Another Contest?????--New fromat suggestion

[GAPPLEG]

I'm still trying to figure out what a fromat is.

[Driline]

I'm still trying to figure out what a fromat is.

An Affro that has become matted. "Fromat". Its in Websters dictionary.

[vsmith]

Why only N, HO or O?

Why not Z, S or G as well?

How about NO.

Stick with HO & N. That hits about 85% of us anyway.

Hmmm...I didnt realize it was YOUR contest, pardon me for treading into you scared basement. Sheesh!

Apology accepted Captain Needa

Who was apologizing?

I asked a legitimate question to Spacemouse, lets let him decide the rules.

(original post edited)

[Driline]

Why only N, HO or O?

Why not Z, S or G as well?

Uh,...bite me.

Have you seen the latest Star Wars movie with the droid 4Q2 ?

Quoting from star wars I had assumed you were familiar with the line "Apology Accepted Captain Needa".

Apparantly I was mistaken. It was meant as tongue in cheek.

Now don't **** off Vader!

[vsmith]

Sorry for not getting the ref, I like SW 4, 5, 6, burned 1,2, and 3 out of my memory, but I dont know all the lines.  I know now what you were refering to  so "you are now in command ADMIRAL Piet"

PS 4Q2 was actually from "HARDWARE WARS"

Heres part 1 "a new dope"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=I7p96aiE32k

and part 2 "the Underwriters Lab strikes back"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9UVVBctvylU&feature=related

This is guerrila filmmaking at its best, "You'll laugh, You'll cry, You'll kiss 3 bucks goodbye!"

[SpaceMouse]

Okay,

Do you want a theme?

[selector]

Wait!  I think someone should comment on rfross' suggestion about limiting the square footage and not setting the room size.  It has merit.  Give us a set sq ft and let us figure out how to configure it into the tiniest space and still get a sensible layout out of the whole exercise.

[Autobus Prime]

Do you want a theme?

SM:

How about this - each entrant has to come up with a theme.  Most interesting that way. Not restrictive, but rules out generic entries.

[ereimer]

Also, can we specify rehanging the door to swing outward? 

Enjoy

Paul 

it wouldn't surprise me to find that it's against the building code of most areas to have a door open outward . the reason of course is that you can't kick the door open in case of emergency . a better solution would be to remove the door completely or replace it with a curtain

disclaimer: i am not an expert in the building codes of my local area or any other area and in fact may be talking through my hat . if so i apologize for being such a dufus ! 

[ereimer]

We can get well into the weeds, but what would local fire regs, or one's insurance policy, dictate about access through a window, no matter where it is in the building exterior?

 

generally only bedrooms require window access and maybe only if they're in the basement .

my previous disclaimer also holds true in this statement

[selector]

Okee doke!  Thanks.

[SpaceMouse]

Certainly if push came to shove I would not hesitate to flip a door.

On the other hand, not everyone has those skills.

ereimer, I believe that is only exterior doors.

One way or the other it has to be consistant. Either the door swings in for everyone--the more common way--or it swings out for everyone.  

I like the idea of declaring a theme.

I don't like the idea of a random square footage. Not because it isn't a good idea per se, but look at the debate with just a room and a door.  

 

[selector]

I agree that random square footage is impractical, but if you assign a defined area, say 40 sq feet, maybe 50, and then we do what we can with it to see if it we can get a nice track plan and have its supporting bench placed most practicably in a confined space...which you could also designate.  Just thinking here....

[wm3798]

The building code typically requires a second means of egress from any occupied space.  That generally means a window that can open to a square footage of 5.5 square feet without the use of tools.  It doesn't matter if it's in the basement or on the 30th floor.

Personally, the presence of a window and a closet doesn't offend me.  But what about MY needs!?!  My train room is in the attic, complete with ceilings that slope at 45 degrees to a kneewall only 30" high!  Throw in a curve like that and watch the double deck guys whither on the vine!

But seriously, folks, the 10 x 12 is generic enough to get started on something.  The placement of windows is irrelevant, because you can put something in front of it, and the addition of a closet presents way to many variables.  I say go for it as originally outlined, and get ready to see some N scale plans that will cause a mass exodus from Humongously Oversized scale...

Lee 

[vsmith]

A few things about Codes, generally windows are a requirement ONLY if the room is designated as a sleeping area, and that is for 3 reasons, fire egress and natural light, & ventilation, which are required for sleeping rooms. IF the room is legally designated a closet, storeroom, den or similar use that does not legally include sleeping as a function, windows are not necessarily required. A second exit, door or window, would be required if the overall area was large enough, like a basement. If its a bedroom that this sketch represents you could legally cover the window as long as the room is not used for sleeping purposes, you would be required to restore the window and room to its designated use if you ever sold the house.

