riogrande5761My advise to you is to work on real life, put your energy there. Mature, and focus on things that will move you forward, and not hold you back. Your thinking like a child when you should start thinking like an adult. Trains are fun, but real life is calling and should take precident.
Well, I think that riogrande5761 has put things in true perspective. I was trying to be a bit more 'gentle', but the truth isn't always made up of ice cream and candy.
Sit back Steven. Plan your future first. Better to spend your money on education. You will still have lots of time for trains.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Steven, there is another consideration. Check with your local building codes bureaucracy. My guess is you can put up a shed, no matter how big, but the minute you bring uitilities to it, then you may need a building permit and inspections. And, depending on its location, you may need to meet offset and clearance requirements, regardless of the utility issue.
And if you do run power to it and decide to tap into the box for the house, you may need to add a separate circuit and breaker.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
NWP SWPWould 12x24 be wide enough? Or do I need more? Minimum radius is 30 inches and preferably no less that 30 inch aisles.
Hi Steven:
Your suggested space of 12' x 24' will give you lots of space for a decent layout, although fitting 30" minimum radius curves into it could be a challenge if you decide that you want return loops for continuous running. Continuous running is an absolute 'must have' IMHO, but I like to watch trains run as much or more than switching.
I'm going to make a suggestion similar to what I have said to you before. Choose a size for the building, then design it so that you know exactly what materials you will need to build the entire building from start to finish. Then start saving your money. I'm no expert on building design, but for a 12' x 24' basic uninsulated garden shed type building I think you are going to have to spend about $8,000 - $10,000 just for the basic structure, and that does not include a masonary foundation or the ground preparation to just lay a crib on the ground. That is also without electricity or heat or plumbing or air conditioning, and you won't have even started to buy what will be needed for the layout itself. Then you will have to spend money on rolling stock.
If you want to get anywhere with this then I suggest that you choose your layout design, then design the building to accomodate it, then cost out what you want to run on it, and then start saving your money. I will predict that it is going to easily cost you $25,000 - $30,000 to do what you want.
I'm not trying to burst your bubble Steven. I am trying to help you focus on your goals. Please don't spend any more money on building materials until you have a solid plan in place. You may feel that you have accomplished something by buying some 2x4s, but what you have actually likely done is bought some perfectly good wood that will become scrap before you can use it.
I'm on your side Steven, although it might not seem like it with all my cautionary advice. Sorry if I have burst your bubble. You will always have your club to go to where you can run your trains.
Respectfully,
Yesterday at the club my friend Rod suggested I expand my planned size for my layout building and I think he's right, now what I want is a split level layout that goes around the walls, a central peninsula and returning loops at each end. The question is how much space do I need?
I have to ask you, at age 17, you will be out of the "nest" in a few years and off to the adventure of life. So it makes me wonder, why build a large shed for a layout when, if you follow the typical life of a young man, you will be off, away up the road (as the Scotts say).
Or do you plan on not cutting the apron strings and live with your parents for many years? Some do, if thats the severity of your asbergers. But if you are high functioning, you shouldn't let a "hobby" hold you back in life and anchor you down, not at your age. You are planning to do something most don't do until they are established in a career with a good income and are stable in where they are living.
My advise to you is to work on real life, put your energy there. Mature, and focus on things that will move you forward, and not hold you back. Your thinking like a child when you should start thinking like an adult. Trains are fun, but real life is calling and should take precident.
I would also wonder if your parents are supporting this idea of building a large shed and a layout at their retirement property, are they enabling you to remain in a dependancy situation when really they should be gently pushing you on toward independance?
Maybe I don't have all the facts. It seems all the "responsible adults" on this forum should not be encouraging things that would hold a young man back from moving on with his life in a good and normal way.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Is this really a viable question at this point? Assuming you graduated high school, will you be going into college this fall as you once indicated?
If so, perhaps it would be best to spend your time and energy in earning money this summer to make that college a reality.
Having four kids in their 50s, I know of what I speak................
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
The answers to both questions is yes*
(*they plan to retire here and my current plans are to live in the area so yes.)
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
This is going to be built on your parent's property, correct?
.
Are you planning to live there forever? Are they planning to retire there? If the answer to either question is "NO", you better think small because this is only your first, and very temporary, layout.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
You can go aroound the walls and have a center penninsula in 12' wide, with 30" radius curves, but if you expect to have a turnback curve on the penninsula then you will need a section along the walls that is fairly narrow where the widest part of the penninsula would be, to maintain 30" or better aisle width. The turnback curve at the end of the penninsula would need 60" to the center of the track, for decent scenery around it, a full 72" of space, although you could fudge it a few inches, but not less than 66". That leaves you another 72-78" max left out of the 12' wide room. To be divided into two aisles and the space for the track running along the walls. If you make the penninsula loop 72" wide and the sectiosn of track next to there 6" wide each, you'd have 30" aisles. If you made the penninsula 70" wide, you could make the track along the wall 7" wide and still have 30" aisles. The benchwork along the walls could widen back out as it passed the wide part of the curve, maintaining the 30" aisle but allowing the layout to get wider.
A much narrower penninsula could be used with a divider down the middle to be the two opposite ends of the railroad, a shortcut across the base of the penninsula could allow continuous running around the room.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Would 12x24 be wide enough? Or do I need more? Minimum radius is 30 inches and preferably no less that 30 inch aisles. Any ideas?
This is what I'm going for.
http://mrr.trains.com/how-to/track-plan-database/2016/10/ho-scale-west-virginia--southern-ry