You're probably fine. Your water problem sounds like a minor issue. The only thing that I'd recommend is that if you are expecting a big storm maybe take your expensive engines upstairs. Better to be safe and keep any moisture out of the motor. Also I'd use masonite or styrene for your actual layout backdrop board.
Chris
Thanks for all the concern guys but maybe I mislead you guys on how much water I get. Like I said I have lived in the house 10 years and have owned it for 8. I have done gutter work on the outside by extending the downspouts and that has helped a tone. The only time I got a significant amount of water was when we got 7" in 4 hours and that was only 4". If it rains 2" or more it seeps in 2 places that can be wiped up with a towel.
I am not concerned about the layout getting destroyed by water. If it does we will have one heck of a rain. We have 2 de-humidifiers down there already and they keep it pretty dry. The basement is the only place that I have to put the layout. Any water proofing is out of the question as that much $$ is a problem.
Well what we did, wasn't so much as a drainage system, but more like sealing the foundation from water. You paint this stuff that looks like tar on first then this membrane comes in a big roll and you just push it against the foundation and keep unrolling it. when u get to the end you cut it with a utility knife and seal the end with the black goop they give you.
The damage water can cause to your layout aside think about the damage it can do to your house. Hydraulic pressure is amazingly strong and continued water leakage even if very slow can casue a lot of serious structural problems with your foundation. If I had as much water as your saying you do in your basement I would at least have an engineer no not the one who drives the train look at it and evaluate the situation.
You know I'm going to agree wholeheartedly with Allegheny2-6-6-6. Even dry basements have been known to get water seepage from many sources.
I know the suggestion to install perimeter drains is an expensive proposition. Even MORE expensive is building a layout almost to completion, only to have unexpected major water damage destroy your efforts. Then you'll not only have to do something about the water, you'll have to rebuild the layout. Very expensive proposition! It's a matter of big bucks now or BIGGER bucks later.
I don't know your financial situation. Having just added to your house, I'm sure it's a little tight. But don't lose sight of your long term plans. A great layout deserves the best location you can give it.
At least, look into the costs of an inside perimiter drain system. It may not be as expensive as you think.
Best of luck!
Darrell, quiet...for now
I would start by addressing the gutter and downspout situation on your house. I once owned a house where the former owner was so cheap the pieced the front gutter together and overtime it rained one room in the basement got water in it. I went to a local roofers supply bought a 40' length of commercial gutter, installed and the water problem went away. Your solution may not be that simple and then again it may.
Water in basements and model trains are not a good combination. At the very very least your going to have to get a dehumidifier. Also you can cover the walls with waterproof sheet rock which is not recommend for mold issues, which is a big concern when you close in a basement with wall coverings.Even if you had a generic junk catch all basement water is never a good thing and it does lead to mold even if you don't have a model railroad. I am fortunete in this hose to have excellent drainage and a completely dry basement.
My old house which housed a 50'x100' layout was a different story. I had to excavate around the foundation anyway so before we back filled we did the rubber membrane and sealer on the advice of my friend the contractor.
Dry is always better. but it depends on how deep your pockets are. Knowing what I know now I would prefer having lesser of a layout with a dry basement then a really nice layout in a wet one.
Darrell
Trust me I would love to do those things to my basement but you are looking at one heck of an expense. I work full time and my wife works part time and is home with the boys the rest of the time. I am putting the layout in the part of the basement where the water doesnt seep in. Like I said in my OP it only happens when we get a lot of rain in a short period of time so it isnt like every time it does rain I get water.
I think I am going to go with putting up a 2' piece behind my layout and paint scenery on it and then just cover the walls with a sheet or something. If I was going to finish the basement I would have waterproofed it by now but we just added on 500 sq ft to the house and that took quite a bit of money to do. Also I would like to put some $$ into the layout since I dont have anything yet. No loco's, freight cars, track, etc.
Although it would be a greater expense, I urge you to consider having a perimeter drain system installed. The contractor will cut the concrete floor all around the basement, install a drain system and route it to a sump pump. The drain system catches the water before it has a chance to bubble up into the basement. Most drainage contractors have guarantees on water seepage using these systems.
An even more expensive system is the french drain system installed on the outside of the basement walls. This requires extensive excavation of the foundation. The exterior basement walls get a better waterproofing covering. The drains are usually larger than those installed inside and do a better job of collecting water before it has a chance to get into the basement. What to do with the collected water can be a problem. Many cities won't allow you to connect to either a storm sewer OR the city sanitary system. You may have to have a sump pump and drywell added to deal with the water runoff. More expense, yet!
In any event, I wouldn't consider any kind of finishing unless the basement can be made dry. I think it's just asking for trouble.
After posting that I thought of exactly what you said. I think that I will go this route. I may add a sheet over the brick to hide it to make the backdrop look a little nicer.
Thanks again for all the input.
What I did is first use hydraulic cement to seal the joint between the floor and the walls where water was leaking in. Then I painted two coats of water-sealing paint. One of their standard colors was a light blue so I used that on the final coat. Then I've been installing John Sterling shelfs with metal uprights so I could build the layout on shelfs along the wall. I'm using sheet styrene for the backdrop, and using the same blue paint for the main sky color so it kinda blends with the walls since the backdrop is only 16" high. Above the layout is another shelf I use to attach layout lights to. I will later add some peninsulas but as of now I have a reasonably goodsized layout with nothing touching the floor.
ARTHILL When you build the train table, include brackets that will hold 1/8 masonite and paint your scenery on that. Just leave the walls and set the tables with scenery flats to block them. You will also want to do something with the table legs so they don't rot out.
When you build the train table, include brackets that will hold 1/8 masonite and paint your scenery on that. Just leave the walls and set the tables with scenery flats to block them. You will also want to do something with the table legs so they don't rot out.
My background scenery plans include stacked layers of background panels - multiple ridges in a rugged mountain setting. Since my long wall is a garage door that has to remain operational...
As for table legs, you can go to steel studs if you don't want to use treated lumber in a place where youngsters and pets might get into contact with it.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - on steel stud benchwork)
This is my situation with my layout. It is going to be in our basement and it is a fairly nice basement. It has block walls and about 3 layers of paint on them. I didnt paint them just was like that when we purchased the house 8 years ago. My basement does get a little water when it rains 2-3 inches in a short period of time. I have all my downspouts away from the house and that has helped. It mainly seeps in 2 spots but goes right to the floor drain and for some reason they built the house with no sump pump. In the 10 years I have lived there we only got a substantial amount after the remenance of Ike came through and dumped 7" in 4 hours and I only had 4" in it when my neighbors had 8+.
I thought about finishing the part where the layout is going but I thought it would look tacky. So this is the 2 scenario's that I am thinking.
1. Drywall 3/4 of the way down the 2 walls from the ceiling with drywall and live with the tacky look and adding a little bit of expense.
2. Get a light blue sheet and hang it around the layout to hide the brick.
These are my 2 thoughts and open to anyone else's. I hate to finish all the way to the floor and get water again and have to move the layout and throw away drywall.
Let me know what you think.