Q: When building benchwork for a model railroad 24 inches deep by 6 feet long, how far apart should the L-girders be from each other? I was studying the graphic drawing of benchwork on the top of page 91 in the book Popular Model Railroads You Can Build (Kalmbach Books, 1977, out of print), and was thinking that 18” inches would be correct, but I wanted to be sure. – Richard Young, Norwalk, Calif.
A: Your subroadbed and terrain will be supported by short joists mounted perpendicular to your L-girders, and you can space those wherever you need to in order to avoid interfering with switch machines, wiring, and other under-table items. It doesn’t really matter how far apart you put your L-girders, as long as they’re far apart enough to provide stability to the joists. With a 24” shelf like you’re planning, anywhere between 12-20” should be fine.
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I have a similar bench work. My table has cross braces front and back. I am looking at removing them and adding a bottom board between the legs on 2x4s attached to each leg. Will this work?