Does anyone have any experience with any around the ceiling (suspended from the ceiling) systems? I'd like to put a system up in our office to entertain my staff and guests (and me !!). I've seen an LGB system in a Ruby's restaurant that seems to fit what I'm looking for. Double track, G scale. Seems pretty quiet and reliable - at least it's always running when we go there! Thanks for any help and opinions.
Lefty
Lefty,
most folks in here are either into HO scale or N scale, where ceiling track systems certainly play a lesser role. To get the answers you want to have, I´d suggest to raise this question on the garden railway section of the trains.com forum.
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
I can tell you though, that cieling systems are bound to being dirty. The one at my hobby shop reached the point where being out of reach let it get dirtier than the track cleaner could get to. Also, believe it or not, the sounds can get annoying after a while. When you do yours, be sure to put a lip on the edges of it. That way, a minor derailment does not mean a plunge down into lowest depths of hell for the train, but a catch on the safety rail.
-Morgan
AN Around the ceiling train does have an appeal and I thought about putting one up similar to the way Bob above did his, only with a plexiglass base so it would be fairly visible.
I nixed the idea for a couple of reasons:
1} the expense I figured it would cost to put it up around my 16'x 14' living room was higher than I had budgeted for
2} the wiring needed to ensure good electrical service was more than I had orignally thought about
3} facing the cleaning it would need regularly based on what floats in the air already-even WITH an air purifier/cleaner! {a commercially available open grid work type metal platform would reduce dust collection but the rails would still collect dust and dirt} If I ran them a lot, I would have other maintenance issues for the locos {oiling etc.} to keep them in top shape.
4} I would want to run them so often and would probably wear them out, even with #3 that I would be replacing the locos more often that I would like!
Also I like to have different trains to run, so I would have to climb up to change out trains OR put in a blocked passing siding with remote control switches or something to alternate trains and that would add to numbers 1, 2 and 3!
There are two stores in the area that have them, and I don't know who gets to clean/maintain them, but it could be a pain. My LHS took his down for those reasons and rarely ran it it as it was kinda noisy.
If you decide to go for it, have fun and enjoy it!
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
There are two places here that have the suspended ceiling type. One is restaurant called Crickets that has great food and train running above your head and Railroad Hobbies in Roseville has one also. My Mother in Law is thinking of doing same for her living room.
Enjoy Edward
I think this is the best suspended ceiling type of setup I've ever seen, because it blends into the interior decor and uses the track lighting hangers as rails.
Model railroad in living room
Train ride on track lighting
Pictures
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
galaxyAlso I like to have different trains to run, so I would have to climb up to change out trains OR put in a blocked passing siding with remote control switches
I notice that the people in the videos referenced by steamfreak have a 3 track staging area up on a valence. You could also have a helix going up to hidden staging in the suspended ceiling.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
A double track in G scale will come pretty far out from the wall. The corner (curved sections) will need alot of room. Hope you have a big office.
Bob