In which order should the installation tasks be done, having difficulty convincing my partner?

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
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In which order should one attempt the following tasks? The installation will be on a rigid table of 36 inch depth in a corner of the basement against the wall. Height as yet to be determined? Install: backdrop scernery on concrete wall, manufacture and install mountains up against corner in front of backdrop (partner wants to manufacture mountains off site and moved to table and it needs to include a climbing lane for track?), install track and remiaining scenerg and buildings… some confusion re moving the mountain (probable 4-5 ft in width)…

Thanks much

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[#welcome] to the forum, your post will be delayed in moderation for only a few posts.

If it’s 36" wide you are not going to be able to get to the backdrop unless you can crawl on the table or move it. You are going to have to know the height first.

I assume that means there will be roadbed and eventually track on the mountain. How are you constructing the mountian? I can only envision being able to move a foam mountain.

We just had a thread on order of construction, I submit for your review.

3

Easiest to work back to front so your not reaching over finished layout to work on unfinished. That way no damaged to finished areas. 36" is rather deep to reach

4

Back to front and top to bottom.

5

I agree with others, 36" deep will be hard to reach unless it’s low in height, like a desk would be, and then it’s a stretch.

Back drop first is pretty important. Refer to the link that Henry provided. We just went over all of this.

Mike.

6

I also built a layout in the corner. Backdrop first for sure.

7

There are those curtains again! [:o)]

I find 30 inches about the max for reach.

I’m planning on my yard being on a 2 foot wide shelf attached to the walls with a bracket and using threaded rod for additional support on the outside edge.

8

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I am 6’ 7" tall, and 30 inches is still the maximum. As you get older, you will regret 36 inches.

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-Kevin

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The widest part of my layout is 60", but that’s at the very end of the peninsula. I am able to each all parts of it, standing on a milk crate because it’s open on three sides.

10

Can you easily reach 36"? If not, don’t bother. Standing on a chair and leaning over is not a viable solution. Instead, shoot for 24" max distance between you and the backdrop (unless you can reach the area).

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That is a nice and basic reply. Easy to follow. [Y]

Mike.

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Always the contrarian, I will be working bottom deck first. But just until trackwork is done - easy enough to cover while doing scenery on the upper deck. I don;t have a track plan for the second deck yet, and I’m not starting witht he helix or with the staging loops.

–Randy

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Jim, I made you a present, feel free to use it as a screen saver!

[swg][(-D]

14

I am going to suggest, based on two layouts now as folded loops with a substantially wide yard module, that you can manage 36". But, it’s a long way, and you’ll want to make things a little easier on your back and on your reliability/enjoyment. For me, that meant laying tracks carefully and making reliable mechanisms to move throwbars back and forth so distant that I don’t want to have to reach over to, and drag, a stepping stool. Once you have your track system well proven and reliable, near the back of the 36-40" depth, you should be okay. But, aside from the tracks, and ballasting, you’ll then want to go on to create scenery there to finish it off, and to place structures or to provide space for them. This applies also to soldering the last couple of joiners or adding some feeders; this should all be done before crafting the scenery and structures…AND TRACKS…closer to where you stand and observe. You don’t want to have to get up and kneel on all that to fix iffy trackwork. In fact, you can get around this as well. You make sure there are places where you can place a kneeling pad with supporting ‘feet’ pads under them to keep from crushing the rails. When necessary, you carefully place the kneeling pad and climb up on it to get at things that you can’t practically deal with on a stool.

15

36 inches is a long way to reach. I’m a tall guy and past 24" it’s a real stretch. After working on my layout with some areas that are hard to reach, your enthuaism for working in crampeor hard to reach spots dimishes. Make it easy to reach and you’ll be a much happier modeler!