The Gift of Basement...

Nothing better than the perfectly blank canvas of an available-for-trains basement.

Happy railroading!

Good for you! If I had a basement, that's where I would be right now. have fun.

Congrats, the future inner sanctum has been identified and staked, I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine.

BTW kudo's to the negotiating party, these can be a hard sell.

Pete 

Pat,

Excellent! And I like your thoughts on site preparation.

Here are some suggestions for taking it a couple of steps further before you start erecting anything:

Check that you have your utilities neat and tidy , but easy to access. (I see a hose dangling in one of your pictures...)

Plan and install lighting and electric around the walls.

Check the overhead plumbing for any potential issues.

Then paint the ceiling beams, wiring and ductwork flat black. See the article Jim Barrett had in OGR 7-8 months ago. It works!

Paint the walls a deep blue. I prefer cobalt blue, but that is me. I do recommend avoiding any light shade of blue. It will look good to the eye, but it makes for flat looking pictures. BTDT.

While you are doing all this you can plan how the layout will look, what height to build it, and what sort of backdrop you want.

Install/paint the backdrop, then start throwing lumber together!

Have fun while you build your layout, take plenty of pictures and post them here. We want to see how you progress.

Chris

LVHR

There appears to be a strong ongoing moisture presence.  You may want to do a calcium chloride moisture test, check ground pitch around the foundation, overall plot grading, gutters and down spout and look into mold remediation.  tt

I second Tom's comment. The single best way to keep the basement dry is to lead roof/rain water away from the outside walls, with extended downspout leader pipes.

clean the inside walls well. when you build out the walls use rigid foam insulation, not fiberglass batt. if you are using a framing be sure to use pressure treated wood for your floor plate. and DO NOT use a plastic barrier over the insulation and under the hardboard or drywall. that is asking for mold.

good luck and have fun!

I had to do my floor on the cheap.  I sealed it with the Epoxy Garage Floor paint with flakes.  I think the 2 door garage kit was about $100 at the big box store HD.

Very easy to do... Just roll it on in sections and literally throw the flakes in the air and let them fall as they please.

I have dropped some heavy tools on this floor and it has not chipped or flaked. 

Good luck with your new project.  It sounds exciting to start fresh.

Ron

For insulation I have found that ISO spray foam accomplishes more than just thermal control.  On the jobs we used it there was a marked attenuation of outside noise, reduction of seasonal insect entrance, barring of moisture and a total sealing of pin hole cold air intrusions.

The only downside of which I am aware is the need to use conduit in the walls if you wish to run subsequent internal wall circuits.  Check your local codes for embedded wiring.

I usually screen and parge the non poured walls first.

Pat...I know that you are excited and I am excited for you!!  This will be the time to make sure you plan so that you will have an enjoyable space for many years to come...

Alan

This would be a good time to bump out the water heater tank for easy R.O.W. passage between it and the wall.  This also will facilitate easier replacement.

Thanks for that Tom. Nice thing about pics is that you and others can become third-person perspective, see things, noticed stuff not realized first hand in the flesh.

That hot water heater will being moved away from the wall so track can run behind the tank and furnace.  This opens up the entire 20 foot wall perimeter unencumbered for ops/staging!!!!

Lots of Luck Pat on your future enjoyment.

Even all the hard work will be enjoyable, because you can SEE the big picture.

Plan...Plan.....Plan....I am glad I did.

Happy New Year

Always a milestone when a railroad acquires a land lease. Typically, 100 year leases, you should be good to go.

Congrats on the space and a plan started. Happy New year!

As I envision the footprint of your RR area I am thinking you may need more storage area for 1/4" modeling.

Something you may wish to consider, as you develop your track plan keep expansion in mind.  By that I mean there may very well be a lull in land management's option to occupy rights previously granted.

At a lax point you may very well be able to position  passenger tracks with a head end station or a display freight yard along a civilian wall finished off nicely with stained crown molding along it's leading edge.

Maybe even  build it as a snap on/ snap off item to use only when operating.

Juss sayin'.......