Prepairing to begin again

LoudMusic

Member
MasonJar said:
If those raised (or lowered) moduls will be permanent, you could incorporate the riser into the end plate of the module, and save yourself some space...

Andrew

I would think not, for the most part. Though I had thought about doing what you are suggesting :)

Even without the desire to make it permanent I guess I could still incorporate the risers and just include multiple mounting holes in order to mount it flush, or higher or lower. Make the table tops with 1x8 lumber instead of 1x4. HHMMMRRMRMRMRMMMM .... another something to ponder.

Good thought - thanks for the post :)
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
LM,

What I mean is that if (for example) "lowered" module will be a canyon with a trestle across it, it will always be a canyon with a trestle across it. You will therefore need to maek some sort of ends to support the scenery and track, so why bother to make them removable? Just build them in as tall endplates.

Andrew
 

LoudMusic

Member
MasonJar said:
LM,

What I mean is that if (for example) "lowered" module will be a canyon with a trestle across it, it will always be a canyon with a trestle across it. You will therefore need to maek some sort of ends to support the scenery and track, so why bother to make them removable? Just build them in as tall endplates.

Andrew

AAaahhhh, quite so.

However, I think that my tables will essentially be less "modules" and more of just a surface to put a model train on. When I move I may or may not keep the scenery of each table - but I'll be able to move the tables and quickly set them up again somewhere else to begin again, without having to rebuild all my sub-structure. Basically a modular table, but not necessarily a modular layout. Structures and things could obviously be removed, boxed, and used again later. But I completely see myself trashing landscape and carving new foam terrain and running new track through it most every time I have to move the layout.

Is that rational or am I smoking the wacky tobaccy?
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
I think option #2... ;) :D

Personally, I would not want to scrape each module clean periodically. Not only is it too much work, I am too short of $$$ to do that...! I would sell them and start again with new modules before I trashed what is on top.

Andrew
 
Here check this out kiddo....

222.jpg
 

LoudMusic

Member
gottaBreal said:
Here ya go. I hope im not too pumped about this for you.

2222.jpg

I just think you're going down a path I wasn't too fired up about at first. But it's good to have alternate ideas - even if they never come to fruition there might be aspects that make other concepts better.

One thing I definitely want is a loop of track where a train can just go round and round. Previously, and recently with sectional track on a dining table, I've enjoyed unwinding at the end of a day just watching a train go around an oval. Assuming I use HO, your table diagram only allows one turn around point, even with minimal radii. I think in N or On30 I could turn a train around in that top left corner but even then it would be cramped.

In this picture you can see how I played with a loop to loop 'walk in' style layout.

12x12trainlayoutzp0.gif


But it's not very comfortable. If I were to do a more customized sectional benchwork like you're designing I would be willing to take the doors off the hinges to provide a few more inches of table space, though I don't know if that would really make much of a difference.

Really, if I were to go custom benchwork I'd need to know what scale / gauge I was working with before we design a benchwork, and I haven't figured that out yet. This week has been busy and I haven't gotten over to the train shop to play with options. Hopefully soon.
 

LoudMusic

Member
Oh, here's another good question pertaining to scale / gauge debates.

What's the availability of DCC in each option I'm considering? Being a computer geek DCC is highly appealing, even if I don't *need* it :) HO, pretty much anything can be equipped with little trouble. N, might be a bit more difficult but there are plenty of options. What about On30? I suppose generally the decoder goes in the tender unit of steam locos - is DCC a standard tool on On30 layouts?
 
If you have no real connection to any tiny gauge scale On30 or HOn230 or whatever they are then why not just stick to HO scale.


Now on the topic of another loop If you were able to use the closet for that return loop I could fit one in. However I would need to know where the closet sits for me to know if i would be able to smack it in the closet.

If you wanna see how that would look why not hook me up with the size of the closet and where it sits within your room. By the way this was off the first room plan u game me.
 

LoudMusic

Member
I looked at using the closet when I was taking the first measurements. It's only 37" wide, unfortunately. But wait until you see its shape and alignment. It's WEIRD.

southbedroomyg1.gif


See!?! Weird. Why don't any of the horizontal walls line up? Because a KOOK designed the house. That's why.

The descrepencies in measurements are the missing door frames. About 2.5" on each side of the door.

What I saw as a possibility in there was a reversing wye and some staging yardage.
 
well can you pop threw the wall and get into the closet? If you can then you can have another loop back using the closet space.
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
If you can use the closet as part of the railroad, do you need to have the door on the closet? Could you remove the walls on either side of the closet door and open the closet up into the room? That 37 inches wide by 5 feet deep end doesn't allow room for a railroad with access.
 

