Just getting started...

[Anonymous]

Well,

My wife and I have decided that we need a hobby to do together and I've managed to talk her into model RRing (something I've been wanting to get into for several years now). Eventually, we would like to make good use of space in our small house by lining the walls with track, etc.


However, to start with, we are just going to use our utility room (no garage to sacrifice, unfortunately). Our primary objectives for this first layout mostly revolve around learning and making mistakes, but due to the location of things, I'm sure we'll have to be creative with the layout.

What I'm getting at here, is that if anyone has any suggestions for the following, which is unfortunately generating at least the footprint of the benchwork, we are definately open to them!


(1 foot to the square)

Requirements given to me to even be allowed to use this room:
1) We must be able to get out of the back door (the one by the furnace).
2) We must be able to get into the pantry/storage area (the doors open 90 degrees, perpendicular to either face).
3) We need enough room to be able to stand in front of the dryer and remove clothing (door space noted by the dotted line in front of the dryer).
4) Space under the benchwork needs to be usable as storage.
5) The cat's litterbox, food bowl, and water bowl must be easily accessable both to him and to us.

There are two windows (46" off the ground) on the wall above where the footprint for the basework is sitting, but they are covered all the time and of no concern whether they are blocked (or unaccessable).

I am not opposed to other arrangements for the benchwork, I just figured I'd put some thought and effort into it prior to asking for some input :)

Thanks in advance!

Gosherm

[SpaceMouse]

If your layout is against the wall, you can only reach about 30" so you are limited to that pretty much. I would serioulsy consider going with N scale as you will get about 4 times as much layout in the same space as HO.

Get some good beginners books and start reading. You can probably get them a the library.

Don't buy anything until you start your education. Then come back here and ask questions. It's easy to buy something that is, well, junk.

[selector]

And ditch the cat. It will be as interested in your layout as you are, especially when it needs a new venue to groom itself or to sleep.

(This may sound snotty, but I have followed several hilarious threads about what cats have managed to accomplish on their servants' layouts. Be warned.)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

If your layout is against the wall, you can only reach about 30" so you are limited to that pretty much. I would serioulsy consider going with N scale as you will get about 4 times as much layout in the same space as HO.

Very well aware of the reach limitation, but thanks for the reminder :)

QUOTE:
Get some good beginners books and start reading. You can probably get them a the library.

We've already cleaned the library out and we're reading everything we can find online as well. I've managed to make it through to threads with a last post date of the beginning of March in these forums already. Definately learning lots :)

QUOTE:
Don't buy anything until you start your education. Then come back here and ask questions. It's easy to buy something that is, well, junk.

I completely understand this one... especially for product review/recomendation.

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

And ditch the cat. It will be as interested in your layout as you are, especially when it needs a new venue to groom itself or to sleep.

(This may sound snotty, but I have followed several hilarious threads about what cats have managed to accomplish on their servants' layouts. Be warned.)

Not snotty to me, just helpful advice. Fortunately, I'm pretty sure that the most damage that this particular cat will be able to inflict is dander and cat hair. He's quite ancient, nearly blind, and can barely make it onto the seat of a chair/soft and failed miserably the last time I saw him try to make it directly onto the back of the sofa (which, in a sick sort of way, was actually rather funny. He has also made it quite clear that the *only* place he is interested in sleeping is on our bed (along with the step to get him up there!).

[egmurphy]

Let me offer an idea. I’ll assume for the sake of argument that you’re going in N scale. I can see by your rough in of the benchwork that this draft of a benchwork arrangement is based on maximizing the available space, allowing access for doors and dryer. Looks like it’ll work.

But since the stated purpose of this layout is a learning experience, you might want to consider making your benchwork a lot simpler by just going with a hollow core wood door. These are a standard 6’-8” long and come in various widths up to 3’-0” wide. Available at your local Home Depot or Lowes. The size fits within your given area. You lose out on maximizing the two small peninsulas shown in your plan, but you’ll make your benchwork construction a whole lot easier and faster. These are extremely light, but stiff, so you can even (by using folding legs, or setting it up on top of a folding table, or even on top of some type of cabinet) lean it up against the wall when not actively in use if you needed to.

That’s what I did, and put a layer of foam on top of it for my scenery base. You can see some shots of my layout in my Rail Images album (see link below) mixed in among other misc railfanning shots.

Just an idea.


Regards

Ed

[ereimer]

yank out the pantry / storage area and build a new one under the layout (or cut off the top of the pantry at layout height) . build the layout 50+ inches off the ground to give you lots of space underneath . if removing the pantry is totally unacceptable , try building a shelf into the pantry at layout height and cutting holes in the sides to allow the track to pass through . then it becomes possible to put a removable section across the doorway in the 'north' wall and a shelf over the washer / dryer . building over the water heater and furnace seems won't work unless yours are way smaller than mine are

it seems likely that your well-loved and over-indulged cat (is it possible to over-indulge a cat ? i bet the cat doesn't think so [:)] ) won't be around for the later stages of layout construction . as long as he can easily reach his food and somewhere comfortable to sleep i don't think he'll be a problem

[Medina1128]

I made the mistake of working on my layout while one of the cats was in the room. Now, she's used to power tools, and will surely be up on the layout, eating who-knows-what. While the layout is in the early construction phases, break the cat's curiosity in your layout and if all else fails, get a dog. They love to snitch on cats!!