To make their future construction efforts a bit easier, David and Bryson work to install the backdrop for the East Troy Industrial Park (ETIP) model railroad now! Don’t miss their tips and tricks for keeping this essential, scene-setting hardboard component in place along the back of the entire layout.
Be sure to keep up with the construction progress by linking into the Trains.com Workshop Webcam (available 24/7), and the full series of helpful, instructional videos rolling out every month until the effort concludes. Even then, the fun will continue in frequent Trains.com articles/updates and Model Railroader print features, beginning with the January 2026 issue. You won’t want to miss the new techniques and tips the crew will share with you along the way, as they have a bit of fun bringing the ETIP into fruition!
Quite evident a “little bit” of planning goes into buidling the benchwork, not really just a bunch of boxed sections with a backdrop nailed on. Thanks for sharing the little tips and tricks.
Yes, you can never have enough clamps, as the saying goes. Super job, you guys. Nicely done. Thanks for sharing with all of us.
Steve Moore, SLC UT
Backdrops are in now to place the deck and install some track and wiring.
David.
Naughty boy! No ear protection while doing all that sawing. What would OSHA say?
Ron Ventura
Hi Dave: I have built two layouts, a small one in my bedroom and a 14’X14’ in my garage. The small one in my bedroom I painted the benchwork so it would look nice. I’m still working on the garage layout, and I started thinking maybe I should paint the benchwork to help reduce the expansion and contraction due to heat and humidity. Do you think this would help with the expansion and contraction?
BTW great series.
Bill
Hi Bill. Paint will help seal the wood, which can reduce expansion due to moisture. However, unless you can paint all sides of it, any open parts, such as the bottom of the legs, can still absorb water content. It can’t hurt to paint the benchwork, and as you said, it does look nice, so go for it.
No coved corners on the backdrop? Is that to preserve the “modular” design or might that be addressed at a later date? ~Mike S
Great question. Seems like a perfect opportunity to demonstrate coving the backdrop, though the bent hardboard might put a bit of shear into the adhesive.
Couple of other thoughts. For those who haven’t done it, dropping a sheet of foam board on the floor makes the perfect support for cutting sheet goods with the circular saw. And then you have a sheet of foam board for scenery. The other thought is using an 18-gauge brad nailer to quicky attach parts instead of screws since it’s getting glued anyway. They’re also great for attaching the hardboard and once painted are basically invisible. Once you have the basic battery powered tool set, they’re a pretty cheap addition to the fleet.
Hi Mike. I was going to cove the corner, but then realized if I did, it would mess up the building we plan to put in that corner. So for that reason, we went with a square corner. DP