I’m getting ready to mount some track around the ceiling of my home office. I have RealTrack, an MTH Walbonnet Passenger Train and a Lionel (inexpensive) freight set. Well, they actually belong to my grandson. I have used them each year at Christmas for our Christmas Wonderland Display . He is now 18 and had never had a place to set them up. I decided that it was time to have them displayed (and running) all year instead of stored. I’m sure it’s more for me than him, but I’m going to let him help with this project as soon as I decided how to do it.
If anyone has pictures of what you have done and suggestions, they would be appreciated. The furniture in my office is all oak. Rolltop desk, banker’s bookcase, and similar file cabinets. I would like to stay with a wood set up to coordinate.
Thank for any input.
Monte
I own a restaurant and currently have a ho gauge up with 250 foot of track but am changing it to o gauge. i found alot of information by looking on google for suspended model trains. lots of companies will charge you for their ideas but if you are handy with wood you can look at their pictures and design your own setup. Good Luck
Surprised you haven’t gotten more responses so far, but then again there mite be a lot of train fans either celebrating a win or drowning their sorrows in an adult beverage or two today.
I think the problem is question fatigue. This one gets asked about weekly. If the search function is working, that will give you a lot to read. I just searched “shelf layout” and got 31617 hits.
And of course every application has its own peculiar twist to it. Mine was trying to elevate G-Scale to a Vinyl Covered FOAM wall ! This is one of those “patio enclosure” that are relatively popular here in the warmer climates. Have had mine up for 2 years now. Temperature Range inside room is 63 to 87 degrees, and that is the extremes. Really works well since we Don’t Got Any Basements.
Actually, I have two tracks on the shelf. The trains go in opposite directions. The train in the back is elevated 4" from the one in the foreground. To hold the shelf, I put a ledger board on the wall, to distribute the load across the wall.
Gee Bob, I’m sorry that my question offended you. I’m not familiar with this forum and am a first time user in this section. I had no idea that this was such a ‘hot topic’. Didn’t think about a search. I’ll do better next time and will do the search.
For those of you who responded in a more positive way…Thank you.
Monte
Monte,
I am CERTAIN that Bob did NOT take offense to your post. He was merely commenting on WHY you had not received more feedback. Believe me Bob is the most significant technical authority on these here pages, and I don’t think I have ever heard him have a negative post to anyone.
By the way Welcome to the forum ! [#welcome]
Sorry to Bob, Don and anyone else. It’s been a trying day all the way around. Guess I had my ‘feelers’ stuck out further than normal. My apology. I’m scanning through all the 3100+ posts right now.
Thanks,
Monte
Monte, What size room and how high are the ceilings ? What kind of obstacles, such as windows, doors etc. will you be working around ?
I didn’t take any offense and didn’t mean any. I was just trying to point you to the vast archive of answers already posted. I think you understand how folks can get tired of giving the same answer and posting the same picture, and eventually give it up. But I wanted you to know that the information is still there in abundance, if you know where to look.
Doug,
The room is 10X12 with 8’ ceilings. There is one door, two windows and a closet opening. The doors where removed some time ago. We have papered the back wall and have a bookcase sitting just inside with a painting over it.
Link to room pictures
I hope to put the shelving just above the door jams and window sills. May need to move them up slightly due to the brackets I use.
Not rushing into this project as I want to see more of what others have done. Also don’t want to do something I will be dissatisfied with.
When I first looked at your Christmas photos I had the impression that the ceilings were higher than the standard 8ft. So my first thoughts were for a wide ledger board to support the back of the shelf and createing a crown moulding for additional support as well as decore.
The only real difficult area looks to be the closet opening, about 5ft wide. As far as a passing siding, I would suggest that be placed on the wall where your desk is placed. I didn’t see any windows, etc to have to deal with. The turnouts for a passing siding should be in the corners, if they are placed in the wrong location it can create an “S” curve which sometimes causes problems. And if possible go to a larger curve in the corners, maybe 42" minimum. You never now when you mite fall in love with on of those big articulated steamers. [:)]
I am also going to suggest that you make the shelf flush with the wall surface, this will give you the option of running a lighting source between the tracks and wall for some accent lighting or possibly some scenery options.
Monte, Check out this link, it has some bridge kits that could be used over the closet door opening thus eliminating the need for wall brackets in that area.
http://web.mac.com/gardentexture/Site/Arch_Bridges.html