/4 square wood strips down on top of the plywood floor using a piece of track to get the proper width between rails. I have not had any problems with it at all since constructed.


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## Exador (Jan 24, 2020)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Then I would be tempted to route the grooves in the plywood... these have been out in the weather quite a few years, in the rain, but not much rain in San Diego


Greg, that's a darn sweet setup. Have you ever considered wearherstripping?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

have not needed to yet, I have latches and the doors fit tightly, I might weatherstrip them, but then I need to have some way for moisture to escape, and would need to put vents between the shelves and one at top and one below.

So far if there is a violent rainstorm, I put a plastic bin or sheet over the top, and open and dry the next day. Living in Sandy Eggo, too much rain is not an issue.

After maybe 8 years, they are still good, good stain, glue and screws. Remember it is 3/4" ply, or what 5/64" less than that? (miss the days when 3/4" was 0.75")

Greg

p.s. the short one take 21 50' cars, the long ones take 21 40' and 7 tank cars. I made a long one that takes 80' cars.


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## Dansgscale (Jan 9, 2010)

I noticed that the plywood cabinet is 7 ply plywood of very good quality. These days about the only plywood you xan get is 5 ply plywood in so called 3/4" which really is 1/16" less than 3/4" at your big box store and you likely to spend close to $80,00 a sheet. If you want to use good 7 or 9 plywood plywood, you going to have to go to a speciality wood shop to get it and be ready to spend $110.00 or more a sheet. God i miss when I could get 3/4 Baltic birch plywood for $42.00 a sheet. Instead of going to the trouble of routing groves in the plywood which might cause a drain issue, just cut strips of 5/16" thick basswood or popular 1/2" wide and use a Brad nailer and tack them to the plywood to use as rails. Would be a whole lot easier to do than trying to rout out groves and get them perfectly spaced apart. I use this method to make display shelf for my 1:20.3 equipment and work just fine. Dan

Colorado & Rio Grande Southern


Http://www.danstrains.net


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

This works great for me. I just tack it to any plywood floor. 6ft, $1.77









1/4 in. x 1-1/2 in. x 6 ft. Pressure Treated Pine Lath 0101850 - The Home Depot


Every piece meets the highest grading standards for strength and appearance. This lumber is pressure treated with micronized copper azole in order to protect it from termites, fungal decay and rot. Ideal



www.homedepot.com


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That plywood was from Home Depot, but a few years back, AC. (one side A the other C)

I routed all the shelves very quickly, did them all at once, on a small Ryobi table saw. and it's easy to clean the shelves since there are no "corners", so a sweep with a broom or swiffer duster.

so I routed all the outer grooves on each shelf, 1 setting 2 passes per shelf. Then set for the other rail on the outer tracks, again 2 passes each shelf, then set one rail for the center track, and again 2 passes each shelf.

3 different settings on the table saw, each shelf 2 passes with each setting. Took much less time than nailing 21 strips down.

To each his own, this was the first project I ever did with a table saw. Nothing to rust or come loose. Years later looks as if I just built them.

Greg


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