Has anyone ever used a ping pong table for a layout? I was offered one tonight, and at 9' x 5', it might be a fantastic space, but I'm wondering if anyone has tried it before.
it's a table you have to decide how you want to mount, or if you'll break it down before you fold it up.
I have one as part of my layout, the one thing I can suggest, is that you will need to make sure that you can access that part of the layout on more than one side. 5' is quite a distance to reach across. The second thing I would make sure, is that the table itself is sturdy and that it doesn't wobble. Some old ones can have those fold up metal legs that can be a bit unstable. you can however, create new legs or find a way to shore them up. Lastly, Most (at least mine) was made out of particle board, and made it somewhat interesting to drill/screw things like under table switch machines etc.. It also may start to fall apart if it gets wet, but I haven't run into that yet.
My two layouts share a pingpong table with a full length scenic divider separating the two [British 00 scale and US H0 scale] I have it braced and props are firmly wedged underneath it. Divided in half [lengthwise] it's reasonably easy for me with my long arms to reach the middle. Mike
As a matter of fact, the use of a ping-pong table for a beginner's layout was a fairly common approach going back a couple of decades. They offer a significant advantage in size over the standard 4x8 piece of plywood, allowing for larger radius curves and somewhat longer straight runs, yard tracks, etc....a foot in either direction can make a big difference. The only drawback is that the tabletops are often rather thin and flimsy, so it depending on what you get, it might be advisable to add a layer of foam insulation board on top as a starting point before laying any track or beginning scenery. This will also help to kill the vibration in the table when running trains. NYW&B
Good point about the top, NYW&B. I covered mine with 6mm thick MDF and then white styrofoam sheets. That give you the opportunity for low-lying area or watercourses below normal ground level too. An early photo of where the two meet: Mike
Thanks for the info! I'll take a look at the table I was offered and see if it's going to be sturdy enough. :thumbs_up:
Ping Pong Table I think that sounds like a great idea. It should be plenty sturdy, and as far as the reach I have a bad back and I use a "Reach Stix" to reach many things for me. They are about two feet in length and have gentle grips on one end worked by a trigger mechanism on the other end; they work great and won't hurt even your delicate trains trust me I've tested it many times. Nice looking layout also by the way Mike. Good use of recycled materials. Way to keep it green
I grew up with a Lionel set on a ping pong table. It worked just fine. We played ping pong all summer in the garage; then played with trains all winter in the basement.
