Building a Shelf Layout

SotaBoy,

I have experience building an office shelf layout.

Go to page 1 here:

http://davidvergun.tripod.com/

If the site is down, it will be up in about another hour.

I use shelving from homedepot and styrofoam (construction variety that’s at least 4 inches thick). No plywood or wood of any type is used.

I pretty much run trains at work whenever I feel like it as I don’t have one of those bosses from hell.

I’ve got a ton of other tips if anyone is interested.

Dave Vergun

BTW, I’m preparing to start a narrow shelf layout for my 3-rail trains. Here are some advantages of narrow shelf layouts (less than 3 feet wide):

  1. The rest of the basement can have multi-uses such as pool table, TV room, bar etc

  2. Easy to reach the trains for derailments, uncoupling, etc.

  3. Easy to paint backdrop even after layout is done

  4. Easy to reach wiring and under layout problems or fixes

  5. MUCH better to see the trains up close

  6. Allows longer runs (vice shorter runs with islands‚

  7. Allows future expansion possibilities with peninsulas

  8. Construction much easier and less materials if using steel brackets

  9. Flexibility in going from room to room (just punch hole in drywall

  10. Gentler curves instead of round and round and round and round a circle of track on an island

I agree with all and would add a few more. The train shelf in my office sits above the doorways so it takes up NO ROOM, which is my biggest problem for O gauge layouts. If you use nice wood and match the room, it also looks very nice in the room as opposed to my former large monstrosity in the basement.
I am also able to indulge in some basic landscaping in the corners and along the rails with street lights and buildings, etc. Its a great way to display the trains, and I love it so far.

We were putting in a family room (18x18) and wanted to incorporate the trains (O gauge) is some way. I was able to build a 6" shelf around 3 of the walls and a 20" deep bookcase on the 4th wall. This allows for 3 or 4 tracks across the top of the bookshelf. There were 2 tricky parts. The first was a staircase coming into the room. We cut a hole through the side of a riser along the wall and it made a great tunnel entrance. Where we crossed a doorway a fold down shelf/bridge was built that alligns the track perfectly every time. All my wiring and power was able to be hidden from sight.

I used Gargraves track and Ross switches. By using TMCC I have no power packs or controllers out in the open. It is extremely sturdy. I used a 6" triangle shaped piece of wood at every stud to support the shelf. I found these pre-cut at Home Depot.

On the walls I used shelving from Glenn Snyder display systems out of Buffalo. It’s aluminum and strong. I put 12’ of trains on each shelf and it holds them easily. It is not very expensive either.

By doing it this way we were able to have our family room and trains all in the same place. It turned out great and looks pretty good too. If anyone is interested in a pictures I’d be happy to take some and email them to you. Contact me if you want more info.

Tom

Tom,

I’d love to see some pics. my email is wknox at nauticom.net.

Thanks!

I tried to send the pics to your email address but there was a delivery failure. Send a message to tschmidt@madbbs.com and I will reply.

Thanks, Tom

Hey Guy, why not post the pics here on the forum for us all to see [?]

I have an 18’ X 12’ living room with one open end which enables me to expand from 18’ to 30’+ and would like to run a lionel train i just recieved from my grandfather…would like to either mount it to the wall or suspend it from the ceiling any ideas on how i would accompli***his task…any help on this topic would be appreciated…

Jon

by the way this is an older home with plaster and lathe walls so finding studs may be a problem

Try doing a “topic search”, there have been quite a few postings relating to this topic. They will give you a good deal of info to sift through and help with your plans and decision making. Quite a few of the members here have done this and I am sure they would be more than willing to give their input and support.[^]

how much do the trains “O” weigh? strength of wall layout needed?

