Question about layout height

[richhotrain]

RR_Mel

If you wondering about me being lazy, I am!  That was one of the reasons for my earlier layouts but now I’ll be 79 years old in a couple of weeks, I just get tired of standing and everything hurts.

 

LOL

Last week, you said that you were 88 years old.  Typo?

Rich

[carl425]

I have east end staging at 31" and west end staging at 74".  Sceniced levels are at 42" and 60".

[IRONROOSTER]

My current layout is 50" and is a walk around.  Two layouts ago it was 58" which was great for the duckunder and viewing the near train but a little hard to see second trains.  58" was also harder to work on.  I find 50" a good compromise between easy to work on and good viewing angle. plus my wife and children who are shorter than I am (I'm 5'11") can see it.

All that said, if I were in HO I would try 54".  N scale I would probably do at 58".  But for S scale, 50" works well.

I also have a small test layout that is 5'4" x 12' that is 36" high and I run it from a chair.  My Lionel layout (6' x 12') that my grandson likes to run is also 36" high.  We can run it from a chair or he can walk around it for a closer view.  Plus the lower height makes reaching the center possible.

Paul

[jrbernier]

Mel, 

  As folks got into 'operation' and walk-around layout design, having the layout at 'eye' level became popular.

  Back in the 60's, MR suggested 42" for basic layout  height.  By the 70's, 48" and up became popular. The walk-around designs with 24" to 30" wide scenes were reachable on 48"+ high layouts.  My old layout varied from 48" to 54", and I am 5'8" tall.  I used a step stool when I needed to reach something in a corner.  Our club is around 54" as well...

Jim

[Water Level Route]

Mel, I believe much of it has to do with a desire to operate while standing versus sitting. While you could wheel a chair around the room, I think many people find it simpler to walk along with their trains if they are lucky enough to have a set-up of that design and are still able to physically without too many aches and pains. My current layout is a walkaround in the 46-54 in range and I spend most of my time standing up and appreciate the closer views of a layout of that height. When I need to be in a single spot for any length of time and don't feel like standing, that's when the bar stool comes out!

[UNCLEBUTCH]

I don't mean to be a smart a**. but all the I s in your post answers your question.

I believe all train tables are built to the builder's spects, for a lot of reasons.

Mine is around 50in. Thats the lenght of the material I had on hand. I can reach every thing, I think its good viewing,and allows to work under along with storage.

Its mine built for me

[RR_Mel]

My question is a simple one, why is it that so many layouts are well over 42” above the floor?  My current (and my 3 previous layouts) is just above table height at 34”.  My reasons are it gives me more reach into the center of my layout, I normally sit down in a comfortable chair when operating my trains, it generally works out very good for little eyes and taller visitors can see more up close by leaning in a bit.

 

I find it easier to work on the under the layout stuff too, I can use a mechanic’s creeper to comfortably work on my wiring and switch machines.  I also bought a Top Side Creeper that wouldn’t work out near as good if my layout was higher.

 

My hobby room workbench is at the same level as my computer workstation, 32”.  I have them next to each other for easy accessibility between the two of them from my super comfortable high back roll around computer chair.

 

I have a small workbench in the garage with my layout that is also at 34”, it supports a 5” vise and my bench drill press.

 

If you wondering about me being lazy, I am!  That was one of the reasons for my earlier layouts but now I’ll be 79 years old in a couple of weeks, I just get tired of standing and everything hurts.

 

Just wondering.

 

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.