Lift Top

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hey Guys:

Has anyone bilt a layout that is a lift top on hinges to have access to the witing underneath? If so how did it work out. Building my table for my layout and I’m unsing a lot of low voltage DC electronics.

Cadit

2

Why would you need a lift up hatch to access wiring under the bench work? simply crawl under the layout to work on anything you need to attend to. Hence my reasoning/rule for bench work height. I have a minimum height of 48" I can sit on an office chair that I removed the back from and roll right under my bench work and sit as I work on what ever. Trust me your knees and back will thank you many times over that you did.

3

At my age now, it may help not having to get down ubder the table to do work. Just a thought.

Cadit

4

I put my electronics on boards that are hinged at the top. Swing up normally, swing down to work on them.

5

Believe me I feel your pain with two arthritic knees and a few compressed vertebrae in my back, thats the beauty of putting it at 48" you can sit in your chair and wheel yourself from one side to the other and work on what ever. The guys in the club busted me something fierce when they saw me with my chair will all the stuff I attached to the bottom to hold tools parts, wire, connectors etc.a more comfortable version of a mechanics creeper seat. So guess how many of those silly looking seats we have now.

If your referring to your command station for your dcc etc. a swing out panle isn’t a bad idea or maybe something on draw sliders?

6

Hi Cadit,

to get it done you have to built your pike in modules. And on a grand piano you can see where hinges are up to.

In “102 realistic trackplans” Andy Sperandeo is giving an alternative on page 67. A layout section(module) can be placed on a independent table. Take a section to your workbench and put it on its backdrop.

Paul

7

Two answers, one general and one specific:

  1. I installed all of my electricals (including switch machines) just inside the fascia line, where I can sit on a chair in the aisleway to work on them. Drop wires get fished out with a straightened (except for the hook) wire coat hanger. That does away with working under the benchwork, which is a long way from being my favorite thing.

  2. I have two hidden yard throats on separate frames that can be unbolted from the main benchwork for maintenance and repair. Their electricals are connected to the fixed wiring with multi-pin connectors, easily pulled apart when necessary. One lifts and slides out, the other drops down and slides out. They can be stood on end, turned completely over or positioned in any other way that makes whatever I need to deal with accessible.

I, too, have some mobility/flexibility issues, so I set up my electricals to minimize physical effort.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)