Hello all,
I am looking for suggestions on my thoughts/plans for my lay-out to-be. I currently own a home with a full basement with tons of MRR potential, an area roughly 24’ x 24’ could become my HO empire. I spent the last year or so just trying to decide what gauge and type of layout I would like to have and that part is done so I am itching to start building something. I own 1 proto 2000 steam loco and a few cars, a few pieces of code 83 flextrack and 1 tech-4 controller. The problem now is that my wife started a new job near where I work and since it is going well she is wanting to move that way, it would save us 30-40min in driving every day so it is a good idea. I have no idea when this will happen it could be a month or several years but either way it will probably happen and so I am considering trying to build a movable layout. I am in no hurry to build an entire layout, I would just like to start building something to play with that could be moved and re-used if needed. I know nothing of building a modular layout, and have some concerns. Fist off how do you get large sections of layout to line up with other ones, I mean it has to be very accurate if you want trains to drive over the rails so I am unsure how you would get 2x4’ to connect together within thousanth’s of an inch? How do you get the edges of the modules to be perfectly smooth? I would think they would need to be in order for them to butt up against one another and not have gaps. I am a mechanical engineer by trade so I may be a bit picky but it seems logical to me not to waste money and time on something that ultimately doesn’t look nor function correctly. thanks, shane
It would be relatively easy to line up two or more module in you present basement as they are being built. However, if you move to another house, the ground may not be perfectly even or level. For this reason, you should insert bolts on the bottom of the modular legs so that you can adjust their length if necessary. This is what modular club builders do who set up their layout in different locations throughout the year.
Hi supergenius,
I was interested in your post.
I am working on a layout constructed from 2-inch thick foam ( basically 4x8 foot sheets of Dow pink foam.)
Okay, my tables will be constructed like bed frames using 1x4’s and 2x4s laying the foam inside the frames just like you put a bed box springs in a bed frame.
As far as lining them up, I plan on using a heavy duty wood dowel pins thru the ends of each table-frame, basically pre-drilling my dowel holes, then epoxying the dowels in place on one side, and either aluminum tubing or brass tubing, could even use copper pipe as the female socket on the next table it joins to
Then underneath, simlpy uuse a small screw clamps to hold them together.
Okay, if you want to move them, it’s a SIMPLE process, loosen your clamps, and simply pull the tables apart, . As far as table leg I’ll probably use 2x4’s in an L-type setup to keep them from warping, and screwing them into place , so they can come off easily to be moved.
Being made out of foam and 1x4 frames, they will be lightweight, and easy to move, set them up on edge and they will easily go up a basement staircase.Right now, I haven’t anything built yet, but this has been what I have been designing.
There was a guy who had some pictures posted on the older forum of just such a setup, and this where I got my idea.
Easy, lightweight, yet strong.
I have a friend who has one single 4x8 MRR table made just this way with slats every 16 inches, and it is STRONG, his boy(95 pounds) can actually set on it, disspelling any rumors that it isn’t strong enough to lean on.
Hope this helps, or feel free to share any of your ideas with me, I’m open to ideas!
Thanks for your post!
Ed
No problem! thanks for the replies, this is post will hopefully stirr up some good ideas. I spent the last year thinking i had my “plan” all figured out and now i have to re-think everything. I would be fine not moving, I have been driving to work this far for 10+ years but my wife hates it which means we will probably move some time. My mind is tyring to envision a modular-type layout that works and looks just as good as the permanent ones and when it comes time to move there isn’t any major problems. I had a new idea of using aluminum extrusions for the frame, I once worked for local company that sells them cut to any length and they are a modular building type that can be easily botled together and true withing .005". Using 1" x 1" bars would provide a very strong yet light weight frame that bolts together very accurately, then just glue the foam on top. The stuff sells for about a dollar a foot so a 3’x6’ frame with legs would be about 50 bucks with hardware, may seem expensvie but i would spend about half that for wood/screws etc. I will keep posting ideas and looking for new ones.
I have a modular layout that has three sections. None of them are even close to being or needing to be within thosanth’s or even hundreth’s of inch precision. First, you don’t want large sections of layout. Even if they are going to only be moved once (from this house to the next), the larger they are the more likely of getting damaged during the move. I have large vehicles (Chevy Suburban & Ford Expedition type) and have found that the one 2’x8’ module I have is almost too unwieldly. I have a 3’x6’ section that is also almost too large. the 2’x6’ seem to be the best compromise between area for track and transportation considerations. Second, I use number 1 1x4s for the outside frames, with 1x2 cross members to support a 2" thick foam base. Any knots or not dry #2 lumber will eventually do something strange and knock the whole alignment out of whack. Third, To keep things lined up I use door hinges between the modules. I built the modules and connected them together with one side of the hinge on each. I laid the track almost as if it was all one big chunk of benchwork. The exception to this is that I did make certain not to put the critical parts of a turnout over a seam. I made certain to over anchor (two nails per tie, two ties deep) the track on both sides of the joint. After I was satisfied with the trackwork, I got out the dremmel and cut the rails exactly over the joint. Then I pulled the pins on the hinges and had separate modules. At one point I have seven tracks crossing between modules. Fourth. Wiring is going to be a bit
Hi again supergenius,
I didn’t notice until now your location.
