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[ I found the technical revolution in MR April issue (pg. 9) facinating, so I decided to try it. But first some background: I do some residential security as well as audio/video so I use a lot of magnets on windows and doors and so on. Some of these are extremely strong for their size so I thought I could mount the magnets under my layout (open frame/girder construction). That was easy, Only then before the next stage, that of lining the basement ceiling with metal strips for the magnets to attach to, I found one of my cats hanging by the little metal tag in her collar, stuck to one of the 1/2 inch diameter magnets. That's when the clawing and scratching began (at least on me instead of the railroad this time). Unfortunately I learned from a structural engineer that I would have to reframe the floor joists to support the weight of the steel straps and that these would also need to be grounded properly. Unfortunately to reframe meant raising the entire L-shape home up off the foundation to increase from 2x10 to 2x12 framing lumber, add a steel girder across the center of the floor/ceiling (now needing a crane to lift the several tons of steel girder), only to find out that the "pads" supporting the lolly colums are not big enough to support the new ceiling and beam. So after cutting up the concrete floor, pouring new pads, getting the crane and rigging crew back with the beam, lowering the house back down, repairing the drive later this spring due to the damage from the crane and flat bed trucks, replacing several trees, septic tank cover and septic drains. Well ... the house was now ready for the railroad. Only the railroad was not ready to be inverted yet. Now comes the Caterpillar generator for constant electrical charging of the E-field. Again I contacted an electrical engineer (at $200 per hour) to determine what would be the proper gauge wire to use.... 8/3 with the 20KVA generator and E-Field for a ceiling area of 564 square feet. Just enough to cover the footprint of the inverted layout. So far I figured I was into this space saving project for just under $76,000. The generator of course was a bit pricy, but in New England, I could always use it when the lights go out in winter. Well now the real problems began. The Royal Morovian Railway has about 1/2 mile of wire and is 34 feet long by 18 wide. The decision was made to cut the three main "tables" apart , invert them, and reassemble once mounted on the ceiling. That would not have been too bad, but I had overlooked the inverted floor plan now overlapping my basement stairs. Another bit of carpentry, replacing the damaged New Zealand wool carpet in my home theater (at $90 per yard), remodeling the kitchen to accomodate the moved stairwell behind it, and so on. The walls behind the RMR had been muraled by a young artist when I began the layout in 1996, with Mt. Eiger in one corner, and the looming Swiss Alps following along the 34' long wall. Of course being inverted, the walls would have to be repainted, with the mural upside down. Tack on another $7,000 since he is not in college and trying to earn his way through school anymore. Finally complete, concrete floor painted a pale sky blue and the ceiling around the layout now grassed and scenicked with roads, cows, etc., I was able to compile my total expenses, now including fees for the divorce attorney, town zoning board bribes (use of an unrestricted E-field generator), EPA fees for use of a diesel engine in a forrested area, legal fees for the suits brought by my neighbors... well the list goes on. My one or two remaining friends (those who have not tried to have me committed) think the whole thing is pretty cool. The cat even stays out of the train room now. Many Thanks for reading, Bob Fallier Royal Morovian Railway Pics of the original RMR at http://Morovianrail.com
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