im building a layout and i need to be able to seperate the layout because i might need to take it out of the room so how can i go about building a 8X8 layout where i might be able to seperate it into 2 4x8 sections and move it out of the room and will most of the scenery stay placed such as ballast?
is it even possible?
i will only have to move it once because we will be finishing that room of the house soon (maybe) and thats the only room i can out it in because the layout is so big
Do a search for "dominos" and you should find enough to get you going.
ratled
The left one is 2' x 4', the midle is 2' x 3' and the right is 2' x 4' None of my dominos is larger than 2' x 4' - they would be to heavy and bulky to move.
Modeling the Klamath River area in HO on a proto-lanced sub of the SP “The State of Jefferson Line”
As long as you "glue" everything down you shouldn't... if in doubt use the shop vac be fore you tip it.
Also check these guys out....
http://www.free-mo.org/about
I have had to move several times. I have a modular domino layout. The sections are 12" to 24" wide and 36" to 72" long. I bolt my domino sections together. I cut the track and roadbed at the domino joints so that the sections can be taken apart and moved with very little damage to the track or scenery.
JIM
Jim, Modeling the Kansas City Southern Lines in HO scale.
I looked at these, but then build my own from scratch, though I did buy a lot of Woodland Scenics components.
http://www.woodlandscenics.com/nnb/Mod-U-Rail1.htm
Bolted all the pieces together with stove bolts and wing nuts.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
The key is to firmly glue or attach the stuff you don't want to remove and then to remove everything else. I would make all the "heavy" scenery (buildings) removeable. If you use foam to build up mountains it is pretty tough, just glue it well to the base. Trees can be a problem so they have to be well glued down or removeable.
The ground cover is easily secured with good coats of glue. I had a modular layout section that I transported in the open back of the my pickup truck down the interstate at 75 mph (legal in my state <G>) without losing any ballast or ground cover.
As far as the size of the chunks go, smaller is better. 4x8 is VERY hard to move, both from a weight and navigation standpoint. I had a layout that I made using 30"x72" open grid sections. When it came time to move I set the sections on their sides with the sceniced sides facing each other and then screwed 1/4 in plywood plates to the ends, then screwed 1/8 masonite (old pieces of backdrop) to the sides, making a crate. It was easy enough for one person to stand up and move with a hand dolly, plus could easily fit up stairs and through doors. These sections survived 3 commercial moves with little or no damage.
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
You may want to check out the website for my model railroad's layout. It's a sectional layout using Siever's Benchwork, and I have pictures up of how I did my wiring, which could come in handy for you.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html