Show me some pics of your hide-a-way transformer shelf

Or else!

I'd show you mine, boss, but I don't have a slide away shelf.   Instead, I have a roll away cheap sleazy bleepmart teevee stand. 

There it is!

Beautiful, ain't it.

Pete

This isn't the greatest picture: I took it yesterday during set up of my new ZW-L and you can see the wires still jury rigged running to it from the track (eventually they were routed back underneath and tidied up a bit).  The two CW-80s you can make out to the left and back will eventually be replaced by the Z4000 that used to occupy the space where the ZW-L is now. 

This shelf rolls out from underneath (where it is shown in the photo) about eight inches is all - it's on casters because I figure making it a drawer would overtax the drawer support hangers, given the weight of the transformers, so it has those wheels instead.  Normally I pull it out to set the trains running and adjust speeds, etc., and once the transformers are set, push it back under the layout to get it out of the way since I have only 30 inches of aisle room there.  In this picture it is pushed back in completely under the layout edge.  It has a skirt, as you can see, to match the layout: that is 36" carpet runner from Lowes cut to length - its stiffer and more sound absorbant than cloth.

JD,

   Can't help ya, mine are on display on the power center, right in front of the layout.

Kind of old school Lionel.

PCRR/Dave

Jim, I'll show you what I did but I'm not to happy hiding my transformers. I think it was a mistake on my part. My next layout in years to come the transformers will be right in front of me just at stomach level. I cannot see any of the meters, the only way to see them is I have to bend over and I have a very very bad back. So even if you have a slide out shelf you still will have to slide to shelf out to see your meters.

Alex

I agree with Alex. When I run the trains, I like the ability to keep an eye on the voltage and amperage readouts.

This is what I did instead of a drawer. It is a TV cart that I got for 20 bucks at Wal-Mart. When this picture was taken I was still doing benchwork and the transformer was connected to a double test loop (0 and Standard) on the floor, but I've since finished the benchwork and it rolls nicely under the table in my control area. The Z4K goes on top with space on either side for the DCS and TMCC remotes. The DCS and TMCC bases go on the shelf, and the bottom provides storage space for instruction manuals, etc. I need to do something for my smaller transformers (I have four lines and the other two are powered by single-throttle transformers) and I'll probably build slide-outs like you are talking about, but this setup works great for the big guy and I am in no real hurry to replace it with something built-in. 

(Added Later)

Just took another shot of the cart, this time in its place under the layout. As you can see, the layout is still a work area. Wiring isn't finished, the fascia isn't on yet, and the TW that runs my Standard Gauge outer loop is shoehorned in there until I can build it a new home. But, that little cart from Wal-Mart works just fine until I get around to building something better. 

I bought a roll away cart but decided not to put the wheels on it right away.  I am probably going to get a nice set of casters and use those instead.  A lot of the cheaper wheel sets on those things tend not to be so easy to push.

I bought one of these and mounted my power supply board directly to it.  I don't have a pic handy, but this dolly was very cheap and has good rollers and can take a lot of weight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/movers-dolly-93888.html

Actually, here's some pics of my power board being built. 4 track blocks, each powered by a 18VAC 20 amp transformer feeding into a TPC.

http://aoot.com/T&BCRR/2009-08-18_Power_Panel/

This is what I have. It has a 60# capacity and was designed for mixers in the Kitchen.

Jim,

Here is what I did on my previous, first O-Gauge layout. I stowed away the Z4000 and also folded up and away the small control panel.

(Click to enlarge)

DEPLOYED

STOWED AWAY

Niote that the center hinge, in front, is what locks the control panel up in place when it is to be used. 

Good luck!

Alex

This isn't pretty; but you asked for it. I am still running wires and haven't dressed or cut down anything yet on the control panel.  Yes I am running wires before I put the top on the bench work. Anyway, I had to go with a drawer for the power and a dropdown for the control board because the layout all but fills the room. There is a mate control board across the walkin.

Above is the view with the drawer partway out. TW-80 and Brick occupy the lower shelf.

The drop down control panel is a recycled draw from a Thomas wood train table.

Drawer in control panel in.

I am seriously considering wiring up those fans; especially one for the lower shelf.

This is what I did on my LGB layout, works well, looks good. I may do something like this on the Lionel layout I am building. Fred

I use two sliding shelves for transformers, TPC400 and Legacy base.  There are four 135 bricks, two 180 bricks and a TMCC base behind the cabinets.  Remotes are kept in magazine racks mounted on the wall.

George

>>>I am looking to get some drawer slides and put my MRC transformer on a shelf that will hide away under the layout when running in command mode.<<

For me not hidden away but not on the layout either.. They're on a small shelf just below where I can easily access control when needed.  Also have two 180 bricks hidden behind. No need to access those at all  because they're both wired into the TIU along with all the switches and eventually most accessories.  

For conventional control I use the DCS or Z4000 remote controller.

Joe

I am building a "control stand" on a tool cabinet/cart along these lines.  Transformers and switches on top.  Tools and supplies in the next drawer.  Locos and cars in the drawers below.  The mobility allows me to move the cart around some, with a long "tether" connected to the layout.  The tether is just all the wires from the transformers and track switches in a bundle.  Just started on the process, its far from complete.

My layout is 6 X 12 feet, height adjustable so the cart can move to different sides of the layout.  So far anyway.   We shall see if the concept holds up when I have all my remote switches wired.

http://www.woodworks.bravepages.com/mixerlift.html

Very cool - but expensive at 87 bucks, on sale. I occasionally buy things from Rockler; they are a quality vendor, but not cheap. 

Sorry, not ignoring you. Just got tied up at work. Hellgate's info is on target. We had bought it for a home we built in Williamsburg and then didn't use it. Seem to recall it was in the $100 range.

Gilly

I have 2 to share. First one is on the little guys layout. He pulls it out and has a little stool he sits on to run things. When done it just pushes in and is out of the way. Plain drawer slides from the Depot.

Next ones are on Pops layout. Have 3 deep shelves each holding 2 ZW's. Don't really need to access these, they are just set at fixed outputs. I do have a digital meter for each output (24) up on the control panel for a sort of visual what is going on.

There are some great ideas here. My Z-4000 transformer, DCS and TMCC units and remotes are on a shelf below my layout.