Thinking about switching to Ho

[hon30critter]

cuyama

Dave, what browser are you using?

Google Chrome.

Dave

[cuyama]

TrainzLuvr

Here is what my basement area looks like, and its dimensions.

Thanks for the email, I finally see what others can see. You may have a little more effective room than you thought. If you can use the outside of the shaded space for aisles and access, the usable visible layout area becomes larger.

Even without that "extra" space, there's enough space here for HO or N. One key metric is how long you would like the typical train to be. From this, one sizes the yard(s) and passing sidings as well as setting the "running room" between -- and that determines how many layout elements can fit for a particular scale.

[TrainzLuvr]

Correct, those are the support columns holding the main floor of the house, with the aisle spaces between them.

I did think of a number of shapes to fit in the space, but as a n00b I am not too sure whether these shapes are the best I can do/get. Dots are for the duck-under or swing-gate bridge.

 

I'm also thinking about around the perimeter incline/decline to the second level, instead of a helix (the space hog).

Another catch is the ceiling - in the basement it's only 6'5", so rather low, can't do anything wild like mushroom profiles.

[TrainzLuvr]

To give you an idea what the space really looks like, here are two photos, looking East and looking West. It's fully finished, as a living space not a train room.

[hon30critter]

TrainzLuvr:

Your going to have the nicest layout room floor in the hobby!

Too bad about the low ceilings. The bulkhead between the columns must be really low. I have a couple of support beams in the garage where the layout will go that I barely miss when I walk under them.

Dave

[up831]

TrainzLuvr

Hmmm..

So, my electrical cabinet is behind a real door in an alcove. That door has to swing open thus there's about 3 feet. It does not say anything about getting TO the panel at all. 

 

With the electrical panel in the back corner, I'm sorry to tell you that you have 12' x 20.5' for layout space.  OSHA, IBC, NFPA, and just about any other code manual on the planet will maintain a minimum aisle width of 36" To access an electrical panel, even residential.  Yes, you can fudge it a little and pray building and fire inspectors never come.

I don't mean to sound harsh, but that's not really the kind of thing one should mess with.

[TrainzLuvr]

That is a main support beam for the house. I have to duck under it or else...

The ceiling is ok, unless I raise my heels up and stand on my toes, or god forbid jump.

[up831]

Looking at the pictures of the room, which is very nice BTW, what if you would put staging tracks in the alcove adjacent to the electrical panel, running along the wall, with a swing out or lift up "bridge" section crossing the aisle, connecting it to the main layout.  Depending how involved you would want to get with it, you could also put shelving underneath the staging to hold your goodies.  Is the work bench going to be incorporated into the space, or will it be relocated?

[TrainzLuvr]

Thank you, previous owner did all the work, I just inherited the look and added speakers to the ceiling.

That is an interesting suggestion, but to be clear I'll mock it up on a previous idea:

S is the staging and trains could arrive into it from either 1 or 2. As long as there's access to the panel then 2 can remain lowered.

I'd like to incorporate the workbench somewhere; the computer is not there anymore and the rest of the stuff is really all of my H0 items, tools, airbrush compressor, etc.

EDIT: Although, that would make the staging only 10 feet or less, kinda short, compared to the long South wall (at the top) which is full 20 feet (without the clearance for the electrical closet door)

[ATSFGuy]

Make sure you allow yourself room to move around inside the layout as well as when you install the electrical components.

Is your layout DC or DCC?

[TrainzLuvr]

I do not have the layout plan yet, but it will be DCC.

I left 2 feet through the aisles...lol.

[hon30critter]

TrainzLuvr:

Two foot aisles are pretty tight. Keep in mind that you are likely to have turnout controllers, throttle holders, maybe way card holders ...etc. etc. on (or in) the fascia.

Dave

[TrainzLuvr]

I made another thread in the Layout forum about my layout.

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/260185/2924196.aspx

I totally went off-topic here, and I apologize for that.

EDIT: this WYSIWYG edit post editor does not like local links, they are being filtered, bah.

[hon30critter]

TrainzLuvr:

Here is a working link:

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/260185/2924196.aspx

To make the local links work you have to add some commands to the link. Immediately before the first letter in the link insert a square bracket '[' followed by the letters 'url' followed by the opposite square bracket ']'. Then, at the end of the link, add another square bracket '[' followed by a slash '/', the letters 'url', and the opposite square bracket ']'. No spaces. The link won't show as clickable (i.e. turn blue) until you post it.

Dave

[TrainzLuvr]

Thanks for the heads-up, so it needs a standard url /url forum tag. 

[hon30critter]

TrainzLuvr

so it needs a standard url /url forum tag.

I guess that's how those with some actual computer knowledge would say it. I'm a computer dinosaur. I need step by step instructions.

Dave