Hi,
I am thinking about building a train elevator for my HO layout, it will be a double decker, maybe also a hidden staging area but have not figured that part out yet, and am wondering if this scenario is feasible. I am going to build the layout as a big rectangular layout, on all four walls, like a shelf unit on all four walls. Maybe have the layout protrude into the room from all four walls from two to three feet, with about a 32 inch radius in each corner. This would give me anywhere from 8 to 10 feet of open area inside of the layout. I was thinking an elevator would take up less space than a helix, that is, less protrusion into the inside aisle of the layout.
I'd like to build it for long trains, so I am thinking maybe doing it for trains maybe 8 to 10 feet long. First of all is this feasible – doing an elevator that long?
Here is another problem - the area I have to work with for my layout is 13.5' wide by 24 feet long. I guess the elevator should be located in the center of the long 24' wall. Since I only have 13.5' feet of room width to work with, I was thinking about maybe building the section of the layout/elevator and both decks as a a single roll out unit, for access. In other words I would just be able to pull directly out into the aisle this elevator unit which has built in front of it the two decks of the layout – pull the unit away from the wall, for access. The unit would have the elevator hidden behind a scenery panel or painting, and the trains would go into and out of the elevator by some kind of tunnel or small hill, etc. What do you think? Is this practicle, feasible?
If it is feasible, what do you think the depth of the roll out unit would be? In other words how far out into the aisle would it project, that is, in addition to the layout itself, how much additional depth or space do you think I would I need for the motor, pulleys, elevator, etc in addition to the layout in front of it?
Any ideas, suggestions, or info as to whether or not this has been done before would be appreciated. Or any books, guides etc to build an elevator like this would help.
The Ro-Ro Train elevator system is commercially available. It is single track in HO, and double track in N scale. It is not cheap($399 for a 4' one). IIRC, you can connect 3 of them together to hold a 12' - 18' train. I saw a sample at a train show and it worked as advertised. Here is the web link:
http://www.ro-ro.net/
Jim Bernier
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Hi Thanks,
I forgot to say I was wanting to do a double track. I was checking that unit out last night, it was interesting.