What is a model railway baseboard? Get the answer here in the Internet’s biggest model railway glossary.
- A model railway baseboard is a board typically made of wood or other strong flat material on which tracks, scenery and other elements of a model railway are placed.
Baseboards provide the base on which a model railway layout is built.
They need to be strong enough to support the weight of the track, trains, scenery, electrics and buildings but thin enough for wires to and other connections electrical devices under the board and accessories on the layout – points, signals etc.
Typically, they are made from plywood or other wood although other materials can be used.
For more common terms and definitions read my model railway glossary
> A final, personal, note: I spend a huge amount of time testing, photographing, writing and researching techniques for these articles and pay for all the running costs of MRE out of my own pocket. If you found this article useful you can support me by making a donation on my fund-raising page. Thanks and happy modelling, Andy.
Andy is a lifelong modeler, writer, and founder of modelrailwayengineer.com. He has been building model railways, dioramas, and miniatures for over 20 years. His passion for model making and railways began when he was a child, building his first layout at the age of seven.
Andy’s particular passion is making scenery and structures in 4mm scale, which he sells commercially. He is particularly interested in modelling the railways of South West England during the late Victorian/early Edwardian era, although he also enjoys making sci-fi and fantasy figures and dioramas. His website has won several awards, and he is a member of MERG (Model Railway Electronics Group) and the 009 Society.
When not making models, Andy lives in Surrey with his wife and teenage son. Other interests include history, science fiction, photography, and programming. Read more about Andy.