Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Ogden & Cache Valley RR - Layout Construction

76849 views
451 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Ogden & Cache Valley RR - Layout Construction
Posted by Onewolf on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 1:41 PM

I figured I would start a build thread for the detached garage/workshop/train room we are having built. I spent about 10 years planning until I came up with a design that met all my criteria.

 


My basic requirements for the garage/workshop/train room:

• Air conditioned Train Layout Room (Basically no basements in Central Florida). Train room was designed to fit the 28x32 HO gauge layout I have been designing over the last 3-4 years.
• Store 21 ft bay boat (28’ overall on trailer). 12 ft wide garage door for boat. Currently takes up 2 bays in existing (attached) garage.
• Full size SUV
• Tool/Woodworking shop area with room to handle 4x8 sheets of plywood without moving vehicles.
• Organized storage space for all the current boating/fishing/diving equipment
• Air conditioned Workshop (for model building, ammunition reloading, and other hobbies)
• Bathroom (toilet/utility sink/shower)
• Storage Trusses (for storing light objects (empty boxes, etc) in the attic)
• Has to fit within Seminole County R1-AAAA zoning setbacks. Our property is 0.7 acre, It’s wide but not very deep.
• We live in a gated HOA community – We have to get HOA/ARC approval and it has to match architectural details of the house.

 

• Train room and workshop must be well insulated because they will be air conditioned
• Debated between CBS and 2x6 wood frame construction. CBS won because: Fewer termite issues and better hurricane resistance.
• The only automotive work I perform is oil changes/etc so no need for lift/etc.

I envy the people who can build pole buildings/barns/garages. We basically have to build a 2nd home to the more stringent 2010 Florida Building Code standards. But we plan to stay in this house forever, so what the heck…

Comments/Questions/Suggestions/Critiques are encouraged!

 

Here is a link to the full photo album of the garage build:Photo Album

 

The detached garage will go back there. Our house is on the right.
 
Garage Location

 

3D rendering of property with detached garage/workshop
 
3D rendering
 

 

Floorplan with earlier version of layout plan overlaid on train room.

 Layout Overlay

 
 
Construction started as a large dirt pit.
 
Broke Ground

 

Foundation/Footer poured, stem walls built, starting to add fill.

 Stem Wall

 

 

 
Ready to pour slab

 Slab Pour

 

 

Slab poured and block walls built

Block Walls

 

The view of the detached garage from the neighbor's front yard
 
Front View

 

Train room framed in.

 
Working on the plumbing for the sewer line to street

 

 
Stucco complete

 
Insulating the train room
 
 
To be continued….

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 2:53 PM

After the drywall was hung in the train room (before the dry wall was mudded/taped).

 

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 2:55 PM

Very quick/dirty 3D walkthru of slightly outdated layout design.

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    August 2013
  • From: Richmond, VA
  • 1,890 posts
Posted by carl425 on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 5:36 PM

I didn't understand the mouse ears on the track plan until I saw you were in east central Florida. Smile

sorry, couldn't resist.

I do like your use of the mushroom concept.  I also wish you had asked earlier as one of the best ideas I've seen for a purpose built train roon was using plywood on the walls instead of drywall so you can attach virtually anything anywhere.

It really looks like a great space.

I have the right to remain silent.  By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.

  • Member since
    November 2012
  • 613 posts
Posted by UPinCT on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 6:10 PM
Onewolf, Congrats on having a beautiful purpose built space for your layout. Looks like you'll have a beautiful layout as well. Invite me over for an operating session when you are done. Keep posting pics of your progress. Good luck Derek
  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Fruita, CO
  • 541 posts
Posted by slammin on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 1:50 PM

[quote user="carl425"]

.  I also wish you had asked earlier as one of the best ideas I've seen for a purpose built train roon was using plywood on the walls instead of drywall so you can attach virtually anything anywhere.

It really looks like a great space.

 

With the existing building codes as well as the HOA, I doubt plywood in lieu of drywall wood be permitted due to flame spread. Perhaps with drywall over the plywood. In the 50s US Steel packaged small ranch houses, approx 1000 sq ft, with plywood walls. I saw several burn. Occupants could barely get out fast enough. 

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: US
  • 973 posts
Posted by jmbjmb on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 8:28 PM

SmileCongrats.  Trying to convince the wife of the same thing -- place for the boat, shop, storage, and, um, trains. 

 

jim

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, February 26, 2015 4:56 AM

There is only one word for all of this.

WOW!

You will now become the most envied man on the forums.  Super Angry

That new outbuilding could easily be mistaken for someone's house.

Absolutely beautiful.  How big is your overall property, if I might ask?

The next time that I drive down to Fort Myers, I am stopping by, invited or not.   Laugh

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    December 2011
  • From: Northern Minnesota
  • 2,774 posts
Posted by NP2626 on Thursday, February 26, 2015 6:17 AM
Wow!  Looking over your photos and bang there is a video to watch, so you drew me in.  You guys who are so tech. savvy blow me away with what you know how to do! The volume on my sound system was a tad high!  So, when the music started it scared the B-jeebers out of me! 

