Hello everybody,
who has outbuildings for their model railroads? What are the pro’s and con’s? Thinking about having a outbuilding for my future layout and I can think of one huge drawback which is the Canadian Winter.
Would appreciate others input on this and if you have a outbuilding for a layout would you do it again?
Thank you
Frank
it depends on how much money you want to spend.
Frank, this is a subject that I have considered myself. Our house is too small for anything bigger than a 4x8 layout. I think an outbuilding would be a lot cheaper to build (not to mention property taxes) than an addition to the house. Heating and A/C would be the biggest ongoing expense, although that could be reduced with a minimum of windows & doors, plus extra insulation. I would prefer to have the layout in the house if possible, just for the sake of convenience in bad weather. I haven’t done anything yet… probably just make due with the 4x8 for a couple more years. It will be interesting to get other people’s input on the subject. -James
My layout is in the basement, but I have two friends who built outbuildings specifically to house their layouts.
You can check out their progress HERE and HERE.
While my layout is in the house, my paint shop is located in the garage, about 100’ behind the house. The benefits are no noise or smell of paint in the house, so I can paint anytime I wish. The main drawback is that I need to pre-heat the compressor during the Canadian winter. A portable electric heater running for a couple of hours does the job, and once the compressor is running, it makes enough heat to keep the small room comfortable. The paint, naturally, needs to be stored in the house.
Wayne
I don’t have space for an outbuilding, so I’m stuck in an attached garage that can’t be climate controlled. Given my choice, I’d much prefer a building constructed like a basement (using those new-fangled foam plastic forms that stay to form insulation) and bermed over, with only one wall semi-exposed. (My problem isn’t cold, it’s heat, but the same principles apply.) A bit expensive to build, but VERY energy efficient. If it isn’t equipped with running water the Codes Authority doesn’t consider it living space - which has tax advantages.
Reality check time. I’m on a lot so narrow that I can’t build a large-scale garden railroad - no room for adequate curves! Minimum setback is about ten millimeters beyond the walls of my dwelling. Oh, well…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in a Nevada garage)
Frank,
Cliff Powers has his MA&G layout in a 14’ x 32’ custom-made outbuilding that is situated on his property. Cliff is a member here on the forum but hasn’t posted in a while. You might try sending him a PM with your inquiry and see if you get a response from him.
Tom
I have a very small layout in the spare BR.
I DO have an outbuilding, but it is full of schtuff.
First of all… check to find out the variosu zoning/code laws are in efffect for such a thing in your area!.
Her are a few things to consider: Your layout may enjoy the Canadian winters more than you. YOU have to determine what temps YOU can live in. You may find only 3 or 4 months to be comfy for you, so consider climate control. There are nat. gas and propane gas wall/space heaters {or electric} you could set on low at about 50F. Window A/Cs can help alleviate the heat when you want to run trains on those hot summer days {and lately eveyone has been getting them.}. It also can help to keep your tracks from buckling.AN energy saver model that cycles on and off set at 75-80F is even better than the temps it could get to.
Now that THAT issue is considered and done, next its to really consider this first: FInish off your outbuilding before building your layout! It IS an added expense, but good insulation {spray foam can get you good insulation values at reasonable cost, but fiberglass batting is good also!. Insulat the walls, floors {if you can} and the ceiling/attic. Then Sheetrock it. It will help keep the above costs down to maintain temp control.It will also help with DUST control.
THen consider electricity. If you aren’t running only battery operated trains, be SURE to have some adequate electricity run out to run your lights, A/C and trains, with spare power left over to avoid tripping a breaker. We have a dedicate outlet for just the A/C unit in our home. the other AC is on a line with other things and we can’t run several things at once without blowing the circuitbreaker!
