Very Nice!
I once had a small booklet with tips in it about getting rid of your layout when it is not in use. The fold-out was one of them, but is leaves no space for scenery. Another one was one which hang down from the ceiling with cables and one in a cupboard, where the wall side of the layout was lowered by a cable to the front down-end of the cupboard and from there on the layout could be folded just like yours. That had the depth of the cupboard to use for scenery.
But you and your dad did a great job making your folding layout!
Here’s a “prewar” idea: for each area you could build a scene on a separate piece of fiberboard like the one shown below. Then just lift off each scene when you go to close it and hang it on the outside of the closed layout. Maybe just do this for an area where you want taller buildings. For lowering the unit without having to stand on a stool, couldn’t you just make a “pull down” from a wooden rod, similar to ones used for pulling down attic ladders. I really like the idea and your setup. Thanks for sharing…RJ
It’s not spring loaded so I couldn’t use a pull rod. Good idea though! Thanks!
very nice idea. if you go to this link I have pics of the one I designed for my family room. it is 14" deep when folded so I can leave scenery and towers attached when folded. when the unit is closed you can open the doors for access to the underside of the layout and store all of your train boxes.
Great idea and very nice job. I imagine the foldup is to make room for the car. One idea for ease in up and down folding for the layout is on the top left and right outside corners of the wall frame work put a pully. Then put a screweye on the layout front side left and right corners. Run a cable from the screweye, up through the pully to a counter weight. Using old window weights, or bags of shot or sand, to balance the weight so that the layout when complete, it will lower and go back up with ease. Then have a pin to lock it into place, or a small shelf for the shot bag to hold the bag, when the layout is in the down position. I’m sure someone could expand on this and come up with something even better.
For the scenery, mount your buildings, and grass, dirt, tree etc on pieces of foamcore cut to size to fit key areas of the layout. They can sit flat on the layout when it’s in the down position, and you cold store them by attaching them to the under side of the layout when it’s up. possibly with small pieces of Velcro. Just some ideas to think about. You’ve got a great start. Dave