 

Good luck!  You have wonderful place to play with your trains!

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association:  http://www.nprha.org/

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Thursday, March 19, 2015 6:38 PM
Getting closer. Electricians have installed on the outlets, fixtures, etc. They used an extension cord from the house to test all the 120V circuits. Electrical inspection scheduled for tomorrow. When inspection passes FPL will hookup 200AMP service from the street. Here are some pictures taken while they were testing the light circuits.

All the fluoresecent light bulbs in the detached garage are Maxlite T8 6500K Daylight 3200 (initial) Lumen bulbs. The garage area has two independent light zones so not all 1.21GW of lighting has to be on/off at the same time.


Train Layout Room - The train room has 13 ceiling light fixtures. The lights in the train room may seem to have an 'interesting' pattern, but it will all make sense once the layout benchwork is constructed.


Model Workshop

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: Denver, CO
  • 771 posts
Posted by middleman on Friday, March 20, 2015 11:09 AM

Amazing setup,'can't wait to see the layout build!

I'm sure it's a typo,but 1.21GW of lighting is 1.21 billion watts...pretty close to several estimates of the load of the entire Las Vegas "Strip". Surprise

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 251 posts
Posted by tedtedderson on Friday, March 20, 2015 11:12 AM

middleman

 Amazing setup,'can't wait to see the layout build!

I'm sure it's a typo,but 1.21GW of lighting is 1.21 billion watts...pretty close to several estimates of the load of the entire Las Vegas "Strip".  Your 200 amp/240 volt service will supply a continuous max. of 48 KW -48,000 watts(assuming a pure "resistance" load). 

 

Yeah, that's enough to power a time machine!  Great Scott! 

T e d

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Friday, March 20, 2015 11:42 AM

tedtedderson

 Yeah, that's enough to power a time machine!  Great Scott! 

T e d

 

 
Yes, I think 1.21GW would be sufficient to power a decent sized Flux Capacitor!

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, March 20, 2015 12:19 PM

Onewolf
Yes, I think 1.21GW would be sufficient to power a decent sized Flux Capacitor!

"Set the Wayback Machine for the late Transition Era, Sherman!"

I view my layout as a time machine, actually, because it takes me back to my youth like nothing else can do.

I laughed at the line about the gigawatts of lighting.  Nice bright flourescents and lots of them in a white room with white ceilings and floors?  Yeah, bring your sunglasses.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Sunday, March 22, 2015 3:21 PM

Here's a photo of the exterior from this morning since I haven't posted any photos of the exterior garage/house since they've been painted.

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: florida
  • 276 posts
Posted by subman on Sunday, March 22, 2015 5:59 PM

I didn`t notice any electrical floor outlets in the train room, or are you planning on getting 110V power to the middle of the layout some other way. Il`l bet you had some fun getting the plans by the HOA. What is Seminole county assessing the building at? Nice job!

Bob D As long as you surface as many times as you dive you`ll be alive to read these posts.

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Sunday, March 22, 2015 7:18 PM

subman

I didn`t notice any electrical floor outlets in the train room, or are you planning on getting 110V power to the middle of the layout some other way. Il`l bet you had some fun getting the plans by the HOA. What is Seminole county assessing the building at? Nice job!

I don't foresee needing 110V in the center platform once the benchwork, trackwork and electrical are complete and I'll just run an extension cord during construction if required.  if required I can run 110v from the 'right' wall into the center platform.

My wife and I spent over three years preparing the HOA board for our proposed detached garage so it was pretty much a done deal when we submitted the official request.

I am also interested to see how the county is going to feel $$$ about this addition to 'their' property tax base.  :)  One thing I have already noticed and need to deal with is that it shows up on the property appraiser's office website as a $187,000 addition in 2014 but it's only costing us about 2/3 of that.

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Sunday, May 17, 2015 5:44 PM
It's been a while since provided an update so here goes. The GC is done with his tasks and now it's time to get started with my DIY tasks. These tasks include:
  • Installing an epoxy floor in the garage/woodshop
  • Sealing the concrete floors in the train room and model workshop
  • Laying carpet tile in the train room and model workshop
  • Installing blinds in the 4 windows
  • Running low voltage cables from the house to the model workshop (CAT6, RG6 (Cable TV), telephone)
  • Building workstation tables for the model workshop
  • Refinishing/repurposing bookcases for the model workshop
  • Installing tile floor in bathroom

The train room and model workshop floors were completely covered in paint overspray and drywall schmutz  so first I used a rental Home Depot floor maintainer to grind as much of the paint off as I could.



After grinding I swept twice, vacuumed twice, and mopped twice to clean the residual dust. And then I applied Truelock B4 concrete sealer/densifier. This is the first quadrant I applied sealer to. This sealer does not look dark/wet when it dries like some sealers do. It soaks in to the concrete and helps prevent staining and dust creation as well as "densifies" the surfac e of the concrete.