All that finishing off sounds expensive and it can be compared to a cheap seel of an out building. But consider this…even with just a 4x8 you have to invest in platform, legs, track, structures, trains, scenery finishing, wiring, etc etc…even if you have some of all that al
I’ve defintiely thought about this. My plan is to buy a single-level house. Even a modest sized one with a full basement means a large layout space, but that requires a) a basement, b) that is be a DRY basement, and c) stairs to access the layout area. The whole point of the single elvel house to to avoid havign to do stairs when I get older. Now, there certainly are solutions, especially if there is only one striaght staircase, but an outbuilding woudl also work. For a layotu building, I would see maybe just the one door plus one or two windows in a workshop area (nearly any habitable area is goign to need at least 2 exists per code, even if it’s not used for the public - plus that’s sort of just common sense to have an alternate way out in case the unthinkable happens). But with minimal doors and windows, it shouldn;t be that horrible to heat and cool, especially if you don’t skimp on the insulation. Combine that with some of the modern sensor thermostats to simply keep the area within a reasonable temperature range for protection fo the layotu and equipment when you aen’t actually thre, and a more human comfortable range only when occupied, and it really should be any more expensive to heat and cool than adding heatign and coolign to a similar sized area in the house that currently isn’t climate controlled, like the attic or basement.
–Randy
I am building my layout in our garage. I got some heavy duty 2 inch tape and sealed the door with that. It really seems to help with the dust and weather.
I have been trying to talk the big boss into purchasing an old mobile home and building in it. You can sometimes pick one up pretty cheap. I don’t know about what it might cost to make one into a train room, but it would be a lot bigger than our one car garage. And if you ever moved you would not have to tear down all that work, it could move with you. You might be able to keep the heating system and wiring. It probably would not take too much to blank out most or all of the windows, and a lot of them here in the north west are insulated.
I think it was Harry Brunk, who years ago did the Up Clear Creek On The Narrow Gauge series. It was in an old mobile home I think, so this is not a new idea.
Anybody else go this route?
Have fun!
I used weather stripping, so my garage doors still work.
This local club built a layout in TWO mobile buildings:
I have a 10’X16’ outr buliding. I’m very pleased with it because I can be away from all of the distractions in the house. But mostly because I have total say on how the space is used (my wife won’t come out to the outhouse[swg])
Compared to where you are we have mild winters so i’m not sure what you might need to do as far as keeping it warm. My barn was a prebuilt with two windows and a double door. I put inuslation in the roof and walls then covered that with 5/8" osb. I use a small propane heater during the cold and a 12,000 btu window air conditioner. That works well for me here in southeast Tn. Even with the high temps we’ve been having it statys cool. I only use the heat or AC when I’m working in the barn tho.
Would I do it again? Yes, becase of the freedom it allows me to model. What might I change? Build bigger! Maybe put more thought into the preplanning stage.
Charles
When I saw the name of the thread, the first thing that came to my mind was the kind with crescent moon cut in the door. [swg]
I thought that was an outhouse or a privy… not an outbuilding. [swg]
You just need to not get tooo close to the whirlpool! It sucks[oX)]
Charles
Hello Everybody,
thank you for all the replies. I greatly value the input given on this subject. As it stands my next move might be to a house where there is not enough room for a layout but the potential for a outbuilding and these replies have certainly got me thinking. The suggestions brought up in this discussion make me wonder if the best method might be to build a second floor on a workshop and have that as my layout room. Wiring is of no issue because I am a electrician, as for the building to the codes, have done that before as well. So will have to do some research regarding cost and by-laws.
Thank you again for all the replies
Frank
I’m considering an outbuiding. I found 12’ x 20’ for a good price already built. I would have to insulate it and install AC. My winters are mild so not an issue,if it was very cold, i could use the propane grill for the turkey cooker. Awaiting the finance departments approval(wife).
Some folks have found used mobile homes to use for railroad space. In some places, if they do not have a connection to a septic system, they are not taxes as mobile homes, just a building. Of course it would be nice to have the facilities close at hand. They already have a heating system in place. Could rearrange some of the walls, but be careful as to how it is done. Don’t want a roof failure.
I you have a hot water heating system, you can run a zone off from your current house furnace to an outbuilding, so you don’t have to have a whole seperate heating system.
Just a couple of thoughts.
Good luck,
Richard
Hey willy,
I’m proud to say I’m the master of the house as long as I don’t argue with the wife.
Good luck
Bob
Frank
Here is a link to a site which shows a fellow model railroader building an outbuilding from start to almost finished.
It may give you some useful information.
http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=2638
Dave
Hey, Dave, that’s the same as the first of my two links. [swg][(-D] [(-D] I was just there last week for a visit, and will be going back again next month. I’m hoping to visit the guy in the second link next year, but that one’s a little more of a drive. [:-^]
Wayne