Breaking up is hard to do...

roryglasgow

Active Member
Charlie,

This is a response to your post in that thread in General. I figured this area was more appropriate.

Yeah, it was kinda sad tearing down the layout. But I'm excited about the new one. I'm still not 100% settled on the plan. I like the one I've selected, but I want to make it where I can fold it up out of the way. But then the whole issue of what to do with the locos and rolling stock rears its ugly head. If only I could figure out a way to make it so that I could fold the layout into a bookshelf, but have a "non-folding" area to park the trains... Anybody got any ideas?

Oh, and I saved the trees. They are currently stuck in floral foam (is that what it's called?) and sitting in a box nice and safe...I hope!

-Rory
 

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billk

Active Member
Rory - Can you use Iain Rice's cassette idea for storage? - Better than putting everything on/off one at a time.
 

TR-Flyer

Member
Rory:
How's about setting up your layout like a old timey fold down desk? The section that abuts, or attaches, to the wall would would remain horizontal and not fold up. It would need to be as deep as your tallest tree/mountain combination. It would also be your yard where the cars and motive power are stored.
So, you park all the rolling stock in the yard, and then lift up the table against the wall. You can build a picture frame around the whole thing to clean up the edges and "hide" the layout when it's folded up. Apply your favorite train art to the bottom of the layout board so you can admire it when your layout is folded up.

Better yet, take a photo of your layout and apply it to the bottom of the board so you can always see it! Wait, that kinda stuff always makes me think of more stuff i've got to change and /or spend money upon.

My $0.02
Ted
 

Drew1125

Active Member
Rory,
You know I don't know if this will help you out or not, but I remember when I was a kid, we lived in this tiny little house, & there was a small closet in the kitchen (it was maybe 18" wide) & there was an ironing board on a hinge against the back wall, that dropped down onto a folding leg...My mom never used the ironing board, since the closet was always full of brooms & mops & other junk.
But I've thought about that old ironing board from time to time, & how that might be an interesting way to build a layout...
The length of the layout would be limited by the clearances of the door opening, & how high off the floor you mounted it, but with a piano hinge, & one pair of folding legs, it might work.
As for storing trains...how about a waterfront scene with removable car floats?
 

Tyson Rayles

Active Member
Rory have you considered giving up the loop? You could run 12 inch wide shelves down the wall that wouldn't be in the way of anything (if you mount them high enough).You might be able to run 6-8 ft down one wall and 4-5 ft. down another wall in a L shape. You would have a lot longer main line, wouldn't have to take stuff on and off the layout and if you moved just lift the shelves off the brackets and take em' with you. In n-scale you could do a lot if the shelves were is narrow is 6 inches. Just a thought, I'll shut up now.
 

roryglasgow

Active Member
Actually, Tyson, that was one of my original ideas. But I'm not sure that my landlord will permit me to install a shelf. Also, with the way the windows are placed, I don't know if I could fit one in. However, I am still considering a shelf layout...I'll just have to wait until we get things in place before I can decide if it's possible (assuming I can get permission).

There's not much benefit to a continuous loop on such a small layout...

And don't shut up! I need all the help I can get!!!

-Rory
 

roryglasgow

Active Member
Here is one of the configurations I've been considering. I have a bookshelf that I can convert into a layout cabinet.

My idea was to install dowels at the rear of the layout board (2), then put a track inside the shelf (1) that the dowels would follow. This track would guide the layout from a vertical storage (4) position to the horizontal running position (3), locking it into place. Folding legs on the underside of the board would come down to support the other end.

But the problem is, of course, how can I easily get trains on and off the layout? I don't know if a cassette system will work because I don't know how much clearance I'll have next to the shelf. And I don't know how to make a "permanent" shelf that could store the trains in or next to the cabinet. Part of the problem is that I currently have no idea how the living room will be arranged. After we get things into place, then maybe I can see how to do it...

-Rory
 

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roryglasgow

Active Member
Ted,

I re-read your post and I now I understand...I'm slow sometimes... That sounds like a better idea than what I had...do it on the long end instead of the short end... Now I just need to figure out how to mount it to a surface like a desk or something.

