I am in the very early planning stages of a portable/display N scale, DC layout. Something to take to local train shows, craft shows and maybe to schools on “Take A Train To Work Day.” The base would be a hollow core door with 1 1/2" or 2" foam for the surface.
Basic plan is for a loop of track with a single passing siding on the viewing side and two passing sidings on the staging side. A nearly full length view block to hide the staging. Probably running two trains, one in each direction. Primarily rural scenery, but could easily have the hint of a town with a station and a few buildings.
First question would be on the layout base. I can only get a 5’ long piece in the available transportation vehicle. Thinking of having a two piece base with either wooden alignment pins and window latches to secure or 1x4’s on the adjoining faces with bolts to secure. This would mean up to a 10’ long layout. Have seen a design for an in car rack that would hold the two pieces in our car. Thoughts and comments on one or two piece base appreciated.
Second question would be on the track plan. Would a siding or two serving a business or team track on the viewing side add significant viewer interest? They could be operated if there were interested viewers or just used to store a car or two for scenery,
I will probably have more questions as I go along. For now I would appreciate your thoughts, experiences and comments on anything similar you have done.
I suggest that you research light weight module construction on the net. Plywood framing can make lighter more durable sections than can be made lighter than lumber.
For connecting the sections together go with both dowels and bolts.
Modular groups usually use set the ends of the tracks back from the end of the module and use a short removeable track section across the gap. However, for your puropse I woudd attach the sections together, lay the track across the joint to ensure good alignment then cut the track at the joint. Use removalable end pieces to protect the ends of the track during transport.
That’s exactly how our portable layout is constructed. It has two main sections that are 5’ long and are aligned by wooden dowels. Then they get bolted together and tightened with wingnuts. There are also two very narrow 5’ long sections that allow the layout to be wide enough to have loops at both ends. The wiring is connected by plugs I found at a local Radio Shack about 7 years ago.
Because our layout takes a lot of abuse during travel, the main sections each slide into wooden crates that stack in our van. The ends come off so that the sections can be slid out without unloading the crates.
This link is to the recommended practice for DC/DCC power on NTRAK modules. Two pin Clinch connectors are the standard going back to the beginning but the powerpole connectors are better and a perfered replacement.
For a layout designed to be taken down quite a bit I would look at using 2 standard door hinges for securing and aligning the sections.
Place the two sections next to each other upside down. Attach the hinges, as a whole, with one half of the hinge on each section. Lay down your track as need need with sections connected. With a fine bladed Dremel or hand saw cut the track at the joint.
To disassemble pull the hinge pin and you are good to go. To reassemble line the halves of the hinges up and replace the pin. Perfect alignment.
A perfect alignment of the sections of your layout is essential for a trouble-free operation. I am afraid that wooden dowels will not give you the precision you´ll need for it.
In the UK, sectional, portable layouts are very common. In most cases, the builders employ pattern makers dowels to achieve the perfection required. For reference, take a look at this page:
I talked a lot of smack about building a modular or display layout myself. This fall, I finally got into action, joining a modular group. I’ve been to 2 setups, one private and one at a large train show. I also head to the layout section of any train show I go to first to observe the modular and display layouts. Some things I’ve come to realize about exhibiting layouts:
One is the loneliest number (this was an eye-opening surprise I hadn’t thought of). Everything is much more difficult as a one man show. Man-handling a section more than 4ft long by yourself doesn’t work very well, and 3ft is much easier to grab both ends at once. If you are going to handle sections more than 4ft long by yourself, you need a
My daughter & I are building a 1’x6’ shelf switching layout, based on Byron Henderson’s Alameda Belt Line, that folds into a 1’x3’x4" box for storage and portability:
We’ve been having a lot of fun running trains and “filling the box” with scenery:
This is DC right now, but I could place a DCC panel where the DC controller is.
You can check out more picts on this thread.
I don’t see why you couldn’t do the same with two 2’x4’ “handy panels” from HD or Lowes.
I’d cut 6" off the end of each panel, making the “benchwork” two 2’ x 3’6" sections with a 2’ x 6" section between and the other 6" strip providing the end support (mine spacers are 3").
You’d have to lay track directly on the wood, or use those full-back-to-back wrap-around hinges to get the pivot to rail level (necessary so the sections lift away and not crush the rails).
I wouldn’t have one handle on top, but maybe a handle on each of the 6" spacers, though it might be easier to carry a 2’ x 3’6" x 6" box just as it.
I’ve also been thinking about adapting Jim Sacco’s City Classics HO display layout (scroll down) into N: his 3’x10’ dimensions would translate well to 2’x8’ (two 2’x4’ sections) for N. His design has continuous running & switching. He built his to show off
All my modules have used clamps for attachment and short sections of track across the joint. This is best for groups like NTRAK or Fremo. Where modules are built by an individual or close knit group the precise allignment method can be used. It gives a better more uniform appearance.
