Building a platform with Balsa Wood in pictures

I had a go with building a platform from 2mm sheets & 3x10mm Balsa Wood sticks. For some formal recommendations regarding platforms sizes and clearance see my earlier platform article and NEM102/103 for clearances.

Pitfalls & recommendations for platform clearances

Look at the maximum play of the already very wide Minitrix BR85, a 1’E1′ heavy locomotive.

My own recommendation for clearances, if you are not running steam locs, is to run with the widest trains and in sharper curves also with the longest carriages before building. However, if you intend to run steam engines – as I found out, they may have the cylinders and drivers stick out further than anything else and then, because the manufacturer has given each axle quite some play to deal with tiny curves, the loc can stick outside even the already wide official clearance profile (about 7mm from the outside rail).

Luckily Balsa wood is easy to cut with a sharp knife so you can correct it all somewhat if you do get into trouble.

The build in pictures.

Getting to grips with 1:160 – The Beetle method.

Having never worked much before in N Scale I found myself looking up clearances for tunnels, platform heights.. but also discover many ‘N’ products are not so ‘N’ after all, so how to get it a bit consistent and ridiculously good looking?

Looking at forums I am not alone: many ask how wide a road is and so – and I see plenty of modelled unpaved country roads where a bus could perform a 3 point turn with ease. However I found an easy solution that works well for me.

The whiteboard marker is huge! The HO trees are just right in N.

So yes, for this method buy one little N-dude and a VW Beetle that are in truly in N Scale. Mine was one Preiser and an Oxford die-cast Beetle. Take a muscle car if you like – which reminds me .. 🙂 It’s larger size will fit more modern layouts better.

Simply place it next to what you are building or buying and it will become immediately obvious if it’s going well or not. It’s easier to judge the path, road, the back road from this then anything else.

Yup this will work. The fences are a bit overdone but pass. The council may approve.

And the result after laying down some bitumen (fine ballast + foam putty mixed with paint)

The first modules – building my layout

A week or two ago I finalised my layout design. The centre piece is station Titisee on the Höllentalbahn in Germany and where the 3 Seenbahn (3 lakes line) branches off the (single track) main line. The modelled time period is from 1955, with the station layout being slightly adjusted from the situation in 1955.