If you have room for a shelf, you have room for a shelf layout! In addition to having a place to display your rolling stock, you can get a little bit of practice in tracklaying and scenery, backdrops (building flats on a short backdrop adds a lot of atmosphere and it's pretty cheap because every kit can be used for as many as 4 buildings!) and operation (if you choose a switching puzzle layout design like the Timesaver or Inglenook.) If you have room for something, say, 5-6' long and 1' deep, you have enough room for a small yard or switching layout that you can later plug into a larger layout--or just build a couple more small shelf modules when you run out of things to put on the first one. Or you can just start out with a non-functioning static display, but just add a couple of power leads so you can test out trains on it too.
steve-in-kvilleAny links to such an arrangment?
A search for shelf type switching layouts reveals many different plans. There are also some plans in the MR Track Database.
I Googled "shelf type ho scale switching layout plans"
Hoover your mouse over "How To" on the black bar above, and click on Track Plan Database.
I would at least do a display shelf, on which you could change things around occasionally.
Not sure if you need to be a magazine subscriber to access the data base or not?
Mike.
My You Tube
G Paine Dependng on the width of the shelf, you coud have a small swttching layout. There are a number of track plans for somethng like this.
Dependng on the width of the shelf, you coud have a small swttching layout. There are a number of track plans for somethng like this.
Any links to such an arrangment?
Regards - Steve
Use it as a test track. Its a joy to watch a loco light up and move, and onboard sound too if you like it.
- Douglas
I have four six foot shelves in my bedrrom that have always had trains on them.
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-Kevin
Living the dream.
Personally, I would display them. I would also have some dust protection with ventilation especially if using wood shelves or cabinet.
Paul
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
steve-in-kvilleAs in have a straight stretch of track mounted to a shelf with loco's and rolling stock of my choice until I have room and resources to design and build a moving track? Has anyone done this?
Absolutely.. I'm in a rest home and my dresser has shelves and guess what's on them? Several locomotives and my favorite cars.
I finally got my flat storage boxes of my 95/96 era engines and cars.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Whatever rocks your boat!
Some time ago, I built a N scale shelf layout consisting of mini modules, each about 6" by 12", using Kato Unitrack, which "clicked" the modules together! They were stored on a shelf.
You can find info on that here
And a video (not a good one, though!)
A kind of "working" display.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
As in have a straight stretch of track mounted to a shelf with loco's and rolling stock of my choice until I have room and resources to design and build a moving track? Has anyone done this? Or should trains be kept in their boxes in a curio cabinet instead?