What do you use as your layout "curtain"?

[magicman710]

I have been trying to find something to use as a "curtain" for my layout. (the thing that covers the bechwork up to the track).

Can anybody give me a reference to where you got yours?

[rlplionel]

I found fabric stores to be a great resource for layout skirting material. That's where I obtained my layout skirting years ago.

  

[palallin]

My layout isn't finished, but part of the underside is hidden behind bookcases or cabinets, and other parts will be behind sections of paneling.

[joe-daddy]

Great question.  I found that I had a huge roll of black heavy mill plastic, the kind you use for landscaping.  I cut it into 50" strips and hang it from the bottom of the facia until I decide what I want to do long term.

 

 

 

 

[CB&Q]

 

 well for mine I made some rolling 3 shelf carts it acts as a view block and is functional as well to hold all of my rolling stock not in use and locos too. otherwise dress goods store is good choice a few layouts ago we had a christmas printed material around its perimeter. its downside is when you want access under layout mine invariably fell down at most inconvienient time.CB&Q 

[CSXect]

Do a google search for train fabric as there are a lot of fabrics out there with train prints and patterns

[Sturgeon-Phish]

My bride made this for our layout.  It is held on with velcro

Jim

[Buckeye Riveter]

I go to the Paper Party Outlet Store and buy the plastic skirting they use for tables.  It has a sticky back, but over time that wears out, so I use double sided tape to attach.

[mpzpw3]

My Wife found some maroon sheets on sale, cut them up, and sewed them into curtains. I bought some eye bolts and dowel rods, screwed the eye bolts to the framework, ran the curtains over the dowel rods, and installed them on the layout. They are in roughly four foot sections, and can easily be removed for access.

[NewEYP]

I purchased a bolt of Lionel fabric on eBay to screen the underside of the layout.

[laz 57]

A wall of Lionel Boxes from rolling stock engines accessories etc. 

laz57

[Wes Whitmore]

I went to walmart and Jo-ann fabrics and got a couple of yards of Duck cloth...the same stuff that they use to make Cornhole bags.  It works really great.  It is heavy, and hangs well.

Wes

[rlplionel]

Someone else alluded to this earlier in the thread, but you could also build display shelves below layout level.

 

[dwiemer]

One idea I have seen in these pages of past, the guy purchased a few rolls of black fabric that he used a staple gun to make pleats every 3 inches.  Then, he used stained oak to make a cover to go over the staples to dress it up.  Looked very nice.  Can't remember who posted, sorry I can't give propper credit.

God Bless,

dennis

[decoderboy]

My better half was at the fabric store and found a roll of light denum on the sale table. It is light grey and black: think engineers coveralls and hat. She is sewing it like a curtain with vecro on the top. Makes for tons of storage and if i need to get under the layout i just peel  back the curtain. Its a great place to store the boxes of stuff we all collect. Fabric was $3.00 a yard, velco was about $10.00. All in, cost about $80.00. Plus a nice dinner out.

                                                                Mike

[Sturgeon-Phish]

My curtain hide a bed that rolls under the layout.  When I got permission to use the spare bedroom as a trainroom, it was with the condition it could still be used as a guest bedroom.  This is an old picture but you can see the edge of the bed in this pic.

Jim

[RockIsland52]

Someone else alluded to this earlier in the thread, but you could also build display shelves below layout level.

Hey rip, are those Rock Island 2031 ALCo FAs I see languishing on your storage shelf?

Jack 

[Sturgeon-Phish]

What about a shelf unit that would pivot on one side, maybe with a roller on the free side to swing on a hinge attached to the bottom of the table and on the floor????  This would allow storage that looked neat, and still have access to the underside of the layout.

Jim

[Anonymous]

that is a lot of great space to waste on a curtain. as others have eluded to, make or buy shelf, cabinet or drawer units. I know I have tons of boxes, trains and accessories that need a home.

[cnw1995]

Concrete.

[J. Daddy]

My bride made this for our layout.  It is held on with velcro

Jim

 

WoW! Very nice Me Likey Likey! I like the wood finish edge too... nice touch! No wonder you married her!

[Sturgeon-Phish]

She can cook too!

Jim 

[lstriebeck]

Hi,

I was fortunate enough to work for Tom Metzler Hobby Center in Indianapolis (oldest in the state) from late 1999 until we closed in March 2007. It started as Bob Steele Hobby Center after World War 2. I bought several of the display cases from him, and use these as a "curtain". My layout's  lowest level is four feet above the floor(which gives me plenty of room to work underneath, and gives the viewer a "closer to apparent ground level" view).  This allowed me to put the cases on rollers, and glide them in and out of position, if need be. They hide the underneath, and give a lighted, dust free area to store yet display rolling stock, etc. Besides, they look good, and bring back happy memories of the shop . Were it not for them, I think I would have used an appropriate curtain material, on retracting supports like on a window. Then, I could get them out of the way if needed. If you are in your basement, be sure any water problems are resolved (as I am sure you did before the layout started), and keep the curtains a few inches off the floor.

Hope this helps!

Larry