Layout Height ?

[dbaker48]

Been working on the details for a new layout, what height would you set your layout at if your building a new one?
Some assumptions........
1.  Only children (unfortunately) invlovled will be the occasional visitors
2.  Layout is designed as multiple peninsula's, no pop-ups needed.  Have a reach capability of 30" in all areas.
3.  One area of the layout will be adjacent to the dinning room window.  Therefore, you would see under the layout as it traverses accross the window.  So I plan on having a "sub-terrian" oval that will be at the window sill height with scenery as a backdrop going up to the bottom of the primary layout.  Then the primary layout will have a couple of trestle bridges crossing where the sub-terrian oval is visible at the window.  (The sub level will have tunnel portals at the extreme ends of the window to completly close off the view.)
4. Finally a suspended track for G Scale will be hung from the ceiling overpassing the majority of the layout and running along the perimeter of the room.

I appreciate your comments, currently I am thinking 36 min and 42 max

Thanks

[dougdagrump]

Don, For the lower level what about a "Subway Set"? It could also be tied into the primary level by putting yor town above it with the subway entrances and stairways at each end of the window sill.

[fwright]

A recommended height depends on your answers to the some of the following factors:

- how tall are the children?  Anything higher than armpit height for them cannot be reached or touched.  Anything taller than bottom of the chin cannot be enjoyed.  Of course, children grow so the height for them will change.  Are you willing to provide steps for them to stand on safely if the layout is too high?

- will you operate the layout from a seated or standing position?  If you prefer to sit, measure your chest, chin, and eyeball heights while sitting in the chair you plan to use.  Also, obtain the same measurements while standing.

- what vantage point do you prefer?  To simulate viewing the real thing standing at ground level, put your eyeballs about 1" above the top of the rails.  While this could be very realistic, it's probably impractical to operate since you can't see beyond a train on the 1st track.  But this should be the highest limit of the highest track unless you want to look up at your trains.

- reach considerations.  To reach 30", the stuff you are reaching over can't be above mid-chest.  Otherwise, you will be knocking stuff while reaching.  If the layout or scenery is higher than mid-chest, YOU will need a stepstool to work on it.

Scale modelers in HO generally favor mid-chest or sternum for operating while standing (often around 48-50").  Conducting switching operations with higher than that will often require steps for the shorter modelers, particularly if manual uncoupling is used.  This generally permits an eye-level view while seated.

3 rail guys tend to build lower because of kids, and because seated operations are more typical.  Walk-around control and switching operations are not the norm.  For me personally, I would favor 42-45" with steps for kids as necessary, since kids are only occasional.

Last, since you are in the dining room, what will fit comfortably with the furniture, decor, and the window may throw everything else I said out.  It's got to look good to be allowed to stay in the dining room!

my thoughts, your choices from one who is being allowed to build an HO/HOn3 shelf in the living spaces, and knows it better be "furniture quality".  The 3 rail stuff has to stay on a table the children can use in the basement or family room.

Fred W

[jonadel]

Mine is at 40", I wouldn't mind a few inches higher. We have small portable steps for the kids, have NEVER had one complaint.

Jon

[Anonymous]

Well, 42" is pretty much an accepted standard in virtually all modeling scales, give or take a few inches based on your own height, your ability to reach all areas when working on the layout, and any consideration you might want to allow for others visiting or operating the layout.

My own preference is for layouts that are as high as possible, all other things being considered as noted above--even somewhat higher than 42".  Trains simply look better (and more realistic) the nearer to eye level you can get.  Obviously, eye level itself is not really practical in most situations, and eye level varies from one individual to the next.  Still, a higher layout simply looks better than a low-level one, in my opinion.

The small Standard Gauge layout I have here in my den is now about 38" off the floor--a height dictated by the tables that it is resting upon.  However, in the near future I plan to raise it another six to eight inches to just get it up to a point where I'm more at eye level when I'm sitting on my bar stool and running trains.

[dwiemer]

All good points.  One idea I have seen was to take one of the adjustable shelves you see all around and may even have.  Place your favorite locomotive on the shelf and check it at different heights.  See how it looks from a seated, standing, or whatever position you are most likely to be in when running trains.

Dennis

[ChiefEagles]

What ever fits your room and your pleasure. 

[thatboy37]

i think whatever you want and think want give you any problems as you know its your layout and you are the one who has to deal with it everyday. and thats what i found out about mine and i decided to go with 40 inches. its a height that kids will have to stand on their tippy toes just to see. but you said you want it to be kid friendly not your exact words but think about the removable stairs as mentioned earlier in this post it want be a bad idea. and i think its a great height for if you are not there and they happen to be at the house and you are not there they really cant mess up anything but whats on the edge as i have seen my nephew walk around my layout and he cant mess with nothing except whats on the edge. i had to lift him up just to see the whole layout, but want be doing that to much as i have invested in some home made stairs for kids to stand on. just my 2 cents.

[otftch]

I don't know how old you are,but consider you have to get under the layout to wire and repair it.I never used to worry about such things,but we all get there sometime.

                                                                                            Ed

[ChiefEagles]

I don't know how old you are,but consider you have to get under the layout to wire and repair it.I never used to worry about such things,but we all get there sometime.

                                                                                            Ed

You know, once built [and built right], not much crawling under and repairing or rewiring.   Even so, at 60, I still crawl under vehicles [to do my own service work], crawl under the house, lift sections of monuments to do repairs around the pond and do a lot of climbing and building.  Hope that suddenly doesn't end.  If so, I have a creaper.

[Anonymous]

My layout is at 42" high. I like this height because it allows me to sit up under the layout while working. If your at all concerned about crawling around on the floor you can always put the table up a few inches and use a creaper seat to roll around under your layout while working on it. This is a very comfortable way to do work under the table.