The other night I made a survey of the larger part of the available ROW and trying to figure out how everything is going to fit together. Unfortunately, the previouse homeowners did not have any consideration of a model railroad in the basement when they put a huge bathroom down there with what I consider wasted space. However, there is a wall that I feel would be good for a small staging yard. I thought I have read/heard of people running trains through the bathroom but I can't remember any specific examples and was wondering if anyone has seen or heard of such a thing and any considerations that should be taken. This bathroom also has a shower in it.
Lone Geep
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They are called mouse holes. You cut a small hole through a wall keeping the neat cut-out piece for the patch when it comes time to move. Make it look like a tunnel entrance.
Use your stud finder to make sure there is no electrical wire or pipes in the wall first.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Will you be using the shower? I had a basement bathroom with a shower I never used, and when I put in another shower upstairs, in addition to a bath on another floor upstairs, the basement one became redundant so I removed it.
If not using the shower, a through railroad line is OK, but if the shower might be used, then any layout section in the bathroom must be protected from the excess humidity. If it's the laundry room, the same precaution is advised.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Depending on how high or low your extension will be you may even be able to operate it sitting down.
ndbprr Depending on how high or low your extension will be you may even be able to operate it sitting down.
In this case, always put the seat down in case of a derailment.
MisterBeasley Will you be using the shower? I had a basement bathroom with a shower I never used, and when I put in another shower upstairs, in addition to a bath on another floor upstairs, the basement one became redundant so I removed it. If not using the shower, a through railroad line is OK, but if the shower might be used, then any layout section in the bathroom must be protected from the excess humidity. If it's the laundry room, the same precaution is advised.
Unfortunately, that shower is the only shower in the house though I do have an idea to put one in the upstairs bathroom but that's years into the future, if I ever get around to it. the good news is that the room has a ventilation fan to the outside and I would have a dehumidifier in that room since the floor drain for the whole basement is against one of the walls. I'd probably opt to leave the shower in anyways since I do hope to be able to sell this house and get one more my speed in 5+ years.
I think in the long run we all end up doing what is necessary, but as was mentioned, just keep the seat down. This should be interesting to follow.
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
As far as real-life examples, Bruce Chubb's Sunset Valley runs through the bathroom - check out the video below at about 1:00 -
Bruce Chubb's Sunset Valley layout | Sunset valley, Model trains, Model railroad (pinterest.com)
And get a print subscription to MR to occupy your guests.
You guys crack me up!
Back to the train issue, I see a big difference between a train going through from time to time on a single track, and a yard with rolling stock sitting there in a potentially humid environment. Track is probably pretty easy to manage in a humid environment, but not your prize-winning brass loco. One option could be to build a cover over the track, something like a plastic removable tunnel cover, to control the humidity.
We have a shower downstairs, with a fan, but humidity gets trapped there because the boys just don't care about putting the d*mn thing on...
Simon
A clear acrylic tube or similar boxed plexiglass tunnel through there migt be worth considering. Keeping both worlds apart. You could build it to be an extra shelf space on top as well. Never enough shelf space in there for some bizarre reason. So would well planned cab view videos.
shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
PennsyLouAs far as real-life examples, Bruce Chubb's Sunset Valley runs through the bathroom - check out the video below at about 1:00 - Bruce Chubb's Sunset Valley layout | Sunset valley, Model trains, Model railroad (pinterest.com)
-Matt
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
crossthedog Would really love to see more of this layout, since I model the SP&S. Was it ever featured in MR magazine?
Would really love to see more of this layout, since I model the SP&S. Was it ever featured in MR magazine?
I'm sure there are many articles over the years. Mr. Chubb famously wrote the definitive "How to Operate Your Model Railroad" - I'm sure it's still available from Kalmbach - back in the day when most people were still running trains in circles (not in any way to disparage running trains in circles!). Here is a MRR video with more of the layout:
MRVP Video Vault - Layout Tour: Bruce Chubb's HO scale Sunset Valley | ModelRailroaderVideoPlus.com (trains.com)
There's a layout in my area that has a staging yard that runs into the basement bathroom. No shower, just a toilet. I belive he named it "Flushing Yard."
Scott
sschnabl There's a layout in my area that has a staging yard that runs into the basement bathroom. No shower, just a toilet. I belive he named it "Flushing Yard."
Which might be prototypical, even down to the smells ...
Visitors to the California State Railroad Museum's "Sacramento Southern" tourist line hear the story about Baths Siding, a spot on the SSRR named for a lost nearby attraction, the Riverside Baths, an indoor public bath and swimming pool (notorious and eventually closed for its segregationist policy; old-timers used to joke that they wouldn't let you in if you had a sun tan), which gave the siding its name; if I ever feel the need to route right-of-way through the bathroom in the train room (a detached garage) I might have to give it that name even if I'm actually modeling a different location.
I've seen folks run a train through a wall but never with a bathroom involved. What a great way to transport TP to the place. I would not want to think of what goes out-bound
snjroy You guys crack me up! Back to the train issue, I see a big difference between a train going through from time to time on a single track, and a yard with rolling stock sitting there in a potentially humid environment. Track is probably pretty easy to manage in a humid environment, but not your prize-winning brass loco. One option could be to build a cover over the track, something like a plastic removable tunnel cover, to control the humidity. We have a shower downstairs, with a fan, but humidity gets trapped there because the boys just don't care about putting the d*mn thing on... Simon
I got 99 problems but brass engines ain't 1..... sadly. Also, its only me, myself and I that use the shower on a regular basis so remembering to turn the fan on won't be an issue