rrinker So, not trains, buit is this what you do with the RC ships? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPzvMfoLKhA --Randy
So, not trains, buit is this what you do with the RC ships?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPzvMfoLKhA
--Randy
That it is. IRCWCC Fast Gun. I had an HMAS Australia battlecruiser last year, but I traded that off for the French Predreadnought Verite. I'm working on an SMS Baden right now. I also have a Duca D'Aosta light cruiser, and a Posen hull in poor shape. I'm currently without a functioning ship :/
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
So what if I took a 4x8, lopped it in half and put the halves against the walls, and then got some peices to fill in the "gap" on the short side, while also curving it, making the now hole in the middle round.
I could also cut on of the 2x8 sides down to 18" to make the hole bigger.
I'm just not sure what I can do with tracks on that space.
I'm also thinking if I build it high enough, air can come overtop of one of my dressers. Still have the original size, but also have a section that just out as wide and as long as the dresser. The window on that side though is right there, but I do have to contend with the one window at the end of the nook anyways
Not a whole lot of optiosn here, because the rather narrow 5 foto dimension contrains just how big the donut hole can be. Too small and it might as well not even be there as it will be uncomfortable to stand in - as a pretty big guy, if the hole were only 30" wide, I'd get annoyed fairly quickly. If it were 3' wide with gently curving in sides, I could spin around to follow a train comfortably and not feel pinched in.
rrinkerNo one says the donut hole has to be square, either.
+1
As I keep suggesting, benchwork depth can, and usually should, vary. The donut-style layout I posted had the benchwork built before the track plan (not usually recommended), so it was all rectangular.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
No ne says the donut hole ahs to be square, either. At the very center, the sides could be fairly narrow, even 12", but then curve out, so you end up with sort of a football shaped donut hole, the widest part being 3' and then tapering rowards what would be the top and bottom of the room drawing. By tapering it out, the opening would just be one narrow slot of reasonably width that quickly turns in to too small a space.
You can always just fill the whole space in and cut access hatches to retrieve things. Make it sturdy enough and you cna do what I did building the layouts I built when I was a kid - crawl on top of it to get to the back, and build outward. And after that, use the access hatches for maintenance and to retrieve a derailed train.
What ever works for you. There is no rule as far as how big the "donut" hole should be.
Mike.
My You Tube
So if I was to do that, what would be a good width to use? 2ft all the way around, save for the one short side? Would that be too narrow in between? 18" makes it 36" wide total, so I'd have the center opening be 2.5ft wide?
Maybe some kind of difference, like 2.5ft on the inside and 1ft on the outside?
I'd still make that section a lift out, so I'm not crawling under it. I was going to make it free standing just because there are windows on the outer walls. Didnt want to block them or anything, as I will be putting curtains on them to block out light during the day when I'm sleeping (I work nights currently)
Good call Byron, that is way to wide to reach across, and not enough room to walk the long sides.
The donut!
That's why I"M not the layout designer..........just a cheerleader..! GO BUILD...GO BUILD...
Wdodge0912What if I did a 3.5ft by 8ft in that area?
It's up to you, of course, but if you are OK with a duckunder to the center, a donut may offer broader curves, less track perilously close to the edge of the benchwork, and more interesting layout elements.
This 6X8 HO donut is too wide as-is and is designed to be accessed from the outside, so it does not take advantage of the walls the way your layout could, but gives a general idea of what is possible.
(I have posted this recently in someone’s thread, I apologize for the repetition if it was one of yours.)
Byron
Wdodge0912 No yard, but I'm fine with that. gives me the ability to let a train roll, still have some switching, and no need to really go DCC. probably not the best, but it would work, and I can take the 4x8 I have at my grandpa's and just cut off the half a foot.
Just what Rio said, yes, 18" r. you could make work. NOT the 15"
Eighteen inch curves would be ok as long as you stick with 4-axle engines and 40 and 50' freight cars. Some longer equipment will operate on 18 inch curves - including some six axle diesels and 60' freight cars or shorty passenger cars.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
so even on my PC I don't have a working image function. weird.
Anyways. What if I did a 3.5ft by 8ft in that area? I would have to use 18" radius curves, and it would be tight, but i plan to run smaller stuff anyways
This is what I'm thinking
https://imgur.com/Abs7ukD
No yard, but I'm fine with that. gives me the ability to let a train roll, still have some switching, and no need to really go DCC. probably not the best, but it would work, and I can take the 4x8 I have at my grandpa's and just cut off the half a foot.
