Skip to main content

Wow, so summer came on strong and once we walked out of the train room we basically didn’t look back until recently. Got all the summer toys put away and we are ready to dig back in…..

Ugh…..

Our layout is YEARS from being complete and that’s perfectly fine with me. My problem is I already want to expand. I have no more room in the “train room” but being an idiot of necessity and lacking much self control or restraint, I’ve devised a plan that my now wife (as of October 13th) is while not completely understanding of, is not against.

I present my “theory of a plan” and ask, if not BEG, for guidance…

No drawings yet, just a fuzzy vision in my head. I want to come off of the outside of the layout with a single switch and then start up a grade that would not be normally traveled (as it won’t) and end up X number of inches from the ceiling. From there another switch will allow access into a “lower house loop” that will leave the train room, go through the kitchen, through the dining room, loop around and through what we call the “reading room” which is what most people would use as a family room. From there, back through the wall and back into the train room. There would be one way up and one way down which is fine as the “hill” would only be traveled to set up whatever train would travel through the house. Only in the train room would it be against the wall. In the kitchen, dining, and reading rooms it would have to be suspended from the ceiling. There used to be a train shop near me that had a ceiling layout that’s base was some sort of wire frame and you could easily see the train up there. That memory is where this is coming from.

Anyways, looking for inspiration and possible guidance as to if this is feasible or a nightmare I should run from. Thanks in advance and Merry Christmas to everyone!

You'd likely need a helix to get up above head height in any reasonable distance/grade.

Also, if you're going to hang it from the ceiling throughout the house, make sure it's high enough to clear your tallest common guest.  My grandmother has lots of hanging plants that my father and I hit our heads on all the time.

Hi David- welcome back. Sounds like you had a good summer if the trains were collecting dust.

I like the idea but you may be complicating things by trying to connect the ceiling to the layout. Have you calculated the distance and grade needed to reach the ceiling? I'm assuming a typical 8'0" ceiling? You would probably need top of rail 1' below the ceiling to have enough space to work and reach trains for service, derailments, etc.
It would be much less complicated to keep the two separate but have the ceiling line run through the train room for swapping consists when you want. A helix may be the better solution but even at 072 it would take up a lot of real estate.
Several members on the Forum have ceiling loops and provide more assistance. Suspending the track from the ceiling is a bit more complicated than attaching to the wall but it can be done with some basic hardware and lumber.

Here's an old thread from 2012

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...c/recommended-grades

And from the Lionel web site

A generally accepted standard in model railroading is 1 inch of rise for every 4 feet of run. This convenient measurement works out to just over a 2% grade. Unlike the prototypes, the size of trains we typically run can usually handle this grade without any helpers. Grades of 4% (2 inch rise over two feet of run) are still manageable



Good luck and keep us posted.

Bob

Last edited by RSJB18
@RSJB18 posted:
And from the Lionel web site

A generally accepted standard in model railroading is 1 inch of rise for every 4 feet of run. This convenient measurement works out to just over a 2% grade. Unlike the prototypes, the size of trains we typically run can usually handle this grade without any helpers. Grades of 4% (2 inch rise over two feet of run) are still manageable

The quote from Lionel is amusing, they must be using the new math!

They got the 2% grade calculation correct, 1" over 100" is 1%, so 1" over 48" is slightly more than 2%.

1" / 48" = 0.0208%

Now we get to the 4% grade calculation.

OOPS!  2" / 24" = 0.083%

So I’m sure most have done something similar, but I’ve found a “spot” in the room where I have a chair and has basically become the command center. It’s where I typically sit when I’m doing most things. I’ve added a switch to the mainline and built a spur that leads to this spot, so I can back a loco or car right to this spot and work on it.

what I’m looking for is something to make the rails level with the work area, so that if a loco or car are not there, it’s flat, and the laptop, or whatever can sit there without the raised track. Kind of like the base of the roundhouse (which is where I got the idea). It’s a plastic channel that the track sits in and the head of the rail is level with the “ground”. Or maybe like the same scenario as a road crossing.

