Have any of you developed a layout that is compatible with PCSing every couple of years? I couldn’t do anything until I got married and moved into housing. Being in the dorms/barracks made it impossible to model. I am going to try the Mod-U-Rail system and see if I can’t figure out how to build a lid that can latch over the modules.
Have not built much while on active duty but have bought alot. Just started building an 8x8 over thanks Giving. It will be portable but not compatible with HO modules.
I am trying to be real conservative. Because of a sewage backup, housing moved us into senior NCO quarters, and now I have a huge basement. I could do a lot, but I know we will be PCSing in 3 years and we are prime for an overseas assignment. I just wanted to know what others have tried. I am always looking for a new idea.
I got involved with the local club at Ft. Meade (actually the NSA club) and had two modules - a 2x6 one and a 2x2 one. And I lived in the barracks even.
When I ETS’d they were boxed up by the moving guys and sent home. Where they sat until October '03 (ETS was April '98) when I tore open the boxes, admired how little damage had occurred, and tore the apart for parts for my new layout.
I was just medically retired after 21 years in the AF, but being constantly on the road and moving every few years, I pretty much just bought a piece here or there and read MR, dreaming of the day when I could finally have my own place for good. I tried a 2X4 N layout early on, but the movers pretty much destroyed it after the first pcs and I gave up. This was a long time ago though before the advent of extruded foam and other lightwieght building materials that are now available.
I’m not military myself, but I work for a company that makes some of your equipment. Over the years, I’ve been impressed by the intelligence and dedication of our “customers” in all branches of the armed forces.
Anyway, I just wanted to thank you guys for the job you’re doing. Have a great holiday season.
I Just PCSed from everett, Wa to Asheville, Nc with my yes im gonna say it a 4x8 layout i know how ppl in here hate them hahaha, but they packed it up perfectly and now that im off the carrier i can get more into a bigger layout im looking at a 14x15 L shaped layout
I’ve been fortunate. My layout stayed with my wife, while I moved around! It got tore down last year for some home remodeling though. However, the good news is that I negotiated for the garage, well at least half of it.
On to your subject, I’ve been in 24 years now. I’ve had layouts, torn them down, tried the module route. The one thing that was constant is I kept aquiring rolling stock and structures, and I aquired skills with every layout built.
A few years ago, I built a layout for a fundraiser at Offutt AFB, NE A 4X8 HO scale layout ready to go. We made a bunch of money for the charity, and I got aked to build them for the next 4 years. We built both N and HO scale, alternating years because of some of the complaints associated with 4 X 8s and PCSing.
I’m in a club now, and I highly reccommend it if you really want to enjoy the hobby. Unfortunately, I’ll have to leave them behind shortly. I’m in Iraq now and awaiting my next assignment. With luck, it will be back with my wife and an empty garage!
Rick
What you did at Offutt sounds great. I never thought about that. We are on a controlled tour at the Academy, so I figured I have some time to do something and do it right. I am hoping to get a few ideas here. I hope all is well in the sandbox. The closest I got was Saudi (PSAB), and that was plenty close enough.
I asked about your AFSC, but between being at Offutt and Ft Campbell I figured out you are weather. I was with the 209th WF (TXANG) but had to leave because of my wife’s orders to the Academy. Can’t find a unit up here because the WF that was in the COANG stood down the month we PCSd here. Go figure. I hope 28th is treating you well. I really miss having access to JAAWIN. It is hard to get a decent meteogram now.
I have a 5 x 14 now, but when I PCS, it’s going to have to come down. I’d check around for local clubs, it’s really the best bet. That and/or build a module or two that can packed up and shipped out.
Dan
I have been invited to a private club. The owner of the LHS I frequent has about 2,500 sf he dedicated to model railroading. I have been around clubs before and it was like walking into my kids day care. I got sick of seeing adults acting like children. I know there are good clubs out there, but I am extremely skeptical. The wife still insists on the Mod-U-Rail system, so we will se how that goes.
After 30 years in the CG, some tricks I have learned to help the movers, and keeping a model railroad going:
I model HO/HOn3 and 3 rail O. In HO/HOn3 I have hand-laid my track and put in permanent scenery. My 3 rail O is traditional tubular track, and scenery is generally some operating accessories and green indoor/outdoor carpet on a table.
I have found that all too often a full 4x8 will not fit into the rooms. In HO, I had to cut my 4x8 to 4x6 to accommodate space available in 2 consecutive houses. In 3 rail O, I simply accept starting over every move; this is easily done with the limited scenery and sectional track.
I have found that the movers generally had no idea how to deal with my trains. If I did no preparation, they generally wrapped the models like figurines or glasses and packed them into boxes. Details often got broken off, and structures broken. The layout was covered in tarps and placed on the truck like other furniture. This didn’t protect my HO track or scenery very well, either.
One mover suggested using a split twin mattress box taped together around my 4x6. This worked quite well, despite the “thick” L girder framework and plaster on screen mountain scenery.
Based on these experiences, I recommend some of the following:
A twin mattress box is 39in by 75in. Splitting the box works very well for a 4ft x 75in layout, especially if thickness is minimized. Doing it again, I would build a 1x4 L girder with the flange down. Put several 1x2s across the flanges as supports, including at the end 1x4s. Put a slab of 2 inch thick extruded foam inside the frame as subroadbed. This gives a 4-1/4 inch thick layout base, with the foam protected - it sits 3/4 inch lower than the frame on the top side.
A queen mattress is, I believe, 60in x 80in. Of course, your layout could be less than the mattress box dimensions and the difference filled in with packing material.
Another workable method is
Building a layout or modules based on what the packers do is a good idea. I don’t know why I overlooked that. I had planned on doing a partial DITY with my trains, but I guess if you can adapt things for the movers that is less hastle. And I can’t do a partial DITY if we go overseas anyhow.