I based that on a HO door layout i found online, it used 15" curves, but i switched to 18"s. going 8ft also let me make the spurs bigger. I could see about splitting that bottom one twice and make a smaller yard, maybe something like this
https://imgur.com/a/JbuzZ7X
Wdodge0912So the bedroom I would be putting it in has an area that comes off of the room, and is behind the upstairs bathroom. It's 8ft deep and 5.5ft wide.
OK, I see.
So if anything, the short side would be the lift-out or duck-under.
I could make it work, but I'm into trains, which seems to be just a small interest to you because of the stuff you got cheap.
Your call my friend! Ships, rabbits & trains?
For me it would be TRAINS, although the ships sounds cool. I did a fireplace for a guy that built model tanks, that crawled around his house and shot at each other.
Your battleship live action wargamming sounds pretty cool!
Wdodge0912The garage is going to be a work area for my boats and parking my car for now
Your warship hobby sounds fascinating. Like live-action wargaming!
Trains were a secondary hobby of mine for decades. They have only recently assumed the top-tier position.
Your plan sounds solid. I built five layouts of various sizes, scales, and eras as I learned about the hobby.
Enjoy!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
riogrande5761 See when you came into this forum, you exposed yourself to people who are long time train nuts. Trains are not generally a secondary or tertiary past time, but a passion for many in this forum. I mean, that garage is prime layout space and boats? (if I could afford a floating money pit, I might have one but I've put a tarp over it and put trains in the garage barring having no basement or house space.
See when you came into this forum, you exposed yourself to people who are long time train nuts. Trains are not generally a secondary or tertiary past time, but a passion for many in this forum.
I mean, that garage is prime layout space and boats? (if I could afford a floating money pit, I might have one but I've put a tarp over it and put trains in the garage barring having no basement or house space.
The boats are RC boats. Warships actually. They shoot BBs at each other and sink when they take too much damage and the bilge pump cant keep up. I have 4 right now all in various states of disrepair, lol. I'm working on getting my SMS Baden going for this upcoming battle season. Then I'll probably build my Duca D'Aosta cruiser, or get a different German cruiser. Probably do that, and sell the Duca and another one of my ships that needs a ton of work to get the hull even in a decent shape to be used in the hobby
Trains are not a primary hobby for me. Only reason I got any was because I had the opportunity to get a lot of stuff cheap and a lot free. A buddy was going to trade his lot for $20 store credit, so I gave him $40. That same store owner was also retiring and selling the business to a different group that doesnt do trains, and sold me a lot of new track cheap. Then my grandpa gave me my grandma's stuff.
I could do a shelf layout in the garage I suppose. But the one thing I want to do is have a loop, so I can let the trains roll. If it wasn't for all the HO stuff I already have, I'd have gone N scale.
If the bedroom doesn't work out, I might do a very small 15" curved door layout for the HO. I have a GE44 tonner, and use some very small cars with it.
I might look at moving both dressers on the one wall though, and having the turns be at each end of the inside wall. Have the one come around the corner and then go back. Idk what I'd do for industries though
I could fit a door layout up there, but that means N scale, or 15" radius turns, so super short cars in super short trains. I do have a GE44 ton switcher, and a SW1500 I think it is.
mbinsewi I'm guessing the door is on the side with the longer narrow shelf? for a lift out section?
I'm guessing the door is on the side with the longer narrow shelf? for a lift out section?
So the bedroom I would be putting it in has an area that comes off of the room, and is behind the upstairs bathroom. It's 8ft deep and 5.5ft wide.
Here's a rough drawing of the bedroom. I marked the 8ft and 5.5 ft sides as well. It's not to scale at all, but shows a basic shape and where things are.
http://imgur.com/a/yJ00aA6
Wdodge0912 The garage is going to be a work area for my boats and parking my car for now (driveway needs work to be a 2 car spot)
The garage is going to be a work area for my boats and parking my car for now (driveway needs work to be a 2 car spot)
When I was a grad student, I had a home with a 2 car garage, and still managed to fit an L shaped layout in it with 30 inch minimum curves and 18' long sidings and a decent yard, and my (ex) wife could still park her Pontiac Grand Am on one side of the garage. We train nuts try to find a way to make things work. Unfortunately my ex-wife was a train hater and well, it wasn't the only reason we parted ways but it was a biggie.
Anyway, good luck.
