Garage Layouts & The Weather

[Jetrock]

I'm a few miles west of TWhite in downtown Sacramento--the main hassle here is the heat. It's not humid, but it's VERY hot and dry in the summer.

My garage does not hold a car, even when it was empty! It measures a bit under 8x18 feet--a very short, very narrow car would fit, if you didn't mind having to Limbo over it to get out! We have a driveway, though, and on-street parking, and there is never really any reason in California to HAVE to park your car in the garage, unless the hoodlums are so bad in your neighborhood that it's the only way to keep your car unmolested.

One wall is sheetrocked, the rest is unfinished. Eventually I'd like to put some sort of covering and insulation over the other walls. A drop ceiling is a bit tough as the ceiling is only around 7' high.

The layout is in the garage because I have no other room--a 1-bedroom house with no basement! Downtown Sacramento is one of the few places in California where one can find homes with basements, and I mightily covet one but I am awfully fond of my nice, low house payment which lets me afford train stuff--so a garage layout it is!

[Anonymous]

T white has it right. I'm in California as well and the cars are outside, the trains are inside.

Guy

[Anonymous]

A .22 with those little loads of tiny birdshot for the critters that want to keep warm amongst your trains

JIm

[twhite]

Nuts, hit that damned TAB key again by accident. As I said, my entire garage is my model railroader, and I have to put up with dust during the summer. It's a given. That and the occasional neighborhood raccoon that wanders in looking for cat food. The temperature extremes aren't so bad in the winter, a cold morning is usually around 45 degrees, with highs in the '50's or '60's. Temperatures in the summer can occasionally top 100, but by and large, I'd say the temperature year-round is, well--'temperate.' I solder my track joints, vacuum the layout once a week, don't use wet agents to clean track because of the dust (Brite Boy and a couple of Walther's track-cleaning cars do the trick). If I had my druthers, I'd rather have a basement, but those wonderful contraptions are few and far between in this state. I make do with the garage, and the layout runs well all year. Only drawback is that if you do your scenery on a hot day, you've got to be quick, or it sets up too darn rapidly!
Tom

[twhite]

I live in the Central Valley of California, and I do not know of ANYONE in my neighborhood who actually parks their car in the garage. They are either workrooms, storage areas or spare room conversions. Mine is a model railroad. The

[nslakediv]

my garage layout started out as a 10'x22' which allowed room for a vehicle, the wife was happy, soon after room was complete, wired, insulated, drywalled and painted , phone and cable, also added a 50,000BTU gas vented heater (do not recommend a ventless heater for it will remove all the oxygen in the room and leave moisture) me and the wife(this was before the kids) layed out the track plan on the floor and started to see things did not exactly work out as planned. it was the wife who said take the whole garage for trains and after much consideration(about 1 minute) I agreed. Of course I lost all rights to any modifications to the house. Soon I found myself building a monster(to me anyways) 20'x22' double deck layout. I quickly outgrew that and added a 10'x22' addition making new size a 22'x30' dream layout. This had its own ramifications though, I had to put on a new kitchen, add on to my sons room and of course last years project was a master bed room with a walk in closet(I didnt mind this one). I do all my own work in case anyone was wondering how I afford it. All in all it was my wifes idea 10 yrs ago to go for it and have not looked back. I will be having my first op session with the new addition on line next weekend. The success to a good layout is a good room, good thought process and the #1 thing a great spouse.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by KenLarsen

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

I'm not a big fan of train layouts in garages, but if that's the space you have, it's better than nothing. I once tried to have a layout in a garage, and it was a disaster.

To qualify as a garage in my mind, you have to park your car in it.

So, now I'm curious, how many of you that "garage layouts" still share that space with a vehicle?

That IS the only space available to me, but at least it has a ceiling. I am having 2 new circuits installed out there (one for the window AC unit, the other for the standup freezer) so I don't keep tripping breakers. I'll avoid soldering my track together [use jumper wires instead] so expansion/contraction won't be a major problem.

I definitely will NOT share my garage with any cars [or bikes, or lawn tractors]! In fact, I plan to keep the big doors sealed shut and covered with insulation.

Ken, it sounds like you are one step closer to having a train room.[swg]

[Fergmiester]

That's the other problem with my garage. No room, I couldn't get a Mini Cooper in it. It's a double Garage storage room.

[fec153]

Big_Boy_4005 My Boss,{wife} said I could use the garage but only if she could drive her vehicle into it. Nix to the trains in the house. So,sharing can be fun.
Flip

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

I'm not a big fan of train layouts in garages, but if that's the space you have, it's better than nothing. I once tried to have a layout in a garage, and it was a disaster.