Good advise given by others about dowels. Wood will not hold up. Seriously consider Mad Dog’s sugestion to use Pattern Makers Dowels. They are particuarly useful to ensure obtaining consistant allingment if you add intermrdiate sections in the future.
I do not recommend hinges for attaching modules together. No mater how careful one tries to be, transportation, set-up and tear-down is rough on modules. Hinges tend to loosen-up with time making allignment difficult.
Although it is true that shorter sections are easier to handle, weight is more of a problem than length when it comes to handling modules up to about 6-foot long. Six footers do not fit well in many vehicles (including some small pick-up trucks). Since shorter sections require more joints they can be a real killer for track planning, appearance and in effort to set-up and tear-down. I think 5 feet is a good compromise.
My purpose is to introduce and share the hobby to the viewers. I think interchanging cars and some simple switching will be enough to do during slow times. My current 4x6 HO layout was to be protable, but our van died. This one is plannned for a smaller vehicle, a size we will probably have for many years to come. That layout was going to have an unfinished/partially finished side so that viewers could see the basics of the construction. I may incorperate that idea in this one as well.
I have seen alignment pins, bolts, clamps and the first show this fall had a small layout with removeable pin hinges at the edges holding it together. The patttern makers dowels would certainly be a good idea if the layout had many interchangeable sections and builders. I will look at the NTRAK and Free-Mo links and try to choose the best method for my situation. Since it will not be moved a lot, wearing of wooden pins isn’t as much of a concern as it might be. However, protecting it in transit will take a bit of planning.
Yes, one is a lonely number and I am a lone wolf builder on my home layout. However, when I go to shows, several of us lone wolves form a pack, so I would have help moving and watching the layout.
I agree about the dowel pins. Ours has been in use for about 7-8 years and they still work well. I think it would be different if you were taking it apart every week and treating it roughly. Do you ever make it down to the big show in Springfield, MA? If so, that would give you a chance to look at a lot of portable layouts (including ours) , ask some questions and get some ideas.
I haven’t been yet, but sure would like to go. Until a couple years ago it was out of the question, now possible, but it’s a long drive for a day trip. Could stay over night, but that costs. There is a bus from this area, which is a possibility that I am concidering.
We make City Classics structure kits and bring our display layout to the show. I think it may have been mentioned in a previous post (if not, then on a related thread somewhere).
If you’ve never been there, you need to read the thread on one of these forums about the show. You’ll see more vendors, manufacturers, historical societies and layouts than you can take in at one time. There are a lot of fabulous small layouts and modular ones on display. I’m sure everyone has slightly different methods that you can learn from.
Saw the avatar, but never put two and two together. Thank you for the information. Now a couple of questions as you have spurred my interest to possibly making this a bit more of a layout than I had originally planned.
Are your backdrops detachable?
Do you use mostly #4 or #6 switches?
How many rail connections are there between the two sections? Do you use a short piece of track at those connections?
At shows do you do much operating or mostly let the trains run?
Do you operate the layout when “home” or just at shows?
Do you store the sections in their travel boxes?
Do you just stack the travel boxes in your SUV or do you have a rack to put them on?
That should geve some more food for thought.
Am going to look further into that bus ride to Springfield. If I show up you will only have yourself to blame.
Our layout doesn’t have any backdrops since we need to look over it at shows. I’ve stood some up behind it for taking photos, but they’ve just been propped up on whatever was handy.
The layout is a mix of #4 and #6s. I tried to use #6s for the mainline loop at the bottom. Most of the sidings, though, are #4s with one wye thrown in.
Yes, I use a short piece of track between sections. They’re about 1-2" long depending on where they are. I filed down some ties and glued them to the roadbed where the connector rails go. That way those portions have ballast under them. Not having ties attached gives me room to slide the rail joiners back and forth too.
After about 7-8 years of using the layout, a bit of the ballast has come loose in those areas after all of the setting up and tearing down (about 6-8 times a year), but it still looks okay for the most part.
At shows we just let trains run. One train makes a loop on the lower level and another reverses between all three levels. I built a small panel on the back that controls some of the turnouts and added switches so that you can turn off the reversing circuit and operate the layout manually.
Most of the time I set up the layout at home so that I have something to tinker with or to show friends. It also allows me to make any repairs between shows. Sometimes, though, over the winter when we might attend a few shows fairly close together, I leave it in the crates. I’ll often leave them in our van too if the shows are a few weeks apart. I’ve had the layout sit for days in extremely hot or cold weather with no problems.
We have a minivan. I’m not a very good woodworker, but the crates do the job. The crates are made out of plywood with 1 x 4 s at each end to form the corners. On one of them the 1 x 4s extend past the bottom a little. That allows the section to fit on top of the other one without sliding off.
I forgot to answer one of your questions. There are about twelve sections of connector rails between the two main sections. So there are quite a few. I don’t rely on them, though, for electrical connections between sections. There are plugs between the sections. As long as one of the short sections gets power through a rail joiner so a train can pass over, it works fine.