Your room plan. You'll have to add to the inside corner of the narrow sides, to get a radius around the curve. Take a 2' long stick, hold one end in space, by you, keeping it in one spot, maybe against your belt, rotate the other end the stick in an arch along the wall, it will give an idea of what a 24" radius might look like, and about how much you'll have to fill in the corner.
I wouldn't go with a shelf less than 8", with the track close to the wall, leaving room for landscaping on the edge to help keep anything from falling to the floor.
It's a place to start, better than with the rabbits, or in the dungeon by the fuel tank.
You can also go the the black bar on top of this page, point at "How To", the middle drop down column, click on track plan database, there is a search function, and see what is in here.
And/or take BNSF up on his offer, and see what it's about, and/or consult with the professional track planner in her Cuyuma (Byron).
I suppose I could have some kind of stow away type thing that drops down from the ceiling. Pull it up to park the car or work on boats, then lower it down when I want to run some trains.
There's a heat duct in the wall. It looks like it's just stuffed with some towels to plug it up. Somewhere too I should have an electric radiator.
AC will be coming soon. House needs it first but I'm also looking at one of the ones that mounts on the wall and has the little unit on the outside, just run the 2 hoses out and plug it in.
A house sure beats an apartment and if purchased, then at least you are building equity too. My first recent home purchase was a town house but my wife and I looked at many so we could find space for a layout.
Our budget was limited but we did manage to find one with the 10x18' basement room. But when we reached a point we could afford something with more space, we still had a hard time finding a stand-alone home with a good, open basement space. Many were divided up into rooms that were no good or shapes that weren't layout friendly.
My wife eventually found a home that was bank-owned and a longer commute with a decent basement but it was unfinished. After remodeling the kitchen and a few other things, all on a budget, we finished the basement doing most of the work ourselves; being amateurs, and not spring chickens, it took use nearly a year but it's done now.
Anyhow, I did see you mentioned a single car garage, ahem. Just sayin ... someone with a real passion for trains would probably find a way to make that space work. Might need to insulate it and provide heating/AC however.
http://imgur.com/a/fLIl0c7
Here's what I'm thinking for the bedroom. I'm not sure how wide to make the narrow return path around the outside of it. Nor how to set it up with the curves, like how much needs to be there for them before the lift out section. If I can keep it HO, I would like to do that, but could go N so I have a nice area to work with. Would also make the lift out section wider to get into the middle
I have a MRR magazine with a 5x9 ft track plan in it that fits tons of operation into a small space. Its in a modern urban setting and offers intermodal and autorack operations, as well as a small Amshack, a bit of staging, and a complete loop. It also has grades for visual interest. The plan is in HO scale, which means that if you decided to build it, you could fit even more stuff in since you are modeling in N.
Let me know if you are interested, and I can give you the name of the layout and in what magazine it is in.
I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.
8ft by 5.5ft is the area in the bedroom I can build. If I did a square around the outside with one side being a lift out, that should work, right? Might be a bit squeezed, or just a single rail on a very narrow shelf on one side.
Pretty much a 2.5ft or 3 ft shelf on one wall 8ft long, and 3ft for the one end as well. Then come up the other wall a few inches for a return line, and have the lift out bring it back to the start.
What would be a good width to consider for a single or double line looping back?
Z scale above the desk.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Rich, you really need to get a better pair of glasses.
OK, you know that when a thread devolves into talk about loose rabbits, some nut it going to post the following video. I'm just sorry it had to be me this time.
York1 John
mbinsewi Wdodge0912 I could potentially put a table layout in the room where we keep our rabbits. Just have to figure out a way to keep them off. So, they aren't in cages? just bouncing around a room, in the house? How many are in there? Doesn't seem like agood idea for a layout in that room. Rabbits must rule. Mike.
Wdodge0912 I could potentially put a table layout in the room where we keep our rabbits. Just have to figure out a way to keep them off.
So, they aren't in cages? just bouncing around a room, in the house? How many are in there? Doesn't seem like agood idea for a layout in that room. Rabbits must rule.
Rich
Alton Junction
Wdodge0912I could potentially put a table layout in the room where we keep our rabbits. Just have to figure out a way to keep them off.
We had no room in the apartment we were living in for much of anything. I did get a 1 car garage where I can set up a work bench and work on my main hobby, my warships.
I could potentially put a table layout in the room where we keep our rabbits. Just have to figure out a way to keep them off.
I might though be able to do a U layout in the bedroom too. If I move a dresser and vanity, I can do a U layout, and maybe even have a lift out section too to make it a loop