We are practically neighbors.
I live just northeast of Ft Wayne, out by the Hurshtown resrvoir and St Joe river.
I’m just outside both Leo and Grabill.
Like you I am still contemplating ideas as to how I want to build my layout.
I have about 15 by 31 usueable feet in my basement, have chosen HO gauge, and have lots of stuff collected already from various train shows, swap shops, and hobby shops etc.All I need to do is get it all underway, but I also have another hobby , it has 3 wheels and a set of wings! LOL!
So far I have most of the lumber setting in the basement, 7 sheets of 4x8 by 2 inch foamboard.
I have 2 buddies over by Columbia City ansd Warsaw who are supposed to help me, were all train nuts also.
I got started in this years ago when my Granpa took me to work with him at Sears out on Rudisill Blvd and turned me loose with the Lionel train guy who ran all the display window trains layout at Christmas time.
I’ve been hooked ever since!
Ed
Hi Texas Zepher,
Have any pictures you’d care to share of your layout and how you built it and set it up?
Thanks!
Ed
Thanks texas those are great suggestions and I will consider them for my plans. It is in my nature to over engineer things, it saves me frustration down the road. The quickest way for me to loose interst in a hobby is for it not to look or function to my expectations.
Ed, It’s nice to meet a local person who shares in my interests, I have lots of hobbies, probably too many but I would go nutz without them. I built a MRR when I was 10 with my dad, it was a pretty good 4x8 HO and served its purpose but ever since then I have always wanted more. My real interest in trains lies in steam engines, if i had the means and the money I would have a 1/8 scale steam powered locomotive to ride around in my back yard, coal powered with the sound and smell of the real thing, so until i win the lottery a descent HO layout is my goal.
The problem with a typical 2 x 4 module is it isn’t big enough, not for HO in the way I am thinking. A descent switch yard, turn table and large curves for that UP big boy are going to require modules of at least 3 x 6 but more than likely 4 x 8, i have taken measurements and I can actually put a 5’ x 10’ object in and out of my basement and haul it with my dads covered trailer if needed. I should not have any trouble building the layout I want with sections that large its just a matter of how to build them in a manner that allows for easy and accurate joint between them. I believe I have ruled out 2 x 4’s they are just to un-true to use for this. I have even considered just hanging the foam sheets from the ceiling with cables, its rather rigid and would support the weight upon it. I could saw cut the ends to be flat and square and just use small thin pieces of plywood glued to the underside to join thew screws.
Either way this is so much fun to talk about, I think I enjoy engineering the layout as much as playing with the trains. -shane
Hi Shane,
Thanks for the reply.
I too have come up with ideas and am lucky enough to have a basement with about 15 by 31 feet available.
Have given thought to many different scenarios, and like you, engineering it is half the fun.
Okay here is one of my thoughts, and being that RC model airplanes is one of my hobbies also, I have a complete foam cutting setup. I am thinking of making a 6 foot wide center section by 24 feet long as part of my layout.
I can cut 4 by 8 sheets of foam right down the center, dead -on.
Okay take the 2by 8 sheets and join them to a 4by 8 for a 6 by 8 shhet, put three of them end to end, hence 24 feet, make this layout a walk around, and backdrop in the middle, then, make an "L’ section off of one end of the layout with additional foam.
This way I could have big wide sweeping radius curves on both ends. My other school of thought is to go around the walls , and sent off yesterday to MR Magaizine for a back issue on how to build a magnetic liftout so I can have just the middle portion open and make moere use of my available space.
But I can also cut foam to any length, shape or width I need for anything on the layout.
Having a layout that rasises up and down via cables? Neat idea!
Makes me think of a house I looked at before I bought this one.
The guy was an engioneer with International, and desigened a shop with a sliding wall to hide his shop when he wasn’t using it. Except the house was empty because his “shop” was a whacky weed facotory! LOL!
Overhead plant growing lights, the whole 9 yards, wall retracted via a motorized cable -pulley setup.
When the wall was in the “closed” position, you couldn’t tell it wasn’t anything but a wall, no idea there was an open area behind it.A very slick setup!
House was over off of Gump road.
By the way, the best price anywhere for a HO turntable is Hobby Land on Coliseum across from Glenbrook.
I ordered the Walthers 130 footer from Jeff who runs the