LoudMusic

Member
I'd say there's definitely room there to do something without attacking my house.

southbedroomdb2.gif


I don't want to tear out a wall in a house I plan on selling in the next three years. Though I would love to have a huge elaborate layout, I don't think I'm ready for it nor need it at this point in my life. Basically I want a decent sized loop of track, moderate kits to assemble, and be able sit back and watch trains go by. That's why I was sticking with simple tabletop benchwork and uniform measurements - easy to build, functional, and transportable.

But, knock yourself out with my square footage. I love designing layouts too. I've got a 40x50 room design in XTrac that I've been fiddling with for a while now, off and on. Fun stuff :)
 

LoudMusic

Member
Found this: http://web.telia.com/~u85436044/index.html

I like his philosophy :) Another realization I came to while stairing at the ceiling from bed unable to fall asleep is that, sure, the average On30 car is more expensive, but there's more to look at too. Maybe that one car IS worth twice as much or more than an N scale or HO scale car. And according to the above linked site, it'd be realistic to have fewer of them. Enough for a train or two, and a few parked on sidings. Prototypically if they're not using the hardware they don't buy it. Neither would I.

The more I think about it the more I like On30. CRAZY!

Edit:

More good infos for guys like me: http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/on30/beginner/
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
I can see where you wouldn't want to attack a house that you might be selling in a few years. Is that closet as awkward to use as it looks? The drawing you made with the "wye" into the middle of the yard won't work very well. Whichever side of the doorway the transition into the wye from the mainline is on, the part of the layout in the closet behind it is impossible to reach without getting down on hands and knees to crawl under. How about removing the closet door, and opening up the door way so that it is almost full width of the closet. That would give better access. If or when you need to move, you could remove the railroad, and install either a pair of sliding doors or a long bifold accordian type door in the closet to close off the wider openning. It would sem to me that would be a win win situation. You would have a better model railroad, and when you sell the house, the new owner gets a much more user friendly closet in that room.
 

LoudMusic

Member
Russ Bellinis said:
I can see where you wouldn't want to attack a house that you might be selling in a few years. Is that closet as awkward to use as it looks? The drawing you made with the "wye" into the middle of the yard won't work very well. Whichever side of the doorway the transition into the wye from the mainline is on, the part of the layout in the closet behind it is impossible to reach without getting down on hands and knees to crawl under. How about removing the closet door, and opening up the door way so that it is almost full width of the closet. That would give better access. If or when you need to move, you could remove the railroad, and install either a pair of sliding doors or a long bifold accordian type door in the closet to close off the wider openning. It would sem to me that would be a win win situation. You would have a better model railroad, and when you sell the house, the new owner gets a much more user friendly closet in that room.

By the end of the second sentence I was already thinking everything else you wrote. Great Minds Think Alike.

Yes, the doors are ANNOYING. They both swing into eachother. You can't open them both at the same time. In fact I think they've damaged eachother already. The least that should have been done would be to move the closet door past the end of where the bedroom door swings to. But unfortunately I think I've given all I can to this house - we replaced the crumbled driveway with a brand new wider slab and the rotten deck with a twice as large paver patio. But I'll ask the boss lady what she thinks - never hurts to think about it.

Taking both doors off the hinges is no problem at all. Honestly I'd probably do that even if I weren't putting trains in there. So no issues with that.

As far as the usability of the space without house deconstruction, the example with wye that I created is using 24" radius turns. I've found that 18" radius seems to work rather well with On30, and of course with smaller HO stock of which both are on the table for discussion. N scale, totally. So that means the 4' runs each direction could be another 6" longer, roughly another car. It could be good for reversing a train (slowly ...) and storing things 'off-site' wthout having to remove them from the rails. I can't imagine adding scenery to that space even with the wall removed.

Ah, just realized that a smaller radius could actually provide a reversing loop in the closet doorway. Check this out.

southbedroombqg6.gif


Of course, that makes it REALLY hard to get in there. Not just bending / ducking, but actually scootching across the floor for a good four feet. Not fun, but not out of the question. The whole area would be landscaped in 'plywood desert', I believe ;)

Good thoughts - more to think about.
 

LoudMusic

Member
So I went over and looked at the Bachman On30 stuff the local LHS guy has - fairly slim pickins, he admits. But man it's cool - I really really really like the look and feel of it. I like the idea of spine log cars pulled by a Shay, or other engine in that capacity. I like that it uses HO track. I like that it uses Kadee HO couplers. I like that there are RTR and kits available. It's still a lot of money to me, but I'm warming up to that part. I kind of wish Bachman had a logging train set like they do the passenger train sets.

And supposedly there is a guy in town that is a huge On30 fan / supporter. I almost asked for his name / number, but decided that might be imposing :) Supposedly he hangs out at the Yahoo group so maybe I can track him down there.
 
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