Just out of curiosity, what are some standard dimensions for a removable cross over section. I don't think I have the right terminology here. Basically I'm planning a shelf layout in a 9x9.5' space. To get it to span from one side to the other minus the 2' from either side of the shelves I'd have a removable section about 5.5' long. This seems a little logn to me but I really don't want a point to point rail road so I need this cross over piece. Also, what is the standard width of something like this? I was thinking 4" inches for a single track.
I don't think there is such a thing as a standard liftout. Each is designed to fit its situation. That said, considering ergonomics will make things easier. For a 5.5 ft long liftout:
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
The maximum size of a liftout is a function of weight the person can lift and decreases with age. It's the same rule as duck unders. The older you get the higher they get. Currently I wouldn't consider a lift out over five pounds or a duck under less than 7' off the ground. So you may wish to counter balance that lift out by fixing one end with a good hinge and lifting just one end. If you can picture a 1 x 4 extension under the layout extending beyond the hinged end a coffee can up through a five gallon bucket can be attched with a rope or cable to the 1 x 4 and can be filled with metal or cement until there is no effort required ro raise or lower the other end.
I gather that you're referring to a bridge to cross a window or a couple of doorways. If the track is to be perfectly straight and scenery is not a requirement, you can use a steel stud, rain gutter fashion, and end up with a 3.5 inch width and built-in guardrails.
My 'Standard,' cassette is a 54 inch length of narrow steel stud, and I have several others, permanently installed, supporting to-be-hidden tracks in the netherworld. It's possible to handle some curvature at the end(s) by using a wider stud and laying the tangent off-center.
There are about as many ways to handle centering and supporting the ends, making electrical connections, etc... as there are modelers who have installed removable sections of railroad. Lacking specific knowledge of your needs and skills, I'll leave that can of worms unopened.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with removeable yard throats)
Thank you for your input everyone. Yeah, a "liftout" is what I was getting at. And after reading your replies I think a 5.5 foot liftout would be a bit cumbersome. I'm not that old and I'm kind of a big strong guy so that's not really an issue, but the hinge idea really appeals to me. I think I'll do it that way. Besides, I thinkn i'm going to incorporate a some under the table staging with this layout so I'll need to run a staging lead across the lift out too so it will be a double decker liftout and something like that on a hinge would work perfectly. Now the question is, as far as design and function, is it better to make it a lift up gate, or a swing gate type. Which is easier to build and implement?
AltoonaRailroaderThank you for your input everyone. Yeah, a "liftout" is what I was getting at. And after reading your replies I think a 5.5 foot liftout would be a bit cumbersome. I'm not that old and I'm kind of a big strong guy so that's not really an issue, but the hinge idea really appeals to me. I think I'll do it that way. Besides, I thinkn i'm going to incorporate a some under the table staging with this layout so I'll need to run a staging lead across the lift out too so it will be a double decker liftout and something like that on a hinge would work perfectly. Now the question is, as far as design and function, is it better to make it a lift up gate, or a swing gate type. Which is easier to build and implement?
I don't think the hinge idea is going to work very well. The 5.5ft liftout works reasonably if you have a shelf above part of the layout to store the liftout.
If you hinge up, do you have 5.5 ft of clearance from the hinge point to the ceiling? I would be very surprised if you do. The same with hinging down - I doubt the hinge point is 66" off the floor.
For the vertically hinged gate, things are even worse. Not only do you need a 66" arc of clear space from the hinge point, but you have to cantilever a 66" length from the hinges, and have it swing back and latch with tolerances on the order of 0.01" or so.
The only practical solution I see besides the liftout is two 33" wide gates that close together. They are going to need floor support where they join to get correct alignment. Just a support sitting on carpet probably isn't good enough to get correct alignment time after time - a metal or wood support plate would be needed.
All in all, with the space you have to span, the liftout is actually the easiest solution.
Perhaps the way to go here is a cart. Put the cart in the hole and make some sort of allignment feature like holes drilled into the support legs and cart that nails could be placed in to allign it. Then build the railroad on top after having the cart alligned. Pull the pins and roll it out of the opening.
Check this guy out on youtube his video techniques aren't the greatest but he has a lot of good advice. I built my lift out section identical to his. Basically a piece of 1x4 supported by two pieces of angel to prevent it from sagging or twisting, cork roadbed and a couple of stereo jags for power connection and a pair of 1/4" wooden dowels to index the bridge. Mine spans 30" which is plenty wide enough for me to walk through. I went a step farther by hooking up a relay to cut power to both sections of track before the bridge. This way if by chance someone tries to cross the span when there is no bridge the train stops 36" away from the span. It took me not even a day to build. I was going to try and disguise it as a plate girder bridge but decided against it as it would just look too strange so all I did was ballast the track and add earth ground cover with some weed, grass etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvInjBVhxLI&feature=PlayList&p=3C301080F3D0158A&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=27
hi,
I like the cart idea. Btw why should you build big gates? Sounds stupid maybe, my garden is 40 foot wide my entrance gate only 10 foot. A three foot hinge(drop-down) and a 2' 6" foot extension of the shelf could do the job.
Every U-shaped profile is great, from alu it has to be only 2 inches wide.
Paul