I’m ready to move up from my 4’x8’. All I have is a 20’x10’ space in my basement. The space I have is close to a water heater, so my layout can really only be 8’ wide. I was thinking of making the layout modular, as to allow for water heater access if needed. My main goal is making a layout that can be temporarily moved if needed. Has anyone ever done anything like this before? Do people even build modular HO layouts?
Nick
Most modular layouts are usually done by clubs. I’ve never built one like that myself but I’m sure others on the board have.
You could one of two techniques. Modular or sectional. The difference is that modules are usually made to strict specifications regarding size and placement of track. The reason for this is that they need to be interchangeable so they can be arranged in numerous ways to fit the available space. A sectional layout can be built using the same construction techniques as modular but with more flexibility as far as the track plan goes. The pieces can be fitted together like a modular. The most common technique is to leave off the rail at the ends of each section so that a short piece of track can be used to fit the track from the two pieces together.
My layout is a free-standing 5x12 foot table on wheels. It rolls easily around on a carpeted floor. This is the frame, before I started adding the 2-inch foam and the rest of the layout on top of that:
I designed some benchwork for a portable 4x8 layout but my ideas can easily be modified for a sectional layout. Here is a few pics.
This is the basic frame with lower shelf supports (you can see the small shelf and box that my DCC unit sits in better in the pic below) added. The top is L girder and very strong and stable. The legs are L girders as well bolted to the top and shelf with 1/2 inch bolts. All framework is out of 1x4s and is fairly light. One person can easily move each piece and assemble this alone. As it sits here it would be like moving any ordinary table.
This is the benchwork with the table top added and bolted in place. Again 1x4 construction but this time I used box frame construction bolted to the legs. This part is a little harder to move around alone but that is due more to its size than its weight. After the layout is built on top of it 2 people will be needed at least to move it.
you could easily get to the water heater if you had at least one section similar in design to this and as jecorbett stated above leave a break in the tracks with a removable piece just incase you ever did need to break that section off. Also make sure to have this section wired into the bus and put a plug under the benchwork so that you feed the removable section with power and not rely on power through the rails this will save you alot of headaches in the future.
I hope this helps
Have a look at www.hogrr.com
Thanks for the Help!
http://www.free-mo.org/intro.html
You may want to try the Free-mo standard. It will allow you to have a modular layout that you can connect with others, but give you more flexibility than the standard NMRA module.
8 feet wide is way too much a reach unless the layout is accessable from both sides. You should post a diagram of the layout space- it would be more helpful for others to visualize you predicament with the water heater. If you caould do this I believe you will have many options given by forum members.
Bob K.
Barrow’s domino concept is another way of tackling a sectional layout. Look at the last three Model Railroader Planning issues. Barrow has done a lot with the concept. You don’t necessarily have to make your dominos as minimalistic as Barrow does. But they do provide a good deal of flexibility as far as space is concerned.
Way too wide by about two feet, no matter where you stand around it. The typical safe reach is about 24-28", depending on the layout height, one’s stature, and ones’ arm-length. So, an eight foot wide table will leave an inaccessible central block about 2’ wide. He’ll need a pop-up.
-Crandell
I know the standard recommendations are for a max of 30 inches but I believe you can get away with 3 feet as long as you keep your track close to the front edge of the layout.
I like depth in my scenery so I have gone with 3 foot benchwork in an around the room. In the construction phase, I occasionally need to use a step stool to fini***he background scenery but that won’t be a problem for operations.
Sorry if I confused you. I envisioned a layout, no wider than 3’ at any point. I was planning on having it form a 20’x8’ rectangle with space in the middle. I’ll have to upload plans.
Nick
I use sectional benchwork, similar to Barrow’s Dominos. Except, mine sections are 30 inches deep; 4, 5, or 6 feet long; and are open grid, instead of solid tops.
I’ve moved several times. While I’ve never moved a layout intact, the fact that I was able to reuse the benchwork, allowed me to rebuild quickly.
Nick
Be sure to add smooth rolling wheels that will go over your floor surface. I had to move my 30x8’ out of a basement that had a water heater and a gas central heating unit. I had to cut the legs off of my table. Luckly I didn’t have to section it out, as I had alot of old plastered things on it. Good Luck with it.
When I first got into trains, I had a 4x8 layout. However, after 10 years of operations, it was clearly past its prime…the entire table was sagging in the middle! I saved the rolling stock, buildings, and transformers, most of which was reused later.
Now, I have an HO scale sectional layout that runs along 2 walls in my workshop. Ideally, I’d like to “finish” it so my passenger trains have some running room, but for now, it’s fine as-is. It’s about 40 inches off the floor and only 2 feet wide (except for the corner section, which is a 4-foot square).
Each section is bolted together with 1/4" carriage bolts, and comes apart with very little effort. Carrying the sections is another story though. Because my layout room sometimes has temperature swings, I “over-engineered” things a bit. Even though it’s a bit heavier, I’d rather have it that way so it doesn’t warp.
Wiring connections come apart as well. I use 2-plug trailer wiring harnesses from Wal-Mart, as they’re cheap, and reliable. If you do this, label all the wires so you know where things go.
You have the tender before the engine.
Layout Design Principles:
I have been designing layouts for over 60 years and the most important thing that I learned was this: Whether freelanced or prototype the essence of a good layout design in my opinion is that it replicate how a real railroad functions.
The railroads function is to move people or goods from one place to another as expeditiously as possible. It doesn’t start from point A and end at Point A. It starts at Point A and ends at point B. Point A can be a terminal, an interchange with another railroad, a port or some other end destination. Point B can be the same. Trains NEVER run from Point A to point A or vice versa. There may be branches to other cities, coal mines, or what have you along the way. No train that proceeds to the West returns from the East.
Before wasting your time drawing a layout, try drawing a schematic track plan. A point to point layout must either have terminal facilities at each end and a means of reversing direction whether it be a return loop or yards and a turntable or wye. If you want industrial or passing sidings sketch them in where appropriate. When you are satisfied that it is true to prototype practice you can then place Point A where you want it and then wrap the schematic around your space in whatever plan works. You may lengthen or shorten some sidings, tangents and generate some curves, etc., but now you will have a layout that makes sense for real operation. No trains will be chasing their tails (railroads don’t usually run in circles) on your railroad. Feel free to freelance or follow prototype as you wish but design a RAILROAD not a toy train set. By drawing a schematic FIRST you will save countless hours in erasing, redrawing and changing. If you have a double track mainline, you automatically have continuous running available for the times you just want to watch the trains go by. If single track, you can design a sneak back link from point A to point B.
I want to upload plans, but don’t know how. Can sombody tell me?
Nick
Upload plans on this forum? You need to download them to a separate website, then paste a link on this forum.
I use photobucket.com because it is easy to use and a small album is free. Railimages.com is another hosting site that offers a free service, but I sometimes have trouble posting from there to this site. Probably just me, though.
Darrell, quiet…for now