Doors on bedrooms, closets, etc, open INWARD for a reason, because they are almost always off a hallway and if they opened OUTWARD they could block the path of travel  trapping people in the event of an emergency like a fire, something like a peice of furniture gets knocked over and blocks the door in the open position any one one blocked on the other side could be trapped, think about that scenario in a smoke filled house. So doors open into the rooms. The idea being that if the door to the bedroom got blocked or damaged and couldnt open you could go thru the window, even if it ment breaking the glass to get out.

Anyway Building Codes 101 class is over, as for theme, let the designers decide.  I'm thinking industrial or logging or mining or

I just need to decide between full blown G or Gn15, which is G scale on HO track

[steinjr]

What do the rest of you think?

I think it looks very much like last years MR layout design contest room. 

If the contest were to be centered around the MR contest footprint TZ mentioned or the (roughly 12X12) "MRP Bedroom" from Model Railroad Planning magazine, there would be some equivalent published designs for inspiration and comparison. (If you want to see a great variety of approaches to scale, era, and concept in the same space, check out the 1996, 1997, and 2000 issues of MRP for these spare bedroom designs. Allen McClelland's HO branchline design from MRP 1996 is one of my favorite spare-bedroom-sized HO designs.)

Of course, developing a quality design for a hundred-square-foot + space takes quite a bit of time. If the desire is to gain lots of entries, a smaller shelf layout contest might attract more participants.

Byron
Model RR Blog

 

 Byron has a good point there - why not ask particiants to create a smallish shelf layout - say maximum 24 feet long, no tracks more than 2 feet from front edge of layout ?

 Ie something which could be fitted into pretty much any room as an L or U shaped shelf layout, without preventing the use of the room for other purposes. 

 Grin,
 Stein

 

[concretelackey]

Space Mouse, you requested that all entrys be emailed to you to aviod the popularity issue...does this mean that there will be no pre-deadline posts for comments? Or are you gonna deal with that as well?

[SpaceMouse]

Space Mouse, you requested that all entrys be emailed to you to aviod the popularity issue...does this mean that there will be no pre-deadline posts for comments? Or are you gonna deal with that as well?

I planned to post them as soon as I received them. What do you think? Should we comment on them and allow revisions?

[on30francisco]

What, another 4x8? yawn....

How about a Microlayout?

It can be any scale, any theme, the only caviet is not to exceed 4 square feet, which is the generally accepted designation of "Microlayout", smaller the better of course, extra points if you actually build it...

Great idea.

I'd like to see something different from full-sized room or basememt layouts. Micro-layouts are very innovative and are proof that you can always find some space for a layout in your preferred scale(s) or try out other themes, scales, gauges, etc without second mortaging the house.

[mearrin69]

GMicro-layouts are very innovative and are proof that you can always find some space for a layout in your preferred scale(s) or try out other themes, scales, gauges, etc without second mortaging the house.

Another small vote for the microlayout idea - if not this time, maybe next. I might try the room-sized contest even though I am a complete novice.
M

[exPalaceDog]

GMicro-layouts are very innovative and are proof that you can always find some space for a layout in your preferred scale(s) or try out other themes, scales, gauges, etc without second mortaging the house.

Another small vote for the microlayout idea - if not this time, maybe next. I might try the room-sized contest even though I am a complete novice.
M

The mirco layout idea could be interesting.

Especially given this

http://www.factorydirecttrains.com/+-FDT-s-Trackmobile,-HO-c3371.html

Let's look for something that requires some creative thinking

Have fun

 

 

[Texas Zepher]

Space Mouse, you requested that all entrys be emailed to you to aviod the popularity issue...does this mean that there will be no pre-deadline posts for comments? Or are you gonna deal with that as well?

I planned to post them as soon as I received them. What do you think? Should we comment on them and allow revisions?

That didn't seem to work well this time.  Everyone wants to jump straight to voting.

[SpaceMouse]

Well, this was on page two so I'm going to take into consideration what people have said and make my best guess as to what to do. I'm not going to make everyone happy I know, but what the hey.

If I left your idea out, we'll try again for next time. If you post between now and tomorrow, I'll consider what you say of course.  

Look for it in the Layout Forum

[Pruitt]

I had been planning to do another contest as a response both to posts and PM's.

The two most requested were 1) an N scale layout and  

2) an HO layout inside the 4 x 8 footprint. (They claimed it would much more valuable than a rehashed 4 x 8) 

However, also noted was the last contest took up a lot of valuable forum space and bored some people to tears.   

I for one had basically no interest, but it wasn't a problem - I wasn't bored because I just skipped over the topic. And valuable forum space? In a virtual room, there's as much space as anyone wants! Complaints about "Valuable forum space" are just nonsense!

IMHO