-Rory
 

Tyson Rayles

Active Member
Rory, have you considered a bookcase? I was over at my neighbors house and noticed he has a bookcase 8 ft. long by 16 inches deep. the first 3 ft. are behind doors, then there are several open shelves above that. You could store your kits, supplies etc. inside the doors, keep your R.R. books and mags on the first shelf above that and your railroad on the next shelf. When you move you can take everything with you and you don't have to worry about whether the landlord will let you put up shelves or not. No need to take rolling stock on and off the layout cause you aren't folding anything up. Just about any place you live has at least one place suitable for a bookcase.You can do a lot in 6-8 ft. by 12 to 16 inches. Look at what Charlie is doing in about 4 and a half ft. by 1 ft. or there abouts. The dimensions could be different of course (I'd custom build a 20 ft, x 4 ft. one myself:D ). Just another dumb thought, I'll shut up now.
 

roryglasgow

Active Member
Tyson,

No, it's not a dumb thought. STOP SAYING THAT!!! I had actually considered doing something like that, except with an entertainment center. There was an article in MR a while back about some guy in another country (Sweden?) who built an HO scale layout into his bookcases. Why he chose HO scale for such a small area, I don't know, but it still looked pretty good.

Another idea I had this evening was to arrange the couch and love seat in an L, and put a one-foot deep shelf behind them (somehow). I could make a point-to-point with a pretty good mainline run that way. But I'll have to see how the space looks after we get moved in. The bookcase idea has more appeal.

Oh, and one other thing about a bookcase...it should be easy to put in a backdrop and lighting!

See? It's not a dumb idea at all!

Thanks! You got me to thinking about it again!

-Rory
 

TR-Flyer

Member
Dear Rory:
Glad to see you picked up on the "long side" part. Your sketches look good. I'll try and do something tomorrow and post it showing another $0.02 on my suggestion.

One thought on the couch idea. I saw this done with Department 56 stuff at a "friends" house this past Christmas. She had a 12-24 inch shelf behind a couch and a loveseat and then used the full 24-inch by 24-inch space in the corner, where the end table between the two was normally located, to have a more elaborate scene.

The idea of putting the fold down "picture frame" behind the couch will look good but has two potential drawbacks. 1. When you fold down the table, no one can sit in the couch, could be a problem if that's where you need to sit to watch TV or read. 2. You have to pull the couch away from the wall slightly, decreasing the effective size of the room's floor space.

Could you mount this "picture frame" on the sidewall of a dining room or kitchen "breakfast area"? These spaces only get used a couple times a day and aren't usually central to family activities except "dining". Look for spaces that don't get used much by your family and see if that space is a good place to fold down the layout. I like turning hallways into libraries because hallways are just static space otherwise, and this gives them a dual use as both storage and circulation. If they're too narrow, less than 3-feet wide, i like to turn them into picture galleries.

Food for thought,
Ted
 

billk

Active Member
Rory - Back to the cassette idea (I'm going to get somebody to try it yet). It seems to me that you could use one where ever you could run straight about 3 or 4 inches to the edge of the layout. The cassette can extend out from the edge while you're using it.
 

Tyson Rayles

Active Member
Rory I remember the article and I don't know why he chose HO either. You are right about the backdrop and lighting. If you cut a 1 x 2 inch hole in each end then whichever end is not against a wall (both if you are lucky) you can attach one of billk's cassettes! :D Added bonus, even if you move your R.R. always has a permanent home.
 

Sir_Prize

Member
Hmmm... I just saw that article. Looking through the MR back issues the club has in those Hard folder things. One advantage to clubbing.:D ;) Anyways... If ya' do it above the TV be sure to have good venting for the TV; those beggers get hot. Sooo... Now it's in there. Put some glass (plexiglass could work too) doors that folddown, lift them and they slide in above; just below the lights (protect the layout, and smaller door size). Than it gives it a fancy finished look and protects when not in use. Perhaps you could even place a mural on the "glass" door that adds depth when the doors are closed.:D Hmmm... Ya'll see were I went?
 

Sir_Prize

Member
Rory;
In a way. See it would be two murals. One in the back, the far away horizon thing. The forground on the "glass" mural ;to scale; the decorative 'hide the edge' thing. Maybe even make the paintings a little bigger for a forced perspective thing.
I'll get my thoughts into a picture and' e-mail it over to ya'.
:D
 

Sir_Prize

Member
Ooops! Forgot your moving this weekend. Is the e-mail on your website the right one? Hmmm... Plus, I just sent to the one there and i forgot to attach the pic. What I I get for doing some painting and trying to read the board at the same time.:D ;) :eek:
 

roryglasgow

Active Member
Ken,

I'm finally back online! The move went well, and now the unpacking begins. Thanks for the picture. I still don't have a good idea as to what I will be able to do, but your idea looks like a good one. When I get some spare time, I'll convert the image to GIF and post it on here for all to see.

Thanks!

-Rory
 

Tyson Rayles

Active Member
:confused: Maybe I'm not getting the picture here, but a 2-D painting on the glass in front of 3-D scenery behind the glass doesn't sound to good to me. I think it might look a little weird, might want to test it on a piece of scrap glass first.
 
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