Baseboard alignment dowels and electrical connectors for baseboard ends

Having finalised the track plan and baseboard shapes it is now time to finish the baseboards, so back into the workshop it is.

The first job is to make the baseboards fit together accurately, and for this I used Baseboard alignment dowels from C&L Finescale.
These comprise a male and female part, the male on one side and the female on the other, recessed into the baseboard end (25mm hole made with a forstner bit) and a clearance hole for the male part in the female end (8mm drill bit).
You can see the fitted dowels in the baseboard ends below, along with a couple more fittings to show what they look like.
 To make these fit accurately I clamped the two baseboard ends together face to face, then drilled a 1mm marking hole through both of them at the marked points (50mm from the end and 30mm down from the top).
Then I separated the two parts, drilled the 25mm recesses (using the 1mm holes as a guide) and the 8mm clearance holes. It was then simply a case of screwing the dowels in using the supplied screws, but rotating the female part 90 deg so the screws did not clash.

Here are the two baseboard ends connected together by only the dowels.

As you can see the top of the baseboard ends is nicely lined up thanks to the dowels.
Also in shot are the 6mm pan head machine screws, penny washers and wing nuts that will be used to hold the baseboards together.
There is another way of fitting these dowels. The male part of the dowel has a conical point opposite the sprue and you can use this to mark the position of the female part. First fit the two male parts in one baseboard end, then reverse them so the point is protruding, clamp the other baseboard end to the first and the points will mark where the female parts should go, but I did not use this method.

Finally I cut a recess in the bottom of both baseboard ends for the electrical connectors that will carry all the wiring across the baseboard joints, see photo below.

These pluggable connectors allow 12 individual connections across the joint. I am using DCC to control the layout, but DC (16v AC) for points and accessories. However I am planning to have a mimic control panel on each baseboard so I don't expect to have more than 12 wires going from one baseboard to another.

So that is the first baseboard joint completed, only four more to go!

Second, Third and Fourth Baseboards in position and a description of the track plan and operation.

Here is the second main baseboard in position opposite the first one.

And here are all four baseboards in position;

In the far corner is a board linking the first and second baseboards together.
In the foreground is the lifting baseboard, yet to have its plywood top fitted.

This board will be hinged on the right hand side (as you see it in the photo) so that it will lift up to the right and allow easy access into the operating well in the middle.

On the immediate left of the photo is the first baseboard (with some track temporarily laid out), this baseboard will have the storage sidings on it, and there will be a high level baseboard mounted above it carrying the main terminus station.

The second baseboard on the right of the picture will be the main scenic section complete with branch terminus station.

There will be a continuous double track main line oval running around the baseboards, connected to the storage sidings, main terminus and branch terminus.

The arrangement of the tracks will allow trains to go from the storage sidings out onto the inside (anticlockwise) loop, then cross over and go up to the main terminus.
Trains will be able to go from the branch terminus onto the inside (anticlockwise) loop, then cross over and go up to the main terminus
Trains will be able to come down from the main terminus, go round the outside (clockwise) loop and off into either the storage sidings or branch terminus.

Hopefully this arrangement will allow realistic main line cross country services to and from the main terminus (with the storage sidings representing the rest of the cross country route) and also realistic branch line services between the branch terminus and main terminus.

I can watch the trains roll by on the two loop lines as well as enjoy shunting in the main and branch termini.

First baseboard in position in the Railway room

Here is the first baseboard in position in the Railway room;

The legs are 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" softwood, simply slotted into sockets made of the 3" x 1" timber in each external corner of the baseboard, as below;

At the moment this arrangement is a little "wobbly" but I will wait until all four baseboards are in place and connected together to see if they need bracing (probably) or fixing into the sockets more solidly (hopefully not).

The baseboard is not finished, the top overhanges the frame slightly, this will be trimmed later. Also there are no cross braces or backscene boards yet.

I want to get all four baseboards in place and fixed together so that I can draw out the final track plan full size. I will then know where the point motors need to go and I can avoid a clash with the cross braces.

So, now need to crack on and build the other three baseboards and get them in place.

First baseboard under construction in the workshop

Made a start on the first of four baseboards.
 
This one is 6' 6" long by 18" wide.
The extra section on the end is "35 inches by 18".

Constructed of 3" x 1" (nominal) planed softwood, butt jointed and screwed together using 2" x  No 8 screws.
The top will be made from 3/8" plywood, screwed to the frame using 1" x No 6 screws.

No glue used in this construction as it is not really necessary, and also I fully expect to be making changes to the baseboards as the layout develops.

Track layout planning started

So started planning the layout.

Drawing out key elements on paper to make sure they will fit in and allow me to firm up the baseboard(s) dimensions.

Finished decorating the Railway Room

Finally finished decorating the Railway Room.

What's the colour?
Sky Blue of course!

Going out tomorrow to buy some 1829mm x 607mm x 9mm plywood sheets which will form the tops of the baseboards.

Once I have them I will lay them on the floor, cover with floor lining paper and draw out the track layout.

Once I am happy with that I can work out the shape of the baseboards and then get to work making them.