THANKS TO ALL WHO GIVE ADVICE HERE

[hoscalelarry]

Gary,
Thanks for the links. Hadn't thought about the steel studs for the base. That may be better then the 1X4's for frameing. The humidity in the 'upstairs' is around 60% in winter as cooking is done up there with all the boiling of things. However, Thinking we may need to ad humidifer for next winter. Once again -- THANKS -- Larry

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by hoscalelarry

Thanks Gary, -- The dehumidifer will hold it to any humitidy I pick -- I was thinking about a 40% during the summer & it'll drop to 25% during the winter. That is what the other side of the basement has done the last 2 years. Will that be good for the layout? I don't know how I can keep the winter humidity up when furnece kicks on in those 'snow days' here in northern Ohio. -- Larry

If your house has 25% humidity in the winter, you should add, check or replace the humidifier on the furnace for your health sake. I believe it should be 60 -70%.
If you lay track this summer, perhaps on a hot and humid day, by the dead of winter you might see gaps in the rail open up a bit. However if you were to lay track in the dry winter, by summer you could get a kink in the track if you didn't allow for expansion by leaving slight gaps (.015" - .020") in some sections (read Jim Hediger's article). It's not the track itself that expands and contracts, but the wood and homasote and in all directions. But it's ony a few thousands of an inch, not fractions. Also, if you solder your rails, don't solder them all. Allow them some movement at the joints.

I don't know if you had read the Model Railroader articles on track laying so here's the link on Laying flexible track without putting a kink in your plans, Going beyond the basic oval by Jim Hediger
Quick and Easy Flextrack by Chuck Hitchcock

While I'm at it, I might as well throw a few other ideas your way.
Support your benchwork on brackets by Lionel Strang
Benchwork construction also by Lionel Strang
Steel studs flex their muscle in a cheap sort of way by Jonathan Miner

[hoscalelarry]

Thanks Gary, -- The dehumidifer will hold it to any humitidy I pick -- I was thinking about a 40% during the summer & it'll drop to 25% during the winter. That is what the other side of the basement has done the last 2 years. Will that be good for the layout? I don't know how I can keep the winter humidity up when furnece kicks on in those 'snow days' here in northern Ohio. -- Larry

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by hoscalelarry

... I'm still about a month or so away from gettiing any wood as basaement needs to be 'dried out' from construction and a comercial carpet glued down. Thanks again -- Larry

You also should give the lumber a few days to adjust to the humidity in the basement before using it.

[DigitalGriffin]

Ohhhh the room....the possibilities *turns green*

[hoscalelarry]

Thanks Guys for ALL your help so far -- I'm trying to get the layout plan "cleanned up" some and then I'll be posting it in this form so all can see my thoughts & plans. The Mushroom design looks interesting -- it also has a helix in it. Another thought was to have the travel between the upper & lower decks at a 1 or 2 percent grade to the rear of the 4 foot wide table. I'm thinking about a backdrop that can be removed in case of a problem and the other 3 foot on lower deck be the yard and staging area. Just a thought -- as I'm still about a month or so away from gettiing any wood as basaement needs to be 'dried out' from construction and a comercial carpet glued down. Thanks again -- Larry

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by hoscalelarry

.... My contractor "goofed" and gave me a 12 foot by 30 foot room in the basement from inside wall to inside wall.

I hope that's a good thing

QUOTE: Gary, Thanks for the info -- guess I'll have to get a site started before the layout construction is started. And YES I save scanned items in '.jpg' format. YEP, Plenty of power tools both 'normal' size & wife is letting me get some 'Mini' [from 'Micro Mini' I think]...

It's Micro- Mark. I found a Mini Chop saw from my local Harbor Freight Tools store for about $30 compared to $140 for the same saw from Micro-Mark. I got a mini table saw on eBay for $50. And a small drill press at Odd Lot clearance store. There are some things you can only find from Micro-Mark, so it's good to check them out.

QUOTE: Thanks for the helix link -- I needed that one. DANG -- "Mushrooms" gives me another idea -- that is what I like about this Forum many ideas to look at.

Really give the Mushroom design serious thought. All that visible mainline, and no space hogging helix.

[grayfox1119]

hoscalelarry,
those helixes take up a lot of precious space on our layouts, so I have been thinking about another idea or two.

1. Use an elevator system under the main layout. Trains could be driven onto a track in the staging area under the top layout, and using electrically operated leadscrews, the track section would rise up to the main level where the train could then be driven off onto the top level layout track system.

2. Use the same systems as #1 above, but instead of elevating all the way to the top, use a tilt system elevator, which would allow for an incline of say 2% to approach the top layout. This would allow a much smaller opening requirement to the top as opposed to the system used in #1 above. The train would bebacked against a stop, so it could not roll back during the elevator climb.

What do you think guys ??

[FCnota]

You'll be able to find adjustable table "feet" in the hardware section of "Home Depot". They are kinda like pool table adjusting feet, only smaller. Should be just what you need.

[hoscalelarry]

WOW :)
***, Have you been looking in my computer? LOL we're thinking the same thing -- maybe it's cause we're both "up north". I'm putting 1/4" bolts in mt legs to 'level them' -- I read somewhere that with a nut flange [not right word] in leg -- and double nut on the bolt -- I can adjust leg to proper height. My contractor "goofed" and gave me a 12 foot by 30 foot room in the basement from inside wall to inside wall.