After all four quadrants of the train room had the first of two coats of sealer applied. You can see the first quadrant has already almost completely dried.



I purchased 1100 sq ft of "mixed/random" carpet tiles (275 tiles) from Caldwell Carpet in Georgia for $.49/sq ft + shipping for the train room and model workshop. It was the least expensive flooring I could find and it should work great for this application (cheap and easy to 'fix' accidents'). Here's a photo of a 'test' of the first 35 carpet tiles off the pallet to get a feeling for what 'random' carpet tiles might look like:



According to "the boss" the highest priority task was to get my reloading station out of the office in the house so I finished the carpet tiles in here first. I also built a couple 30"x80" work tables for the model workshop using solid core door slabs and adjustable height workstation legs purchased from Global Industries.I plan to install 30" tall kitchen wall cabinets along the entire 14ft left wall and 18" tall cabinets above the reloading station.





My wife laid most of the carpet tiles in the train room. I snapped the working lines and did all the carpet cutting. I still need to finish the two edges on the far left and right of this photo. The train room is currently the lowest priority room to get finished.





The 'hole' in the center of the room is where the "room within a room" for the mushroom layout design will be built. It will have 2x4 stud walls and the backdrop for the upper level of the layout will drop from the ceiling creating a "room within a room".




 

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: Nevada
  • 825 posts
Posted by NevinW on Friday, May 22, 2015 1:26 PM
It is really fun to see a dedicated train room come into existence. Looks great. I want to see how the railroad looks going in too.
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Monday, May 25, 2015 9:29 AM

The carpet squares would drive me crazy, but to each his own.

Are you going to paint a background on the walls?  Or will you be putting up a solid backdrop first?

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 6:05 AM
My wife and I installed cheap kitchen wall cabinets in the model workshop. I still need to install a spacer next to the left corner cabinet and align the doors.



 

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 6:08 AM

MisterBeasley

The carpet squares would drive me crazy, but to each his own.

Are you going to paint a background on the walls?  Or will you be putting up a solid backdrop first?

My options for the floor given my budget constraint were either bare concrete or random carpet tiles.  The carpet tiles are much more comfortable for walking/standing than bare concrete. :)

I plan to install solid backdrops as I build the benchwork and center platform.

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: West Australia
  • 2,217 posts
Posted by John Busby on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 7:00 AM

Hi onewolf

The floor looks like it should be on the wall as modern art then be sold for millions to fund the dream layout.

I hope people will want look at your layout rather than try and find the artistic meaning in the floor its over the top I like it.

regards John

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 7:06 AM

John Busby

Hi onewolf

The floor looks like it should be on the wall as modern art then be sold for millions to fund the dream layout.

I hope people will want look at your layout rather than try and find the artistic meaning in the floor its over the top I like it.

regards John

I think the "visual impact" of the carpet tiles will be reduced considerably once the benchwork is built such that you don't see just a wide expanse of random carpet tiles.  I will also be 'optimizing' to distribution of the carpet tile as time permits.  Optimizing the distribution really helped in the model workshop.

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Chesapeake, Virginia
  • 226 posts
Posted by BobL609 on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 5:32 PM

The carpet tiles remind me of flying over Iowa and Nebraska while I was in the Air Force.  

  • Member since
    November 2012
  • 105 posts
Posted by ouibejamn on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 8:03 PM

BobL609

The carpet tiles remind me of flying over Iowa and Nebraska while I was in the Air Force. 

I love it! Great comment. Seriously the flooring looks great, nothing boring there.

 
  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Saturday, July 4, 2015 6:58 AM

Lowes delivered the initial order of lumber for the benchwork yesterday. 

Step 1 was to build a storage rack for the lumber and then step 2 was to move all the lumber from the driveway into the garage.

I plan to start construction of the benchwork (center platform) today.

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: North Dakota
  • 9,592 posts
Posted by BroadwayLion on Saturday, July 4, 2015 10:31 AM

LION is very surprised that you could build such a room without electrical outlets every 6 - 10 feet as per requirement of the building code. Maybe Floridia has a different code.

LION is enamoured of outlets. Classroom of LION built just after WWII had an outlet at each end. Just that and no more. But LIONS need lots outlets. Him has them all over the place now, and every 6 to 8 feet along the fascia of the railroad. Gotta be able to plug in power tools without draping extension cords across the floors. As an added advantage, the conduits between the outlets were mounted very securely so that LION could use them to hoist himself up when him bend down to the floor.

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, July 4, 2015 10:49 AM

BroadwayLion

LION is very surprised that you could build such a room without electrical outlets every 6 - 10 feet as per requirement of the building code. Maybe Floridia has a different code.

Methinks LION needs glasses.  Me sees wall outlets every 6 feet or so on the finished walls.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Saturday, July 4, 2015 1:14 PM

There are 12 duplex outlets in the train room split into two 20AMP circuits. Two of the outlets are controlled by a wall switch.  That's enough outlets for my needs.

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!