Model Railway Forum

Building a n gauge layout from scratch and laid down track .
Making own stations and need advice on height of platform for n gauge coaches.
Will 12mm thick plywood do as it will be quicker to cut out lengths.

About 3feet above the top of the rails, so 2mm to the foot is…………………..

To add to WTD excellent reply do note the measurement is taken from the rail top NOT the baseboard surface.

I am an N gauge modeler and have built my own platforms. Firstly, what nay be prototypically correct isn't always what looks best, especially in N gauge. Personally I make my platforms to 11mm finished height and I think that looks about right. Now, when I say finished height that also takes into account the top surface. I use 1mm greyboard plus Metcalfe tarmac card as the top surface plus edging with a Scalescenes white wood slat sheet stuck to card. That accounts for about 1.2mm by the time it's glued in place. For the base I use two bits of 5mm polyboard glued together so the overall 11mm height (or just a fraction over) is what I get. Obviously there's a bit more to it than that with overhang, edging and weathering etc. but the end result is quite good and quite easy to build in long sections.

I think you'll find 12mm ply to be a bit too high once you've added a surface finish to the top. Have a look at polyboard because it's much easier to cut to size. You can buy sheets of 5mm board quite cheaply at places like Hobbycraft.

9mm ply or MDF with a suitable surface finish would be close. But I agree foam board would be easier to work with and a lot cheaper.
As a comparison I used 18mm MDF with a painted surface in OO so 4.5 feet from the bottom of the sleepers and it equates to 9mm in N.