Prewar 253 1-motor boxcab electric 2.0 lb
Postwar 623 1-motor NW2 diesel-electric switcher 3.5 lb
Postwar 681 1-motor S2 steam turbine 5.0 lb
Postwar 2023P 1-motor Alco FA2 diesel-electric 3.3 lb
Postwar 2026 1-motor Adriatic 2-6-4 steam 3.7 lb
Postwar 2243P 1-motor EMD F3 diesel-electric 3.9 lb
Postwar 2321 2-motor FM H-24-66 diesel-electric 4.4 lb
Postwar 2338 1-motor EMD GP7 diesel-electric 3.2 lb
Postwar 2360 2-motor GG1 electric 6.3 lb
Postwar 2383P 2-motor EMD F3 diesel-electric 4.3 lb
Modern 8701 1-motor American 4-4-0 “General” 1.6 lb
Modern Rail King 1129-1 2-motor Big Boy 4-8-8-4 steam 10.7 lb

This Fall I will begin the construction of an office shelf layout. I have an oulet positioned up toward the office ceiling and I will attempt to use a wireless control for speed and direction. The layout will be against the walls, except when turning. I have purchased a 5 railed track from Gargraves and want to make sure it can handle the weight of a Lionel train.

Does anyone have experience is shelving a layout? A couple of my concerns are:
(1) is the shelving strong enough to support the weight of my trains - or would it be a good idea to add support rods to the edge of the shelf projecting upward into the sheetrocked ceiling? What type of brackets would best be used?
(2) What would be the best way to build the corners of the layout? Would it be best to have a triangular shelf piece in each corner (which would allow for some landscaping) or would it be best to suspend the entire 90 degree turn. Someone mentioned sturdiness…I would think that a swaying layout would NOT be a good thing!
(3) the last thing I’m striving for is decorative appeal. I want the layout to look attractive and blend with the office decor. CTTs had an article about a gentleman who used plexiglas as a supporting surface, enabling him to see his trains better from below the shelf.

Any other suggestions on how to ensure my trains from taking flight and nose-diving to the floor below?

You might get an idea for your corners from my posting on “Help with layout”.
Suspenders from the ceiling are fine when the track runs perpendicular to the joists; but you will probably not be lucky enough to have a joist at just the right location for the parallel tracks. You could use toggles with all-thread through the drywall, but I would not trust it.

Hi Sotaboy,
Have you considered an idea similar to the old-time “Murphy Bed” which was hinged to the wall and folded up against the wall when not in use, often behind closet doors? Off the top of my head, a sturdy long hinge like a piano hinge for attaching it to the wall, and perhaps a few simple legs for support, also hinged, would be a good starting point if you like the trial and error process. Just an idea. Good luck with your new project!
Take care, Joe.

I am also looking into this type of structure and was wondering if yu ever completed your layout? Did you build it yourself? Or use one of teh companies that advertises in CTT?

Bill

I made a very simple one from baltic birch plywood and birch wood, close to the ceiling. It was up high to keep uninvited operators from trying to run it. This is where I have my 45+ year old train I was given as a child. If you would like some photos of it let me know your e-mail address and I’ll send you some. If you aren’t looking for something fancy and frilly this could be it.

Doug,

I would love some pictures. Can I email you a few questions as well? I am obviously looking for a very strong but lightweight wood to use, and I do not know where to start. How did you pick the baltic birch? Anyway, my email address is wknox@nauticom.net. Thanks in advance for the pics. When I have mine up and running, I’ll return the favor!

Bill

Baltic Birch is a cabinet grade plywood with no voids or patches between the plys so there was no need for any edge trimming. Just sand and finish, I used a clear polyeurethane finish. For the supports I used dimensional birch and gave it the same finish.

Doug,

Sorry for the questions but woodworking is not my forte. When you say supports, did you essentially make small brackets that supported the shelf? If so, how far apart do you space them given the strength of the baltic birch? How did you do the corners? With one large triangle piece or just the wood to support the track and have it “float” between supports?

One last question. I am going back and forth over the use of a guard rail. I think I can make some decorative poles, then string light fishing wire between them. I always fear the accident and having a 75 year old train fall to the ground could mean some big damage. Any thoughts on that?

The birch brackets were made of 1x2 for the base and 1x3 for the arms. With standard stud wall spacing, 16" on center, the supports tend to vary in spacing. My brackets are approximately 32" apart +/- about 6" in some spots depending on stud locations. On the corners I didn’t use triangle pieces, the roadbed is 3 1/2 " wide all the way around, I used a longer support arm on the same base and anchored it in the corner. By chamfering the base sides at a 45 degree angle you get a firm fit in the corner without doing to much damage to the wall. I didn’t put any gaurdrails on mine, being in earthquake country probably should, I have the transformer mounted high enough that no one can operate it without me being there.
Did the e-mail attachments thru OK ?