Gary, Thanks for the info -- guess I'll have to get a site started before the layout construction is started. And YES I save scanned items in '.jpg' format. YEP, Plenty of power tools both 'normal' size & wife is letting me get some 'Mini' [from 'Micro Mini' I think] tools for doing work on layout that regular size ones won't fit into. Thanks for the helix link -- I needed that one. DANG -- "Mushrooms" gives me another idea -- that is what I like about this Forum many ideas to look at.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by hoscalelarry

Gary,
Plans are to be along the wall. The bench work will be 1 X 4 's with braces every 16" with 1/2" plywood and 1" of styrofoam on top of that.

I hope you have plenty of power tools!

QUOTE: Height of layout will be at about 52" with a lower layer at about 36". Lower layer going to have Freight Yard with helix at each end.

Here is a link to RailroadData.com and down load the Helix calculator.

QUOTE: Every 8 to 12 feet will be a different "town" or area of the country.

If you have a helix on each end and the radius is 30", for example, they would be 60" or 5' diameter for a total of 10'. That would leave 20 feet between helixes, Hiding a helix is a challenge too.
Have you thought of Mushrooms? Visit Joe Fugate's web site http://siskiyou.railfan.net/

QUOTE: Going to try and paint backdrop using the 1/8" hardboard bent around the corners and using the techniques that were in the October, 2004 issue of Model Railroader Magazine.

I went with the 1/8" hardboard too. I want to be able to break down my layout and move it or change it. And besides, it was left over from my last layout.

QUOTE: The trains will be HO scale and I have one Steam Engine and a couple of sets that I bought many many years ago. I know I'll need to get more -- like the coal cars for the coal mine, and lumber cars for logging area. I've been using the "3 D Railroad Concept and Design, Version 2.0.2 from Abracadata,LTD" for the plans. I plan on doing each "city" by itself and having a main line that goes the total distance around with turnouts at each city area. Lots of ideas and time to do it :) Thinking if I just take one section at a time I should have main line done in a few years. I'm going to get a web site up when I start construction. By the way, ceiling is finished 'drop ceiling' and plenty of electric and ways to install lighting. Hope that this tells you a little about my ideas.

That's saying a lot!!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by hoscalelarry

I tried to scan my layout and put it here. -- BUT can not figure out how to get it onto this note. Larry

Larry, did you save the scan either as a .jpg or ,jpeg format? If so, you need to upload them to a web host. I use Village Photos. You can get a limited amount of band width for free or sign up if you need more.

Next: Go to edit button on your post. You should be in the "Edit Post" page. Click on the "Add Image" icon in the Format tool bar. You will see a [img][\img] typed in the Message box. Paste the url address (copied from web host) between the [img] and [\img].

Next: Check to see if you had done it correct by using the preview button below the message box.

[grayfox1119]

Hi Larry, I am in the middle of doing the same thing. We have an addition that gave me 10'6 x 25'6 . The foundation walls are 10" thick, so I lost 10" on all 4 sides 0f the addition on the inside, and then a little more on all sides due to wall studs and sheetrock (plasterboard).
I too plan to have an around the walls layout, helix at both ends of the long wall section to allow for staging on the lower level. I am trying to model several areas of New England, so I will also have a similar town to town appearance as well as some mountain logging. After I put I thin coat of plaster on the walls, I painted the room a sky blue color, and I have a cloud kit ( Home Depot Paint Dept item) in which I am attempting to be an artist. This should be interesting to say the least.
I plan to use 2x3's for legs, 5/8" plywood table top, 2" foam for sub base glued down.
I also am going to assemble the tables with carriage bolts, washers and wing nuts. I am doing this for ease of future additions and changes. I am also going to use levelers on the bottom of the legs to allow for adjustments due to cement floor non leveling.
When I get my digital camers up and running, I will post pics.
Good luck with your layout Larry,

[hoscalelarry]

I tried to scan my layout and put it here. -- BUT can not figure out how to get it onto this note. Larry

[hoscalelarry]

Gary,
Plans are to be along the wall. The bench work will be 1 X 4 's with braces every 16" with 1/2" plywood and 1" of styaphome top of that. Height of layout will be at about 52" with a lower layer at about 36". Lower layer going to have Freight Yard with helix at each end. Every 8 to 12 feet will be a different "town" or area of the country. Going to 'try and paint backdrop using the 1/8" hardboard bent around the corners and using the techniques that were in the October, 2004 issue of Model Railroader Magazine. The trains will be HO scale and I have one Steam Engine and a couple of sets that I bought many many years ago. I know I'll need to get more -- like the coal cars for the coal mine, and lumber cars for logging area. I've been using the "3 D Railroad Concept and Design, Version 2.0.2 from Abracadata,LTD" for the plans. I plan on doing each "city" by itself and haveing a mail line that goes the total distance around with turnouts at each city area. Lots of ideas and time to do it :) Thinking if I just take one section at a time I should have mail line done in a few years. I'm going to get a web site up when I start construction. By the way ceiling is finished 'drop ceiling' and plenty of electric and ways to iinstal lighting. Hope that this tells you a little about my ideas.

[Anonymous]

[#welcome] Larry

Tell us more about your plans. Is it a along the wall type? What style of bench work will you be using? Have you desided how you will make the sub-roadbed and roadbed? What type of trains will you be operating? Is the basement finished (wall board, lighting, electrical ect...)

[hoscalelarry]

I've been in the "planning" stage for the last 2 years. Now the addition to my house is almost done and the 12 foot by 30 foot part of the basement will be ready for my 'vision' of the layout [latest version] I planed. I've been reading and reserching all I could and now I get to see if things will work like they look 'on paper'. Thanks to all of you who have given your knowledge and experiance in these form's so us "new bees" can learn and not make to many mistakes. As always, anyone who has a layout this size, and has any "tips" on construction can always e-mail me or post ideas here. Thanks again to alll of you for your help. Larry