Moonman posted:bajinnova posted:I'm starting to plan my first train layout in ~30 years. I'm thinking about doing something similar to the kid-friendly layout in the December 2015 issue of CTT. The basic idea is:
Well, most of us can't view the article - but the index states" affordable and compact"
* 7x14 feet, with a duck under and cutout in the center, made up of 4 rectangular pieces of plywood cut from 3 4x8 sheets.
which 7' x 14 is not compact, so you want a layout that the kids can use. Was the center area all open for the kids to stand in?
Anyway that you photo the design and post it?
* The rear portion of the layout is covered with a mountain with a second level of track (no grades on layout). This mountain/second level spans 3 of the pieces of plywood that make up the lower level.
It's a little more to work to make removable or portable scenery or track supports, but it's not that difficult.
Ideally, I would like to have the layout on wheels so I can move it a little bit for construction and maintenance (to build a layout this size I will need to put it in a corner). And I would like to be able to take it apart without destroying it if I ever move. I am not going to disassemble it on a regular basis, I would just like to be able to break it into pieces that will fit through a door and put it back together again if I ever need to do that at some point down the road (like if I move, which I have no plans to do in the foreseeable future).
I see 4 x 42" by 84" sections and 4 pieces of ply. (Unless you want a large opening in the center.) The sections can clamp together. The wiring can connect with connectors. Each section will have it's own wiring. Putting wheels on it requires some more framing for stability of the legs. The wheels can be done.
I can think of some crazy ways to go about building this which may or may not work, and which I'm pretty sure would be laughed at by someone who has actually built a "large" layout before (I know this isn't large by O-gauge standards, but the layouts of my youth were 4x8 HO). Can anyone give me a starting point for how to approach the benchwork, given the desires above? Or am I asking for too much here?
You are not asking too much. It would be really helpful if you created a penciled sketch of the table and the track flow and posted it.
Thanks for any advice.
Edit: You don't have an email shown in your profile.
