Mallard4468 posted:My 2 cents...
I like the track plan, but even if you can get around to all sides, it looks like some long reaches. Not a fan of the use of casters - unless the benchwork is absolutely rock solid and the floor is perfectly smooth, trying to roll a layout of that size will cause joints to flex which leads to alignment problems, kinked track joints, loose wires, and cracked scenery.
Aside from changing the design, a couple of options are adding some access hatches (hard on the knees) or using a topside creeper (also a challenge). I'm reasonably fit and have used both of those options and regretted them. When I redesign my layout, maximum reach will be about two feet.
Hello Mallard4468
Thank you, I have had a whole lot of help with the track layout and just could not be more pleased with the way it has turned out.
The longest reach that I will have will be on the ends and that is only 30" to a very small area. As you can see, the balance of the area within the ends are 24" or less. With a table height of 35" that is an easy reach. Early on in my design work, based on a lot of advice and help from other people, I built a mock-up in cardboard and that is how I wound up with this layout. The majority of the layout, over 16-feet, has a reach to the center of only 24". The framework will have almost no flex in it and the tracks and scenery will be mounted on the Luan plywood which rest independently inside the framework and should not be effected in any way. Thank you for you comment and suggestions.
