Here is the top of the benchwork.
Engine House Bench Top
5mm Luan plywood is mounted on top of the joists. Where the track is planned to run, I used white glue to attach 1/2″ Homasote. This combination is pretty light and I’m thinking/expecting/hoping that it will be stiff enough to keep everything nicely in place. My last railroad used 3/4″ plywood for sub roadbed and it was heavy and difficult to nail into, which are two reasons that I’m trying something new.
There is more work to be done where the engine house and turntable will be installed, as the substructure for both are below the grade of the roadbed.
The bluffs will be built up with foam. I will start rough shaping of the foam by using the pattern from the cut away homasote as a guide.
The current structures are simple mock ups that were made to help with the transfer of the track plan onto the Homasote.