We're Buying a New House.....Oh No.....What about my Layout?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi Guys,
I’m looking for some encouragement which I hope some of you can provide. We’ve been considering building a new house and it looks like it might happen soon. I’m petrified because I love my hobby and love my current layout. However, I’ll have to start over in the new home because I didn’t build my layout to be dismantled and moved. I’ll only be able to save some of the benchwork such as the legs, some cross-bracing lumber and that’s it. Of course, I’ll try to save sections of scenery like my “farm scene”.

I guess I should be excited about starting over because in the new home, I’ll have more than twice the space I have now. While I’m real happy with my current layout, I did have to limit some aisle space and I would have liked more yard classification tracks. I also have some sections that are not easily accessed, again because of space limitations.

As a matter of fact, I might build the new layout using the same design I have now, but this time I won’t have to hide my staging tracks under my city where they aren’t easily accessed. Also, I could increase the number of yard tracks. Oh, and by the way, I can make a much larger wharf scene with much more industry.

It sounds great but the reason I’m petrified about moving is that when I started my current layout, I was part of a group of 4 guys. One has moved on to another group. One guy’s wife had twins and is too busy for the hobby, and another got out of the hobby altogether. So, now it’s just me…responsible for all the planning that will go into the new layout, and me, responsible for building it.

I guess the only real difficult part building without help is the benchwork, but I guess my wife can hold a couple of L-girders, while I screw on the legs. Actually, when I think about it, after the guys had helped me with the first stage of my current layout’s benchwork, I laid all the track myself, wired it, etc.

Maybe this time, I’ll move to DCC and the wiring will be simp

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Hey, all kinds of opportunities! My layout is only about a year old, but I’d love a chance to double the space. Besides, there’s all those mistakes that are now glued down that I’d like another chance to get right.

And you will love moving to DCC. It greatly simplifies your wiring, and it’s just so much more fun to run the trains rather than the track.

Sounds like it’s time to get some accurate measurements of the new space and start planning. Congratulations!

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That sounds great, when you build your new home maki the room for the layout as large as possible because you WILL run out or room. My HO layout is in a building I built beside my shop which is now 20’ long and 12’ wide and it is almost full. I built it in a way that I can make it 20’ wide amd 28’ long when I get some more money (anyone elce have a problem like this?) My layout is also like yours, it cannot be moved, I try not to think of what I might do if I ever have to move.
Good luck & enjoy Mike

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I share your pain, Mondo. We are on the same verge. I’ll lose space in the transaction, maybe as much as half, and the space I will have will be more of a design challenge. That may sound ominous, but I like the challenge and the space I’ll have is finished space, in need of nothing other than my handiwork and maybe some lighting modifications.

I built my benchwork alone, with the aid of C-clamps to hold things in place until I attacked them with the impact driver. Truth is, they hold things steadier than human hands, anyway. C-clamps come in handy for a lot of things in the construction phase of this hobby. The one thing I like about benchwork construction is that you can see a lot of progress in a short time.

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Hay Mondo: It sounds like an opertunity , to me. In any event we’re always here to lend an ear and give our support when you feel like you need it. My best wishes.

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Been there done that, so I know how you feel! I had to take down a partially completed layout 10 years ago and I am now just starting to build a new one. But I have learned a lot since then and have found that this time around I am incorporating new techniques and trying to learn from the mistakes of the first layout. You can see the progress of my current layout on the layout link below my signature.

You have such a great opportunity to do the same, a clean slate to re-create a new layout with new techniques, and double the space too. My only concern would be the amount in investment, both in time and materials with the added amount of layout space to maintain.

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I would like to make a suggestion that may remove a ton of grief for you.
Sit down and plan NOW all of the wiring, turnouts [like the tortoise], turntable, switches for trouble shooting, lights underneath [25 to 40 watts nothing higher] to see by, etc. Make the holes for the wire, Put the ties where they will be handy. Put power bars all over the place etc. Plan the wiring for DCC now even if you are not going to use it right away. Set it up for potential blocks.
Sit down and spend some time planning and it can prevent a lot of future headaches. If you want you can make it in ‘sections’ that later you can move easier. Example, the yard is one, the mine is another, a section of main line and other parts. Not all of the ‘sections’ will be the same size either. But certain no larger than a door say, That way it will fit through a door.
On the surface it can look contiguous but underneath it would be in sections.
I hope that helps. [:)]

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While I like your layout, you should look at this as a great opportunity. And as much as it pains, don’t limit your opportunity by insisting to yourself you must save your previous scenes. If they don’t fit your new ideal, move on. It will be better. You can save the structures, figures, details, etc.

Congraduations and I can’t wait to see the new plan.

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First, a reciprocating saw will do a good job on your current layout, whether you want to destroy it or take it apart with the intent of rebuilding/patching what you must. It will take quite some doing in the latter case, I am sure, but it could be done.

I just went through all this, not because we moved, but because I had not foreseen the basement reno, was new to the hobby, and did not construct my first/former layout with this in mind. I have completed the benchwork and spline roadbed on a new approach, laid the track over many aggravating hours, buggered it much of it up with a cutting disk in places to get the necessary gaps, and have made coathanger and wood block actuators for all the turnouts. I wish I could say that I have had a ball, but the truth is not so. I like running trains, not building their worlds.

Happily, I am at the point where even my J1 2-10-4 will condescend to pass through my tighter spots, I can operate my remotes turnouts reliably, and can now turn to the fun part-scenery and bridges.

So, your choice is simple- destroy it and don’t look back, plan seriously in order to avoid glaring operations impediments and other disappointments, and enjoy the new challenges…, or…take some time to consider what, and how, you can salvage some sentimental or really good areas, again using the sawsall at the periphery.

I try to tell myself that nothing worth having comes easily.

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Even if you had designed and built it to be moved, short of modular, you aren’t likely going to be successful at it. The layout that has grown into the monstrosety I have now, was orignally in a 9x13 foot bedroom, designed and built in sections, designed to be moved. Well, I spent months looking for a new space to fit it and when I thought I had come close to it, bought the house and moved in, I was no longer happy with the layout. Yes I did move it (much to my friends (helpers) dismay) but getting it up and running again proved to be more of a task than it was worth. Use the move as an opertunity to design a layout to fit your space, having learned from all your mistakes, you’ll have an even better empire than the one you enjoy now… Trust me on this… [swg]

Good luck…

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Hi Guys,
I want to thank all of you who responded earlier today to my post, offering ideas, insights, encouragement and best wishes. I appreciate the ideas and will certainly take them into consideration.

I did more thinking today about the opportunity I have if in fact we do move into a new house. I recalled all those times people have come over the house and seen my layout and then asked “when are you going to finish it”. My usual reponse is that I don’t want to finish it because then I’ll have to rip it up and start over. It’s the PROCESS, with a long “O” as my cousin in London would say that’s important. In other words, I have enjoyed building what I have but starting over will allow me to enjoy the PROCESS all over again. As some of you pointed out, the planning will be fun. And, I have to admit that when I got the last siding in place in my current layout, I was disappointed that I wouldn’t be laying any more track. Well, it looks like I’ll now get the chance to lay plenty of track again.

Thanks again,
Mondo

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After one move that really chopped up my layout, I joined a club and was introducted to the module concept. You don’t necessarily need to build modules, but keep it in 2 x 4 sections that can be moved when you need to,
Consider this a good time to correct mistakes.