It looks like I may have a choice as to where to put my layout. My wife is softening up a bit now that she’s seen the shay in action. She says I can have the spare bedroom as long as she can have storage space under the layout. I have a space in the shop that can be as large as 16 x 16, if I so choose. I wasn’t going to use that much space anyway. I was thinking 12 x 16 with two foot shelves connecting 4 x 4 or 4 x 5 tables. The drawback to my shop is that it is not insulated, or climate controlled. It is not wet, nor does it leak…not even in the least. It is a metal building though, and gets right hot in middle Georgia this time of year. Now for the bedroom: It is much more confined at about 9 x 9. It does have the luxury of being indoors. Also I am dealing with HO scale. Thanks for any input.
It might be worthwhile to make the shop space more livable by adding insulation and such. I would rather have the bigger space. I have an HO layout in a room that’s just slightly less than 10x10 and it’s pretty tight. It depends on what you’re trying to do, though.
In a small room it can be hard to fit “blobs” to turn the train around if you want something other than point-to-point. Since I like running, I went for a twice-around oval with a duckunder, as I couldn’t turn the train around any other way without making the curves too sharp for my equipment. If you’re doing a logging operation then tight curves may be okay.
I suppose you’re too far committed to consider switching to N scale and using the comfortable bedroom?
If you go to the workshop you’ll definitely need insulation and improvements, probably A/C if you don’t already have it.
jmho
Regards
Ed
I’d go with the bedroom with the storage space underneath. Fixing up the shop is necessary if you’re going to put it in there, and that could get expensive and time consuming.
Just my [2c]
Cheers,
Thats a tough decision. Its really about what you want. Personally, I would take the bedroom but would strongly consider going to N scale, but I like to run trains. If you are more into switching, you could do a decent HO layout in the bedroom. I agree with Dan. Fixing the shop could be expensive and time consuming, taking away from the real purpose of building a layout.
Too far committed? I probably need to be committed. No, I could probably swith to N scale…if I could find a buyer for my HO stuff that wouldn’t try to screw my brains out.
Hmm. I say the indoors room would do. The space differences probably is worth a loss of a track or two with the gain of a wife who thinks the items being stored under the railroad will be safer.
I would think a slightly smaller railroad with a happy home is better than trying to literally build a new one in a uncooled space.
N scale is a very good option if you like going that small. I personally think it is rather tiny for my hammy fists and aging eyes.
A lot depends on the type of “running” you want to do. More space means more “miles” and bigger areas for scenery, towns and industries. A smaller space would be more challenging due to the compression you will need to do. There have been a number of interesting small space industrial/city types of layouts. While the summers are brutal in Georgia, your winters are cold and damp enough to discourage your wanting to go out to the shop. I think I would vote for indoor plumbing!!
Will
my layout is in a 10x10 room and it suits me, sure i would like the bigger space but seeing as your shop gets HOT i would go with the room indoors, if you were to make the shop a more controlled climate i think you could have a better RR in there. But if it is not practicle to re-do the shop than i woud go with the room.
Well, I primarily want to run a logging/mining operation with a Spectrum three truck Shay. I have a Rivarossi Challenger that I am really attached to, that I would like to run on the layout every now and then. It will negociate an 18" radius…but not look very good doing it. The Shay however is made for tight turns. I’m a different bird, I guess. I like the Shay logging/mining idea, but I want to run the train, too. I’m not opposed to a duck under type situation. That would be beneficial for the Challenger. There is a closet in the room though, and I want to still have access to that. The wife said I could just take the door off. I could get closer to the closet that way. I agree that the bedroom would be the better choice. Now the challenge is to come up with a decent layout for a 9 x 9 space.
I’m in a 10 x 8 room min 22in curves running a nolix with a one turn helix . I started with the only 10 x 8 plan in 101 plans and added a 10ft x 18" shelf to the top for switching keeps me on the ball. Have a look in the48 top notch track plans book from MR, 8 x 9 winners section very worthy of investigation. Regards Les
I started a discussion here recently called “unheated garage”, and got lots and lots of excellent respones. Now I see it will be better to move indoors to a small and nasty basement, roughly 19 by 9. The railroad would use all that space, but share it with a 5 by 4 furnace and water heater area on one end, and since I am a serious fitness person, a weight bench and weights (already there) would share the 9 by 14 larger end. So the space is limited, but all around is a built in shelf, except around the furnace and water heater. Sooo, point being, you have to consider everything, and the unheated garage idea, according to the people who answered me, would take a huge investment to make it comfortable. I think you should be comfortable to play with trains, and you can really have fun with tiny HO trains and sharp curves. In Georgia, you’ll probably have intense heat and some very very cool winter days, too, so go for the easy solution. You’ll be surprised what you can do with that bedroom.
Are you talking about the Superior & Iron Range RR? I like that. My only problem is the radius. I’m using Kato Unitrack and the only radii I see available is 22.5" and 21.625".
I was in the garage with my HO layout, had a hell of a time with stalling loco’s (damp dirty track ) Now I’m inside with a 13’ x 13’ round the walls layout.
Ken.
Bravo. I like it when decisions are made. Onwards and upwards shall we? **Raises coffee mug in toast.
[#ditto] Take it from someone who’s “been there”, a space that is already climate-controlled is much better. My benchwork languished in the garage for four years until I inherited some money from my late mother’s estate and was able to buy a heat pump/AC wall unit large enough to keep the garage at a decent temp year 'round. Also had to stuff some insulation in the attic - not a very fun job![:O]
The Old Dog would go with the shop given the poster’s location.
Just install two or three ceiling fans. When you want to operate, open the door and turn on the fans. What do you think people did down there before A/C was invented.
Also, where is it written that a layout must be entriely inside? A shaded yard or patio could yield additional space. You might contract MR’s customer service unit and get a copy of “Outdoor HO? Why Not?” from the Sept 1964 issue starting on page 42. Basically, you could run the track on a shelf mounted on a fence.
Have fun
Yes its the Superior and iron range with the turn table at the top removed and then I added the South side connecting from 6 HO rr’s you can build from Atlas. Then I connected the bottom ore dock back to the main at the crossover which gave me out and back
Personally I’d go indoors. You’d have to do a lot to the metal shed to get it performing as well as the room and I’d find it a lt easier to go to another room of the house rather than outside.
Mind you I’m getting a 6m x 5m indoor train room at the end of the year - yippee!!!
Oh yea ,I use Atlas flex and Peco points on the new Trackright foam underlay.
Regards Les