HELP NEEDED! Hinged Board For Access

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I am building a new HO layout in my garage and have a total area of 6m x 6m.

I have a good idea of what I want to do and how I want to do it but I have 1 huge obstacle to overcome.

My layout has everything facing in to the centre because the operation and viewing of the layout is done from the centre.

Problem is I need to have a 1m wide section that can either fold up or down to allow walkway access to the centre.

This section will have 4 tracks plus 1 for the Acela Express crossing over it.

My layout is also DCC.

Does anyone know how I can do this so my track will work as normal when I want it to and allow me to fold this section out of the way for access to centre.

Hope someone can help me.

Regards.

DD40X

2

Over the years there have been several articles about hinged access to layout interiors, in the manner of swinging doors or gates but the central ideas of how to control mating of the track ends and electrical circuits to avoid having a train plunge into the depths are the same as in your up and down challenge. The difference for you is the matter of not crushing the scenery as the hatch is moved up or down.

From the trains.com mag index, in old (and not so old) Model Railroaders: (my search term was “hinged” so if your magazine collection is old RMCs etc try that term for the mag of choice

Hinged yards are easier - lift up for wiring and service
Model Railroader, September 1983 page 76
( BENCHWORK, “FRAZIER, AUBREY”, HINGE, MR )

The near-perfect bridge, hinge spans walk in access
Model Railroader, November 1984 page 100
( BENCHWORK, BRIDGE, HINGE, “SOLOMON, STEVE”, MR )

A drop bridge for the MR&T - bridging between two layouts
3

Here is a URL that will get you to a PDF file on how I built four lift bridges for my present HO layout. Photos are included.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzescsbb/HO_MRR/Room%20Access%20Lift%20Bridges.pdf

Hope this helps,

Elmer.

EDIT: Modified link below. (The %20 in the above link are spaces)

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzescsbb/HO_MRR/Room Access Lift Bridges.pdf

4

5

Gandydancer19

your splash page (http://mysite.verizon.net/vzescsbb) comes up but not the PDF file (I assume those %20 s are spaces)

6

Good question. Not sure what the % are for. However, here is a link to the web page for my MRR. Below the lower layout photo is the PDF link.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzescsbb/HO_MRR/C&A%20Main%20Page.html

OK, just looked at the %20 in this one, and they are spaces. So maybe this one will work(?)

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzescsbb/HO_MRR/C&A Main Page.html

Elmer.