I went to the store and got some track and 2 hollow core doors and have started laying track on my portable floor layout. Now I will finaly have a layout that I can run trains on at home untill I move to a house with a basement. What is nice is the doors are so light that they can easly be picked up and stored away in a closet when I am not using it. I should be able to set upa nd take down the layout in less then 10 min.
Buy yourself a set or two of those adjustable-height metal sawhorses that are available at many home improvement centers. Very affordable, very strong, and easily stored if/when you don’t want to use them. They fold up to a compact size, and even have a carrying handle. They will raise your layout to about 40", and will not take up any more space than the layout itself. I highly recommend them. No point in having the layout on the floor if you can raise it to an easy height for working and playing!
Alan has a great idea there. Congratulations! I’ll be eager to hear how it goes.
Yea, the plastic saw horses are nice also, enjoy your layout. I recommend the free software from atlas for planning your new layout fro a basement. ALways good to start thinking ahead as to what you want. Bill
[#welcome] Jim. It sounds like youre off to a good start. Isnt it fun. Personally I have never had a basement, but we had a huge house on Lake Conroe in Tx. that was all glass, yes all glass 18 sets of 8’ patio doors and 37 4x8 fixed glass windows. I talked my wife out of a corner about 12 x18 so the passing foot traffic could have a view. My current house has a room over the garage 12 x 45 and I get about 2/3 of it to use for trains, plus I have a fantastic view of the mountains. So dont rule out a house because it doesnt have a basement…Good to see you posting… Tim
I wish I had the room like you in my house but I live in a condo and it just isnt big enough for a layout to be set up full time. I am actulaly having alot of fun with my small floor layout. I do mind sitting on the floor “playing” with my trains. Right now I have 2 loops set up but only have power to the outside loop. I will be putting in another 3rd loop in the inside so I can run 3 trains at once. I will prob lay that loop tongiht but I wont be able to run a train on it till I get a new transformer. My current TW and a modern small transformer that came in a starter set is all I have. I am saving up for a ZW. I will post some pictures for my layout if anyone wants to see them.
Hi Jim
Really glad to see that you not only got enjoyment out of the program but you also created a working track plan. Looking forward to seeing some pics of your work when you are done. Or even some during the construction phase would be even better to some of us.
Jim B.
Hi JIm,
PLease post your pic. Chief is still on a floor layout. It is still running between Wedding Present Mountains. So please share with us.
tom
I will work on posting some pictures tongiht