Today I looked at a building near my home. It’s 1356 square feet!!! [wow][yeah] So big that I can build my dream layout as one level and still have space for everything I want.
I’m planning to hire the building, I will know in a couple of days if I can do it. I will hire it for maybe 2 years at a time. I will make the layout portable if I must move it one day because when I’m building this big I don’t want to start over again, that’s the basic idea.
Do you guys think this is a good idea?
I really love model trains and the Denver & Rio Grande Western. This is my chance to finally do it the right way with long trains and a long mainline…
That’s freakin cool! If ya can get it secured up in a lease, so you wont have heartbreak eviction, I’d go for it! Sounds like the perfect dream for sure!
Sorry, I missed that question. Well, it’s very close, you can walk there in about 5 minutes or less. It’s a basement (kind of) in a block of flats. I don’t know what they call it in the US. It’s a society that owns the house where it lives several hundred people. I really don’t know if I’m using the right words to describe this now, I’m a Swede you know [:D]
That would be great for you. Is it a big open room type and can people that live in the apartment complex have access to your space. Hopefully not. But it does sound like an area alot of us wouldnt mind having.
It’s one very big room and 2 smaller but they can all be used without any problems. And even if I just use the biggest room I have a lot of space. No, they don’t have any access at all, so I can do whatever I want to do in it.
Yes I know that many of you here want space like that. The space I have right now is limited. I have tried to come up with a trackplan but it’s just too small to run long trains and still have space left for stations. So if this works out I’m in heaven. [:D]
Howdy “Sven” from the great southwest. As my grampa Ofeldt would say "You are vun lucky Swede. I have tried to rent a large space here in Scottsdale, AZ to no avail. The landlords look at you like you are loco.
I have been through the Narrow Gauge railroad area in Colorado. From Silverton to Delores (where I photgraphed the last remaining "Galoping Goose) to Ouray and Telluride and back to Durango. GREAT modeling potential there. For your information there is a company that produces railroad books and videos that has a 5 or 6 CD or VCR set showing how to build the D,R & W from Durango to Delores and up to Telluride. A wealth of information there for you. If you ever get to the good ole USA, I highly recommend that you ride the Durango and Silverton and the only other narrow gauge still in existance from Chama, NM to Antonito in Colorado. That is the only way you are going to get the feel of how difficult it was and what an engineering feat it was to build railroads in those mountains.
I am building a 24 x 44 foot building to model the New Haven Railroad centered on the New Haven Union Station. Because I have the room for it the track layout will be as close to prototype as possible. With the amount of room that you have you should be abe to do the same without compromise. Go for it. You will have something to be proud of.
Something in your own building where you have control would be great, but we can’t always live our dreams. To be a bit more realistic, would you have unlimited access and at all reasonable times, without bothering any tenants? Could evolve into a club atmosphere, with a few members. That would help with the expenses if they are any issue. Is there ample parking if needed in the future?
Are any of the furnaces, utilities etc, from the apts (flats) in any of your space? Just throwing some food for thought your way. Would noise be any problem with people living directly overhead?
Bob K.
No, my space is empty, there is nothing there from the other flats. I really don’t now if noise will be a problem. Good that you asked that so I can think about it for a while. The last thing I want to do is to disturb the people that lives there. If I do I will probably not be able to hire it a very long period. I don’t know of the parking possibilities, it have never cross my mind but I will check it out because we never know if I need them in he future. Thanks for your feedback.
Have you thought about contacting Swedish modelers who either have layouts or are members of clubs? I Googled “Swedish Model Railways” and found some interesting stuff.
If you check WNJ and look at the locomotives, you’ll find pictures of a Bachmann Spectrum 4-6-0 that’s been modified to look Swedish.
Here’s one of the pictures:
I know you’re interested in US prototype, but your fellow Swedes might actually be able to help you with layout construction. We can help with questions about the prototype you
Those Spectrum 4-6-0’s are smooth runners and the last link in the options chain for anyone modelling D&RG turn of the century in standard gauge HO. I liked my first one so well I just ordered two more. They will become the backbone of all my operations, while the more common (on the prototype) 2-8-0’s will be relegated to occasional appearances for the sole purpose of adhering to reality. At least until Bachman gets around to releasing a Spectrum 2-8-0 from the C-16 era, only the most commonly used locomotive of the period.
Right now, the Spectrum 4-6-0 is about it for top drawer period motive power.
Electro…
Massive first layout in a rented building? Massive = time (measured in years in this hobby). Rented = obscure future. I’d love to see you pull this off, the D&RG rules, but I’d sure hate to see you get a good start on this thing and then have to move it or even lose big pieces of it. On the plus side, locos and cars are portable and represent an investment that won’t diminish over time. If you make your buildings removable, (you have to change buylbs once in a while right?) then a catastrophe can only cost you benchwork, track (not too expensive) and your time, not the core of your interst.
Here comes an update on the plans. Everything looks incredible good at the moment.
In 3 months I will start building my layout at the new place with 1356 square feet.. I will receive the keys maybe next week so I can start measure the space I have. I will publish it here so you all can look at it together with some photos.
My dream is to build a HO scale layout of the Denver and Rio Grande Western from Denver to Salt Lake City. (gray line)
I need all help I can get to plan this layout. It will be only 1 level, but it’s a BIG level. It must be portable if I must move some time in the future. Right now I have a contract for 2 years.
