Installing track on the Mt. Lowe layout

Roadbed and risers are made from artist's foam board.

I'd like to be able to tell you I knew exactly what I was doing when I started putting up grades and installing track, but I can't because I didn't. I did have a schematic of what figure the track should follow, where a track should go over or under another as well as guidelines on how steep grades could be and tightest radius track I could get away with. In retrospect construction was all quite experimental. As a result several areas will need to be strengthened, others trimmed and cleaned up. So, I don't have a neat set of instructions you can follow so you can build your own as I did with the base, only some experiences to convey that you could reflect on if you decide to do something similar.

Burnt umber acrylic was used to pre-paint the roadbed before gluing down track

I cut the risers and roadbed from artist's foam board. The pieces are glued in place with Lepage's white glue. I used foam board because it's quick and easy to cut and form. That was important because as I mentioned before this layout is something of an experiment and I didn't want difficult materials slowing progress as I was working things out. Now that I think I understand how these little grade intensive layouts go together I might use foam blocks or gator board instead if I ever build another.

When I started out I thought the track plan would be close to a true trefoil knot with just one over-under crossing removed. It turned out it wasn't possible with the grades, radii, and vehicle height constraints I was working with. In the end the track plan became a figure-eight that has been twisted over on itself. I'm happy with it as it will still accomplish the scenic effects I'm after and make the overall layout a little less of a rabbit warren.

It turned out that the height of the vehicle was as strong a determining factor on track plan geometry as grade and radius, but I didn't fully appreciate that until construction was well underway. If this setup were for HO or N scale vehicles a twistier layout with more climbs could be built because the underpasses wouldn't need to be as tall as my Mt. Lowe trolley requires. I'm thinking S scale is probably the largest scale this footprint will allow. Ok, if your track plan is dead flat, you could likely use a larger scale, but if it has overs and unders, S is probably the limit.

If you look closely you'll see the base and risers are covered with numbers. Those are for mapping out riser heights and placement. There're a few sets of numbers on the base because I revised my grade plan several times during construction. I should probably buy an inclinometer to measure the grades to see if my calculations are accurate. It's more for curiosity's sake because since the trolley runs ok, the grades are likely in the right ballpark.

As for the track, it's Peco N-gauge code 80 Streamline flex track. The left and right switches are Peco Setrack items. The 60 degree crossing is an Atlas N-gauge code 80 piece. The track is glued down with Weld Bond, except on the part that will host the circular bridge. On that section only the track ends entering and leaving the loop are Weld Bonded as the roadbed will be removed one day to make way for the bridge. The loop track in that area is temporarily tacked down with rubber cement.

The three loops each have their own power leads so the layout isn't completely dependent on rail joiners for electrical continuity. The sidings can have their power switched on or off so that future powered trolleys could be parked on the layout in between runs up the mountain.