Small shelf layout - to be displayed at a wedding!

[Anonymous]

I'm very lucky to be marrying a girl who understands.

For Christmas, she gave me two beautiful HO scale New York City subway trains. I said I would build a little world for them. I decided on a Coney Island rail yards shelf layout. It will be a very simple switching diorama with "compressed" models of rides providing the backdrop. (I've done a lot of this kind of work as my entire living room wall is a New York skyline diorama - completely lit - and only two inches wide in spots.)

Anyway, she wants this little slice of Coney Island displayed on the check-in table (where guests will pick up their table assignment cards at our wedding.) My plan will fit on a 1x6 baseboard, and will be displayed on a 3x6 table with the cards in front. My question is about benchwork. Obviously it will be sitting on a table. But how much space should I provide underneath for wiring, and what kind of support should I build? Surely I don't need a lot, as it is very small and most of the structures will be cardboard.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

[Medina1128]

1'x6'? A light frame could be made out of 1"x2". Plenty rigid with enough room underneath for wiring. I married a woman who let me build my dream layout... and she bought me a BLI Santa Fe 4-8-4 for our anniversary. Now THAT'S a woman!!

[Medina1128]

PS Congrats and good luck!

[rrinker]

She's letting you have the trains in the wedding?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

YOU BETTER BE GOOD TO THAT WOMAN!

She's a real find, letting you go that far with your hobby. I'm luckier than most, at least it's tolerated - as long as it stays down in the basement. And I don;t get that much of a dirty look after a trip to the LHS.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Sounds like we're all pretty lucky! I guess they realize it makes us happy and keeps us out of trouble. The trains won't stick out too much at the wedding, since I'm designing architecture-themed centerpieces and invitations as well. Nice way for the groom to be involved and have some fun, while saving money.

[dknelson]

This all depends on perspective. Is SHE graciously allowing trains at her wedding? Or are YOU graciously allowing a wedding to take place at an operating session? Seems to me you are the generous and open-minded one here.
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

Believe it or not, it was HER idea to have the layout at the wedding! In fact, the Coney Island rail yards was her idea as well, before we even got engaged. She grew up near there, and I was showing her a MR issue on shelf layouts, and she suggested Coney. I thought it was a great idea - especially from someone who isn't even familiar with the hobby!

[Medina1128]

She, like most model railroad "widows" knows how to keep her man at home. Let him build a layout. It keeps us out of bars and out ot trouble. My non-railroading friends just don't get it. And most wives would just as soon stay out of the basement, so we get ALL kinds of private time. [8D]

[canazar]

Oh we are lucky men indeed. MIne will go as far to commmand me out to the garage if I have had a bad at work and I am stressed out and go "play with your trains." She also sees it as a great hobby.
And the nice thing is, when she goes shopping,
, I get the "well, the dress was 30% off. I had ot have it." I will respond, "Oh great honey, bet you will look good in it.... Ya know, I saw that my favorite train store is haveing a sale...." My loving fiancee will usually respond with something like, "Ok honey, I will see you in a few hours then?" hehehe Oh, keeper Big time

John k

[Anonymous]

Atorres,

Great idea. Couple of word of advice (as if you haven't heard enough by now to kill a cow):

Just remember that it is a wedding. Don't make all of us Model Railroaders look bad (we can do that ourselves) by standing around the diorama the whole time excitedly telling people how you built it etc... Don't get up in the middle of the reception to go "adjust" something on the diorama. Keep it in check and be as cool as possible. Let others do the oohing and ahhing. Later you can look back on the event fondly and you won't have your mother in law or some wierd aunt spreading gossip about what a "foamer" you are.

Later you could keep the module in the freezer .....er ah basement, instead of a piece of the wedding cake .....

Congrats,

[Anonymous]

Guy - not to worry. I light up my "skyline" at every party and never fiddle with it during the event. The trains won't be continuously running anyway. It'll be a display, like a sculpture.