a sort of novel idea for a floor layout compromise

[FJ and G]

this morning I was pondering what to do with several oddly shaped pieces of flat wood (3x5, 2x8, 1X6, etc etc).

the thought occurred to me that these would be perfect for an idea I have in mind for a small apartment-sized layout.

my original thinking was to stow away a 4X6 or 4X8 sheet of plywood under the bed and merely slide it out any time I wi***o run train. I even considered building a layout above the bed approximately at eyeball level as you stand up. So, in other words, you are sleeping under your layout. Removing the bed frame would even more lower the bed. Of course you'd be staring at your wiring or when you do wiring changes, you would do them in bed. But I digress.

Anyway, if you have ever played dominoes, you probably have a clue as to where I'm going with the oddly shaped, loose board idea. The boards would individually be slipped underneath the bed and be extracted and arranged together to form a layout.

The beauty of the idea is that you could plan the track in such a way that it would line up in a variety of patterns, much like dominoes. You could have a U shaped layout, a square, or even a point to point, depending on how the geometry of your design dictates. It would take a bit of thought and planning to give it that flexibility.

The disadvantage of all of this, of course, is that it is still a floor layout. However, since the track is mounted on wood, you would have many more options than merely track on carpet. For one, you could either hi-rail scenic it or you could add the toy look with structures and such.

Another disadvantage is that you'd have to connect the track together. A recent post delved into this connection problem with several solutions offered, including plugs and a floating section of track.

An additional benefit to the "loose boards" layout idea is that it would be extremely easy to transport. Heck, you could take it on the patio if you wish. Another bennie is that you could easily walk in between the boards to tend to a derailed train or if your tank car overturned, creating a hazardous toxic sesspool.

[Anonymous]

Dave, is this what you mean??



I made a custom fitted layout board that fit over my bed.

[FJ and G]

Jerry, that's funny :-) . So you sleep under the bed and the trains run on top of the bed. :-)

[Anonymous]

Nope, the trains hid UNDER the bed when i would sleep.

Since Im working on my real layout right now, that board is in storage right now

[tschmidt]

David,

Interesting concept. I use the plug idea to have a bridge that comes down across a doorway. I actually spread the rails a little and they line up perfectly on top the pins where the rails join.

Tom

[Sturgeon-Phish]

As part of the compromise to use the bedroom I conveted into my trainroom, I made the table high enough for a bed to roll under it.
Jim

[cheese3]

I like this idea, maybe this is what I need to build untill I can build a nice O layout. But in the mean time it is work on the HO untill the grand day comes where I have room for O

[1688torpedo]

Hello Dave! If BB the Beagle has a Doghouse,Then Maybe she'll let you use it for a layout. Just use it as a Combination Tunnel / Doghouse for one of your Trains and BB can sleep on top of her house like Snoopy does[;)][8D]

[Anonymous]

My first layout (although it was HO) was a box that folded up and went under the bed. It was hinged so that the box would fold up on itself.

Let me start over. It was a box that was 4'x 6' x 8" tall or something. It fit under my Mom's bed. The top side of the box folded down (2 hinges) untl the layout was 2 times as long. So half the layout had sides and half was just a flat board. The track was screwed directly to the boards, but HO wasn't quite as loud as O