My current layout is around the room (room dim. 11'x13'). The layout is 24" wide all the way around. I would like to widen it by 18" for a total width of 42". Would that be too wide? The layout height is 54".
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
That would be great! But make sure you can access (reach) the back of the layout. Before the extension, build the benchwork allowing "holes" at certain points that you can fit through to work back there.
Joe C
I am considering 28" vs 24". I keep reading 28" is as far as one can reach. After reading your post I measured and from armpit to the end of the middle finger and it is 30" My "pick up" reach is no better than 28" and I wear a 16x35 shirt.
Bending at the waist on a 4.5' high layout isn't going to help unless you are really really tall. You would have to get on a ladder and lean, heavily on your layout to re-rail or rescenic areas 40" from the edge.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Another thing to think about is the scenery you will be reaching over. If you have tall trees or buildings it will change your reachable distance. Best idea is to mock up your distance, put some objects the height of the planned scenery, in the areas where you plan to have it.
Good luck,
Richard
Most find 30" to be the maximum reach over a scenicked layout.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
Mike:
The real question is how far away will your furthest track be? If you plan on having track right at the backdrop then you might be creating potential problems for yourself. However, if your goal is to add depth to the scenery then I can suggest a method by which you might get away with it. Note that I haven't done this yet so there is a bit of speculation on my part.
I will have one corner where the backdrop will be a little over 50" from the fascia. However, the furthest track will only be about 30" from the fascia (which admittedly is still a bit of a reach). To deal with constructing the scenery I am going to build the whole scene beyond the tracks in lift-out sections. By doing that I will be able to construct the scenery right in front of me and then drop the finished sections into place. The worst part will be having to go under the layout to connect the wiring for structure and street lighting, however I plan on using heavy enough and long enough feeder wires for the scenery that I can do the actual connections right behind the fascia. Terminal blocks will allow the sections to be disconnected and removed if needed.
The other way to approach the problem would be to construct the layout in sections away from the shelves. That would allow you to work on the back of the scene before it gets shoved up against the backdrop. If you follow the methods that the modular groups use for linking their modules you shouldn't have problems where the sections join.
If you do want to have track that will be out of reach there are devices that allow you to reach further into your layout if you have room for the legs to roll underneath:
http://www.micromark.com/topside-creeper-step-ladder-support-system,8854.html
Finally, apparently there have been lots of successful layouts that have been built with track that was out of reach so don't be too intimidated by the reach-in 'rule'. Just make sure your track is bullet proof, your rolling stock is tuned up and maybe try to avoid turnouts that you can't get to.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter The real question is how far away will your furthest track be?
The real question is how far away will your furthest track be?
Rich
Alton Junction
Great question since I too have extended the layout. In doing that, I found that using a step ladder invaluable to reach all the scenery, etc. My layout is close to yours in height so, figuring out the max reachablity from a stool without leaning too far is critical. Safety aside, you also must keep the track reachable.
I would add a penisula instead.
Enjoy
Paul
mike33469 My current layout is around the room (room dim. 11'x13'). The layout is 24" wide all the way around. I would like to widen it by 18" for a total width of 42". Would that be too wide? The layout height is 54".
Yes
What are you trying to gain with this addition? Can you fit it on a peninsula? If that will be in the way have you considered fold down peninsula sections? Having built a 48" wide layout myself, I can tell you that it is a real pain to reach the outer edges of the layout. Something others havent mentioned is cleaning (the scenery). Thats hard to do and not damage stuff when you are working at your arms length from the aisle.
24" + 18" is a no-go. EWE can't reach in there, and I do not care how long your tail is, you will not reach it.
LION has added width to several places on the layout of him. Below you can see the later additon of the Courtland Street Station, it is aprt of the lower level return (South Ferry) loop. It was added when I added the South Ferry loop, which was an after thought to the whole railroad.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
My layout at the end of the aisle is 38" deep, but because the layout height is only 38", it wasn't all that difficult to scenic:
The upper level, added later, also extends 38", but is at a height of 59"...
Reaching to lay the track was a stretch from a step stool, but painting the back sides of the rails required that I climb onto the layout, and, crouching or laying down, that was accomplished. Ballasting, backdrop details, and scenery will likely require the same.
Wayne
What I'm hopeing to gain is a engine service terminal (steam w/turntable and roundhouse) and a decent size frieght yard. And in a prefect world a waterfront area.
How many roundhouse stalls do you want? Can you walk around all sides of the layout? I have a yard that you can walk along both sides of the layout, its 38" wide and 12.5ft long. The yard tracks are stub ended. The 9 stall roundhouse is on a bump out that goes to 54"; fewer stalls and not using the extended stall portion of the kit would have given me a required benchwork width of 42" or so.
No, my layout is around the room (mounted to the walls) so it's 2'x11' by 2'x13' by 2'x11' by 2'x13' and the mainline track runa close to the walls on all 4 sides. My roundhouse is the standard Walthers kit, unbuilt at this time pluse a Walthers 90' turntable not installed yet.
If as you say your mainline is close to the wall I would say adding on would cause you great difficulty's. The idea is to keep the track reachable and if you want wider work the back scenery first. I have a corner right now ( we all have a corner thats deep ) that I will be battling to scenic but my mainline is in reach.
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
As most people commented, rule of thumb is 30-inches (2 1/2 feet). I've gone with that 30" width for my yard and feel it's a good compromise. Some people do go with a "lobe" or buldge for things like turn tables; that may not be a major issue for access if it is of limited length - a few feet or something like that.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983