How to Make a Coffee Table With a Railroad Layout Inside

Measure then write down the length and width of the baseboard for the existing railroad layout. Do not lose these measurements as you will need to work with them later on. Cut a sheet of 5/8-inch-thick plywood to these measurements with a table saw. Your railroad layout should allow a 2-inch gap between the side rail and the edge of the board. Design your operating panel to fit inside a standard-sized electrical box that will mount at the right corner of the coffee table.

Place the railroad baseboard over the sheet of plywood. Drill 1-inch holes spaced an inch from each corner through both boards. If the coffee table is more than 6 feet long, drill a mid-point hole half the length of the table and an inch from the side of the boards.

Measure the height of the railroad layout, starting from the baseboard to 1 inch above the tallest item in the scene. Add in the thickness of the two boards. Screw a nut onto a threaded lag bolt until the nut is this distance from the threaded end. Repeat for all of the bolts.

Place a washer on each bolt against the nut. Slide the bolt through the railroad baseboard followed by the plywood. Thread on another washer and a second nut. Screw the second nut tight to the underside of the plywood. Repeat for all bolts. Adjust the nuts so that both boards stand solid and flat against the floor.

Cut a sheet of plexiglass the same size as the plywood. Cut two more pieces of plexiglass that are the same length and height from the top of the layout base to the head of the bolts. These are the long side pieces. Measure the thickness of the plexiglass and multiply that measurement by two. Measure the short sides of the layout and deduct the thickness measurement. Cut two more pieces of plexiglass to this size and height measurements. These are the short end pieces.

Select an electrical box used for renovation on drywall. This style of electrical box has arms to hold the box against the drywall. Position the electrical box against the top right corner of one of the long plexiglass sides. Mark the dimensions of the electrical box. Allow at least 1 inch on the side or top. Drill pilot holes then cut out the electrical box's rectangular shape with a rotary cutting tool.

Measure the width of the short end piece of plexiglass. Cut a finger-wide 1-by-4 inch slot centered 2 inches from the top edge. Repeat for the second short end piece of plexiglass. This will make the top easier to lift off.

Place the large plexiglass sheet on a work table. Apply a bead of glue to the face-up surface on the long side furthest away from you. Position the long side piece with the electrical box cutout in the glue aligned with the side and ends. The electrical box cutout should be close to the glued edge and the right corner. You are building a plexiglass box upside down. Place three corner clamps, evenly spaced, to hold the pieces together while you work.

Apply glue to the face-up section of plexiglass on the long side closest to you. Position the second long side aligned with the side and ends. Place three corner clamps, evenly spaced, to hold the pieces together while you work. Apply glue to the side panel ends and top edge. Position the side panel on top of the large sheet of plexiglass and inside the long side panels. Align the edges. The finger slot should be closest to the large flat panel. Repeat for the last side panel. Clamp the remaining sides into position until the glue begins to harden. Allow the glue to dry completely before removing the clamps.

Turn the plexiglass box right side up and place it over the railroad layout. Insert the electrical box through the cut hole. Thread the bundled wires through the box. Turn the angled fasteners to hold the box in position. Wire the switches in the box. Make a small cover plate from 1/4-inch plywood and screw the plate to the screw holes in the electrical box. Your electrical wires should be long enough for you to lift the plexiglass cover to place the trains on the track without altering the wiring.

Plug in your train and observe how your layout works inside the coffee table.