Any ideas or products you can point me to? I can also 3d print if that opens any possibilities. Here’s a bad pic of the area I’m talking about. The track the 73 is on leads to the “service area” I’d like to make flush.

8E4DB7BF-0A0B-4575-8623-7BE12B9D1191

Attachments

Images (1)
  • 8E4DB7BF-0A0B-4575-8623-7BE12B9D1191

Well, we’re buried in snow, the wife doesn’t feel good, and I was bored, so it was time to build and play. I’ve wanted a longer passing siding, and since the top part of the layout was only two feet wide, I decided I could spare another foot and extend the small passing siding I had along the left side and wrap it around to the top. I made the extension out of shelving as to not have to recreate or build more structure. Sure, you can’t climb on top of the extension, but it seems plenty strong for what it is.

The extended passing siding easily held 22 cars and a Lionel Veranda with tender. This lets me bring the Hudson out from its hiding place behind the big bridge as well.

F6C673B8-CB5A-4B47-A96B-1170E663374C5FE4AD3E-351A-4491-891E-C6106AE265D60A2237BB-3D5A-4468-9919-B45B74F7338A061CD914-C44C-421F-82AB-5A51B8348A425D18ADC3-F185-4290-BE00-03E052B60738AD345FD2-500A-44EE-B785-29ED7E882993879DF4FF-24ED-4ED8-82B8-E75AEC388ADA

Attachments

Images (7)
  • F6C673B8-CB5A-4B47-A96B-1170E663374C
  • 5FE4AD3E-351A-4491-891E-C6106AE265D6
  • 0A2237BB-3D5A-4468-9919-B45B74F7338A
  • 061CD914-C44C-421F-82AB-5A51B8348A42
  • 5D18ADC3-F185-4290-BE00-03E052B60738
  • AD345FD2-500A-44EE-B785-29ED7E882993
  • 879DF4FF-24ED-4ED8-82B8-E75AEC388ADA

I’ve been working like crazy, but feel like I haven’t updated this as I should. Not a ton of progress but here’s update 1 of 2.

Started decorating the eastern end which I have since the beginning wanted to be winter. It’s rough, but it at least is a step in the right direction. The end plan will be to have the CP holiday train parked in the lower wrap around siding. Shop tracks will house the CSX “derail train” with the crane and a switcher. Shop will have whatever.

74BDA0B4-6907-487E-888F-A3D16436730E

Attachments

Images (1)
  • 74BDA0B4-6907-487E-888F-A3D16436730E

Update 2.

From the beginning I wanted an Amtrak presence somewhere on the layout. Made a few deals and ended up with a beautiful F40PH-2 and an AEM-7 along with about 15 Amtrak cars. A few weeks ago I added the long passing siding and tonight I moved the siding “out” and put in the MTH dual platform passenger station. With doing this, I can have an eastbound and westbound train both serving the station at the same time. Either can stay parked at the station while the other makes the long “loop”.

C3670E70-7E19-4AEC-8204-CD2DAAFC600204AE74D2-42EB-46B3-8EE6-2A604056050A626F7920-6A12-4084-AC05-C55EEE35002A75199F83-A3B3-4CC1-9AD7-BFE3D05B871E

Attachments

Images (4)
  • C3670E70-7E19-4AEC-8204-CD2DAAFC6002
  • 04AE74D2-42EB-46B3-8EE6-2A604056050A
  • 626F7920-6A12-4084-AC05-C55EEE35002A
  • 75199F83-A3B3-4CC1-9AD7-BFE3D05B871E

well, I’ve failed at updating progress as it happens, but that doesn’t mean nothing has happened. I got sucked into the world of 3d printing and between that and randomly changing things on the layout, I’ve been quite busy.

So anyways, here’s a quick video overview as well as a full lap behind an Amtrak train.



Last edited by David K. Simpson

Add Reply

Post
The Track Planning and Layout Design Forum is sponsored by

AN OGR FORUM CHARTER SPONSOR

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×