I have had an on-off build of an old, (1983),elevated shelf layout near the ceiling around my upstairs area since 2010. The layout is 76" high off the floor and was built in HO around 1983. I decided to go DCC, HOn3 narrow gauge. This elevated layout was about 1/3rd tracked in HOn3 and only about 1/3 of the tracked layout area was scenic'd. As it was above my head, a bench was made to allow for viewing and construction. This was fine in the 80's when I was in my 40's but at 70 it got to be a bit much.
I purchased a pre built 12X20 outside building in 2015 and am working up a new HOn3 shelf layout at a height of 58". This is working out just great! No bench needed and at just below eye level. easy to work on and view while standing.
However, it is un-heated and un-cooled year-round unless I am in the building. It is air conditioned for summer activities and space heated for winter sessions. I have learned all about spacing at rail joints as the extremes as measured have been about 17 degrees F to 108 degrees F!! So...I now leave about a 1/16th inch gap at every 3 foot rail run and buss feed every section. It works! Needless to say I do not leave my expensive Blackstone engines and my best rolling stock in the building in these extremes.
Fortunately, in narrow gauge, 3 engines is an empire and a small box with 2 or 3 engines and about 15 cars suffices to shuttle the trains in and out as needed for "train time" in winter or hot summer. In temperate weather, April through June and September to November, I leave the rolling stock inside the building.
A lot to learn but a really easy to use and fun new venue and layout. Well worth the restart.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
Richard. You can't enjoyably run what you can't see. I think your move was a wise one.
I've been building higher lately, but have reached the Summit, plus I'm over 6'. I've been careful to keep most needed human intervention near the front of the layout when it's the high. Shelf depth can vary, but shallow is better, although I have one that is a full 48" That one's tricky...
Did you gain in the aisles? Wish I could make that happen, but it will take magic.Insert missing wizard avatar
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Richard, welcome to the club. The one that hits you on the head when yesterday's noodle-flexible gymnast meets today's stiff, arthritic (and diabetic) old coot.
A little under ten years ago I was well started on a half-garage layout that I figured would be my 'last in this lifetime' effort. Then my sister-in-law convinced my wife that she should cede her half of the garage! When the fallout fell out I found I could use one already-assembled benchwork unit as-is, but nothing else! And, instead of being 75% of the buildable real estate, that benchwork, now a peninsula, dwindled down to about 30%.
As working height climbed the things that might need attention migrated toward the fascia. OTOH, in order to keep the summit below my wife's eye level the lowest level of the netherworld is only about 38 inches above the floor. That's where the longest reaches come in - mostly to stretches of plain-jane track devoid of specialwork. The widest shelf is 32 inches at 42 inch height, but the back 8 inches is reserved for layered mountain scenery. The one really awkward corner can be reached by pulling a 'Nautilus surfacing at the Notrh Pole' maneuver up through the center of the 540 degree helix that resides there. (No ice-breaking, however - I remove the 5-tiered pagoda and the rest of the local landform first.)
Aisleways form a rough horizontal H, with big teardrops dangling from the (shorter) upper leg. Minimum 24 inches clear, maximum 42 inches where the CTC panels (two, one per railroad) are close to the major station zone panel. Since I'm a lone wolf, that's enough to provide maneuvering space. If there were several ops present, things would get cozy in a hurry.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Oh, yes, of course I have.
When just starting out on my career I had a small 5' x 9' layout with mostly Peco turnouts, that loosely followed one of the standard plans.
I later gave it away to a friend and started a more permanent layout.
Actually the layout I have now I would give away to someone who would simply take it. Dad designed the benchwork to bolt together in sections - some neat cuts would separate it into pieces that could be moved, and I would start over again, preferably in a ranch house with a big basement.
John
I've abandoned/restarted more than I've completed in HO and N. I experiment with different building and scenery techniques. Some things work well, but many don't. Eventually it becomes a question of determining if it's more cost / time effective to revamp or just tear down and start again.
I'm considering restarting my current temporary shelfie since there are already some things I think I want to do differently.