The Yuba River Sub is in a relatively uninsulated California Basement (garage) and tomorrow, the guys are coming over to replace a 30-year old roof, which means that I get to go out tonight and cover the entire layout with drop-cloths to keep any and all funny little things from coming down and making the layout look like it got rained on by a whole bunch of Cedar wanna-be-trees-scraps.
Okay, I’m moving all the rolling stock and locos, of course, but laying the tarp (0.5 thickness) over the scenery, and pulling most of the tall structures. The guys have promised that they’ll do the garage roof FIRST, and I’ll be at school all day tomorrow, so I can’t be there to supervise. I know that I’ll have to take the shop-vac after I get home, and probably have some little goodies that have leaked through the drop-cloth, no matter how carefully I lay it.
So, sorry about this late Emergency post (I thought they were coming over a week later), but in the time allotted, does anyone have any other thoughts on this? I’ve got about 1,000 trees, but I can always replant the little devils. Just wondering if I should do any other protection other than this last-minute protection.
Tom, unless they are completely removing everything down to the rafters (Underlayment, plywood, etc.), probably just having the tarp over the layout should be enough. I would think that other than dust, nothing heavy would end up on the layout…???
Good luck with this. I love an unfolding news story…[8D]
Having read the agonizing posts of folks when it’s all gone pear shaped, I would seriously consider calling in sick tomorrow. You need to be there to supervise as even crews working for long time friends have made disasters. One day after so much time and effort is surely worth it. Good Luck, J.R.
Even a light tarp will cause some damage, and maybe a whole lot of tree-fiddling. If some stuff actually falls, the tarp will keep it separated, but will not reduce a good impact significantly. So, if such a thing is doable, suspend one side of the tarp quite a bit higher than the other, and use it as a shed, as in a snow/debris shed. Deflected stuff does not a dented layout make.
If you have the typical California medium shake roof, the sheathing is most likely spaced 1x8s. If this is so, just a tarp alone may not be enough protection for all those cedar missles slamming into the layout. The shingle pieces are bad enough, but the 25-30 years of dust will penetrate almost everything.
I would wrap/cover with plastic painters drops, set some temparary strapping across the sensitive areas then cover with the tarps.
I have stripped many of these roofs in my years in Ca. and I would hate to see you end up with major layout problems.
Do you have time to build a quick framework, just nail together some 1x2’s or whatever to support the tarp several inches above the layout? If all you’re expecting is a light rain of wood chips and plaster dust, you may find that the tarp does as much damage as the falling debris.
Thanks for all the advice, guys–really appreciate it.
Okay: Update. Roofers came over this morning. Had to be at school–first day after vacation, and I could NOT say “By the way, I won’t be here today, have to protect the model railroad from roofers.”
ANYHOW: Tarp protected the railroad very well. Roofers came in and laid a secondary tarp over the rafters (after seeing what was in the garage). What leaked out, landed on my tarp and just slid off onto the floor (thank God for mountain railroads). Knocked over a couple of trees–big deal–didn’t damage anything as far as buildings or scenery or bridges. They come back tomorrow and lay the sheeting over the roof (keeping the tarp up to to minimize dust), and Wednesday, I can remove tarp and set back the trees, vacuum the garage and get started again.
Not as terrifying as I thought it would be.
Scared hell out of the cats, though–Spooky is NOT a Happy Camper, right now.