To qualify as a garage in my mind, you have to park your car in it.

So, now I'm curious, how many of you that "garage layouts" still share that space with a vehicle?

That IS the only space available to me, but at least it has a ceiling. I am having 2 new circuits installed out there (one for the window AC unit, the other for the standup freezer) so I don't keep tripping breakers. I'll avoid soldering my track together [use jumper wires instead] so expansion/contraction won't be a major problem.

I definitely will NOT share my garage with any cars [or bikes, or lawn tractors]! In fact, I plan to keep the big doors sealed shut and covered with insulation.

[Big_Boy_4005]

I'm not a big fan of train layouts in garages, but if that's the space you have, it's better than nothing. I once tried to have a layout in a garage, and it was a disaster.

To qualify as a garage in my mind, you have to park your car in it.

So, now I'm curious, how many of you that "garage layouts" still share that space with a vehicle?

[Anonymous]

I had a layout in the garage. The biggest problem I had was dust and dirt from the environment forund in your typical garage. I tore it out and built an insulated, sheetrocked, kick butt train room. I am now in the process of making a bunch of new mistakes (ie. a new layout). My suggestion would be to fini***he space as much as possible, especially a ceiling and protection from air leakage around the doors. An extra power circuit is alway nice if you can swing it...

Guy

[Anonymous]

My large layout is in a 28 by 40 ft. metal building. I have dust, heat & cold in the winter.
The coldest it got last winter was 24 degree's & the hottest it got this summer was 115 degree's. I'm talking about the interior of the building temp's. I have 2 large fans & 1 gas heater. I live in Florida. If you want to live w/the elements & have the layout that you
want, then you & I have to take what we can afford. I've thought about drop ceilings, curtains & all the other good stuff. Not in my budget. LOL
I have very little track warpage(cork roadbed) because I try to leave a space between all my rails. I don't use Homosote anymore because of the dampness in the rainey season. If you want to build a layout like mine, you learn how to deal w/the Elements.

Larry

[2021]

The real problem with any layout that is exterior is not the heat and cold but rather the humidity. In my attached garage converted to a train room, I added a vent-free gas heater for me and will add a de-humidifier for the layout.
Ron

[88gta350]

I plan on constructing my layout in the garage, but before I do I plan on prepping the room. I will be installing insulation and lighting, and a drop ceiling over the layout portion. I will also install some type of space heater to be used only when the room is occupied and a wall a/c unit for the same purpose. This will make for a comfortable room and since half the garage will still be a garage, I'll have an easy time of workign on the cars during the winter! No more frozen hands! I highly reccomend you at least insulate the room. It can be done easily and fairly cheaply.

[dragenrider]

My layout is in the garage, also. I installed a small window a/c unit and a gas wall heater with a thermostat. My rails are soldered except for blocking gaps which are a little wider than normal. I've had no problems with track warping.

Now, dust, bugs, and lighting has been another problem. [xx(] I still don't regret my choice of locations, though.

[Fergmiester]

yAH Right

If I tried that I'd be treated for frost bite and Hypothermia!

Mr. Smith you live in LA, Winter there is what I'd call Baaaalmy. Where as I'm here where I get 0- F in January.

I'm in the basement, and that is where I'll stay.

Regards
Fergie

BTW I burn 4 chords of hardwood a year to take off the chill.

If you can't tell I'm envious as if I had a detached garage to build a layout I'd be in seventh heaven!!

[PennsyHoosier]

I have a small layout at our lake cottage. It is unheated all winter and very humid during the summer. For the winter I just close everything down and cover everything up. For the summer I keep a dehumidfier on all the time. So far so good. No warping or problems of that sort. However, even with the dehumidifier, I really have to watch the mold.

[vsmith]

Same here, detached garage, no heat, no a/c. I plan to add a small a/c unit.

Keep it as far away from the garage door opening as possible. Mine is on the back wall and under a storage loft so theres a modicum of dust control. Also consider adding a dust weatherstrip gasket along the sides and bottom of the door, this is where most dust blows into the garage. A dust cover of some sort for the layout is also recommonded. If you can, install a ceiling (partial over the layout or full ceiling if you can) and attach a dust curtain to the ceiling that will drap along the sides of the layout to enclose the layout when not in use. I read that George Sellios uses a curtain system to protect the F & SM. Sam Posey enclosed his in plexiglass but I that is a little too much.

[Anonymous]

I'm building a layout in a detached garage that isn't very insulated. If yours is in a garage, what do you do to control the elements?