FWIW here is the track plan and some pics for my setup which stores in a box on the ceiling of my shop. For operation it is lowered onto a castored table and moved to an open area of the shop. With 14 blocks and two cabs, two trains can be operated at the same time, Wow!
That should be enough. I finally learned how to post pictures intentionally, not just by accident, and just couldn't stop. LOL
Geohan
That is really cool. Great layout and certainly jmaginative. There have been some discussion on this idea, but you really did it. May it inspire a few others.
Wow! I love the layout, now if I only had that ceiling height in my studio. I have a large shop that I share with my Wife's pottery and glass studio, so I am in the planning stage of my layout. So far I think I am going to go with a sectional plan using 2'x4' sections that can be stored in a rack when I need to use the wood shop, and this will also allow for future expansion.
I refuse to grow up!!!
Very nice looking layout and an imaginative way to have it available and out of the way.
In your shop atmosphere, how do you keep the dust off the layout. Some sort of seal between backdrop and ceiling?
Have fun,
Richard
It's a fairly tight fit between the walls of the layout and the lid mounted on the ceiling, effectively sealing it off from any dust. Not shown in the photos are the hatch covers for the bottom access holes. The shop is used a lot without a problem on the layout.
Very nice. I've been considering doing something like this for my n-scale layout. How do you raise & lower the layout?
Michael
Never attempt anything you don't want to explain to the EMT
The first picture shows the hand crank which rotates the 3/4" pipe used for the winch drum. At the center of the pipe is a short piece of 3/4"x10 threaded rod. The nut on the rod is fixed to the cover thus forcing the pipe to shift laterally when the crank is rotated. The 10 threads per inch on the rod is a close enough match to the 3/32" wire to prevent overrides on the pipe. This is important to assure the lifting remains level throughout. The bearings are simple oak blocks with an oil hole drilled into their tops. They allow the pipe to make its nesecessary latteral movement. The all important brake for lowering or stopping the decent of the layout is the two strands of braided rope. And while wound together around the pipe and tensioned with the lead weight, they are independent of each other thus providing a safety back up system. To lower without hands on the crank, gently ease the weight upward reducing the tension on the ropes until controlled slippage occurs. Releasing the weight stops the movement.
I hope this makes the concepts clear.
Thank you. I looked at the pictures a little closer & it all makes sense. I was planning on buildong an n-scale layout in a coffee table but now I have to rethink that. I must say you have definitely inspired me.
Is that a PT-19 hanging above the drill press on the left in the first photo?
ed_n Is that a PT-19 hanging above the drill press on the left in the first photo?
Good eye Ed. So far as I know, you are right. As a WWII trainer it has seen some hard usage. On its last flight (after the one where it looped around the telephone line a half dozen times on its tether with an ex P38 pilot on the control line, much to his chagrin) it had a hard landing which broke the rubber band holding the wings on as well as the one securing the engine and wheels. The engine and wheels flew solo into the woods from which we were lucky to find it. My young son agreed that we should retire it and it has been hanging in the shop for the last 45 years.