For you following my ranting on my layout plans, heres the latest update (brain fart).
26" is really too low for the height of your work bench top/work surface. 26" is about the bare minimum for the ‘kneehole’. Typically a minimum table top/desktop height is 30" with 32" being better.
If you’re of average height, when sitting in a chair the back of your head will be between 50" - 54" from the floor. You might be banging it on the edge of the layout when you get up from your chair.
The chair (depending on the type you use) may be an obstacle when you operate. Right now it may look OK but you can find in reality it’ll be getting in the way.
Basic math also shows your central pit to be 2.5’ x 7.5’…that, to me seems a bit tight . You need at minimum 32" for the chair to move allowing you to get in/out of it comfortably.
You didn’t show the door swing. Depending if the door swings in you’ll lose wall space of about 30" where the TV is going to be.
Keeping the TV and recliner in the room is limiting you’re usable space for the layout. Is there any way they can be relocated outside so you can enlarge the ‘pit’ ?
Suggestions:
You have enough track, so I would personally want to have a little more space in the pit.
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The tracks above the workbench: I would not have the angle of the spurs so steeply away from the main. Flattening them out more will give you about 4 to 6 inches of space.
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The storage tracks above the control panel: I would use just two or even one, saving more inches. Overall, both this and the previous adjustment could provide over a foot of pit room without really compromising the layout much.
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The fourth track down from the big “W” in Window, the one just above the main, I would put in two turnouts to connect it to the main (or just eliminate that track as a spur and connect it to the main). This would allow access to the switching district from the left side of the layout as well as the right side. You only have access from the right side now, which might require a train to almost enter the lift out section to back into the district.
Yea, but he can always find an old wooden chair that he can cut the legs down on to sit lower. Most of us sit hunched over at our work bench anyway. I raised my work surface up so I would be so hunched over when working at it. My back has thanked me for it.
What about eliminating the outside switching and going with bigger radius turns
Bigger radius the better
You can add more switching inside
BTW I have a 6 1/2 but 9 1/2 on the long side and a duck under
ANother suggestion - circelt the entire room, and include the recliner and tv in the ‘pit’ in the center. Use a lift up or lift out section across the door, ir if you build the layout high enough, a nod-under. Otherwise much the same. I would also suggest the workbench be under a narrower section of benchwork, not a ection that is as wide as the workbench. One thing you might want to include on the workbench is a magnifier light and it will be a real pain to maneuver in a fully enclosed area like that. Putting the workbench under a narrower section of layout will still partially combine the space ustilization, and give you a place to conveninetly place newly completed equipment ont he track for a test run, without being a place to bonk your head and will feel less confined.
–Randy
You could always use a footstool to sit on…[;)]
But seriously, think about sitting in and rising from a chair that’s lower than standard height.
You may be able to do that when you’re younger but as you get older those few inches more of drop can mean a big difference.
I have a raised work table as well. And it does help the back. BUT…I also sit on a bar chair with a foot rest bar. The last thing I would consider is moving the chair and workbench closer to the floor.
-G-
Hi all, Thanks for the input all are great ideas. I am a retired truck drive so the tight space is old hat to me. You ever tried living in a box for weeks at a time? Yyou know plans will change but I’m getting closer. as always nothing is in stone till your put in the ground. And a railroad is never done, it just gets close now and then.
I know whatyour saying about living in a box. I live on a tug for 2 weeks a month in a 6 foot by 8 foot room. And I rarely get off of the tug longest walk is 98 feet. That being said, you can steal some room for more track or just anything by getting a flatscreen Tv and mounting on the wall above the bench. Thats what i have done and I gained at least the TV stand off the floorspace for some more storage. It is a man cave and we got to have room for the fridge and a place to watch the big game. By the way, I like the drawer, I might incorporate that into my expansion.
I spotted the drawer thing while surfing the net, so I grabbed a copy of the picture. I have always tried to think outside the box. Oh and a flatscreen is in the works.
I’ll second the suggestion that you do a shelf layout around the perimeter of the room. I did just that with my N scale Housatonic RR. The bottom of the shelf is 53" above the floor, leaving room for computer and craft tables, TV, etc. Using simple shelf brackets and foam construction is yielding a fun layout and a functional room. There is more construction info in my Housatonic RR blog: http://housatonicnscale.blogspot.com/
Eric
Hi gang, just an update to the man cave. The railroad is drawn in scale. The room and furniture is freehand, but the room measurements have been added. The toolbox which I can’t measure right now (its in storage along with a few other things) is a leftover from my mechanic days and is full of train stuff. The dresser is 34" wide and 33" tall. While the computer desk that will be put under the module on the right side of the room is 46" wide, 26" deep and 29" tall. The recliner is 36" wide. The door opens into the room and is 32"wide the hinges on the right side. Some measurements have been changed on the mod/workbench.
hi Johnny,
i opened up the central pit a bit too. Staging is above the recliner, so only a dock-scene on the lower leg.
I do agree with other posters however, your layout is build way to low.
Smile
Paul
Paul’s rendition is much better IMO…it still gives you plenty of operation as well as watching trains.
Nice.
-G-
John,
Paul basically drew a lot of what I described several posts ago. It looks real good. Stein’s original plan was made for an enclosed room of that size, so everything had to be contained within it. Paul’s idea of having the staging extend beyond the main part of the layout open things up a little.
I still say, since a liftout/lift up/drop down section is planned anyway, to make the layout bigger and use the whole room. The extra areas can be narrow areas with a main line and some scenery - this henind the couch and you’d probably never bump your head. If of high enough, it could be wider. Still plenty of room for the rest of the Man Cave accessories like tv and recliner. Unless there’s an additional requirement that you don;t REALLY get the entire room to use as your man cave that we aren;t aware of. Plenty of storage space and places to build things like work benches under the layout. Drawers, dressers, adn bookcases can all fit underneath leavign the middle wide open for more seating like for your buddies to come over and envy your man cave(since they don;t have one) and watch a game on tv, or - ok, yes, I AM crazy, a coffee table with a small N or Z scale layout inside!
–Randy
Hi all, Thanks for the input. The recliner is my bed, medical problems require me to sleep sitting up. And my room mate has clamed the living room and the other bedroom. Hence the man cave LOL. I did the numbers on the pit. It is rather small and I’m not. But height at my arm pit is right at 50" so I feel 48" with 2" of foam board on top of that the layout should be about right. Paul, I like the changes. What program did you use? I have 3rd Planit.
I find that by moving the dresser to the wall beside the closet, I can move the TV down and use staging over both the TV and recliner and by placing the toolbox under the layout on the left-side. I can keep the closet for storage. The only catch is as an apartment dweller, I don’t want to make any holes in the walls and risk loosing the security deposit. IF I move anytime soon. So No shelf brackets. I can however deal with free standing modules.
Note to self: Pickup a reel measuring tape and stop using one for measuring dresses. Hey you use what you got.
Eric, Your blog is a great read. But I am a apartment dweller and don’t want to loose my security deposit.
hi Johnny
RTS freeware, more details in the drawing.
At the end you have to explore the possibilities of your space. I still think the top part is very track heavy. What is the best for Stein in his space is not necessarily for you. The small yard at the top could probably be placed elsewhere too.
Smile
Paul
Hi Paul, I like the latest rendition and I’m going to give RTS a try. I have measured my room again and believe I have it down now but a 16’ carpenters tape is in the works as I have no clue where the few I had walked off to. I also believe this is my best drawing of my room to date. I feel kind of dorky using a cloth sewing tape to measure with.
Btw I do know how to sew. LOL Mom was a seamstress.
