It's finally happening! I'm getting a train room!!!!

Congratulations.  There are a number of experienced designers who will design your layout for a fee, given your wants and needs.  Might be worthwhile engaging one of them, such as Michael Tylick (advertises in Model Railroader).

http://www.raildesignservices.com/

Or you could start by buying the recent book from OGR by Ken Hoganson on layouts (see below).  Don't know whether Ken designs layouts for individuals, but might be worth asking.

https://ogaugerr.com/products/...outs-by-ken-hoganson

Post photos if and when you can.

This is a free standing, pre-fab shed, I assume. How are you getting power to it, just out of curiosity?

Go with 072 curves, you will be happy you did.

Congratulations. Sounds like a great plan.

Congratulations on getting a 12’ x 16’ shed for your train layout. That is what we did. Actually, my wife suggested it. We are enjoying it very much. I posted a couple of photos of the shed a while back. Good luck, and have fun!

Congrats!!!

Congratulations, Dylan!!!

Thanks guys for all the friendly comments! It is now time for an update. I purchased the shed yesterday. It will be installed sometime in the next month or so. Then it's on to Phase 2: getting power, AC, and finishing touches done, and my new train room will be ready for my dad and I to begin working on my layout. Phase 2 will be done in a few months, I think.

Well, it's finally time for another update on the new and improved Sunrise Mountain and Western Railroad.🚂 My shed is coming today (June 26)!🏗🔨 It should be completely installed by the end of the day today. The workers should be at my house between 8AM and 10AM Vegas time. Stay tuned because I will be posting photos later today.

After the shed is done, then I will figure out when I can move on to Phase 2: electrical, AC, and lighting.🔌💡 That will probably happen later this summer or sometime later this year. During that time, I will be working on my track plan and trying to figure out all the things I will need to build the layout, including a budget. These things cost money.💵💰😢

@Dylan the Train Man posted:

These things cost money.💵💰😢

Congrats on the delivery, and yes, your RR will cost money!   Given the electrical, A/C, etc. installations, probably quite a bit of money!

@Dylan the Train Man....

Wow...what a watershed moment....Congratulations! Yeah....the hobby costs money. But just like the old adage "How do you eat an Elephant? One bite at a time."; same thing with building a layout. I'm sure we've all spread our costs over time.

I'm really interested to see how this project progresses. We are talking about moving. But a major issue is finding a house (even a new build) that has room for my layout (or a new layout). We're just about at the point where we need a single level home....no stairs. So finding a single level home with room for a layout is a challenge.

Congratulations!

I promised photos of my new train room, so here they are. Sorry for the 1 day delay. I've included photos of the installation in process and a couple of photos of me with the completed shed.

Very nice looking building, Dylan!!!

Congrats from Train Room Gary of Michigan. 🚂

Looks good Dylan! I was thinking about your AC to the Train Shed. Are you gonna have 220VAC run to the shed?

I recall you mentioning Air Conditioning is a requirement. 220VAC will support any Air Conditioner unit. Plus....you could arc weld if you ever feel the urge.

Congratulations!  Looks great!  Enjoy the journey each and every step of the way. 

Cool Dylan. I am starting a layout in my garage. I also am in Vegas. I am starting building benchwork and fiddling with making layout fit my room. I am curious what you are going to do about A/C. My garage and your shed are both going to be scorchers in a few weeks. Hope you keep posting, A/C is  a requirement in Nevada.

Thanks for all the friendly comments and tips. Now, to answer some of your questions. I have a family friend who is going to handle all the electrical and lighting for the shed. I have no idea when that will happen. Drywall is another thing that needs to be done, and we know people who can handle that. My dad and I have talked to a couple of people about A/C (You're right about A/C in Vegas, @Catdaddy; it gets really hot here in Vegas😓☀🌡🔥). I will keep posting as I continue this project.

By the way, Edward, it's nice to know that there are train people living in the same town as me. I've got a few questions for you: -Are you building an O-Gauge layout?

-How big is your layout?

-What power/control systems will you use?

-Will you post updates, too?

@WP: Since your shed is about the same size as mine, I'd like to see some photos of your layout, so I can get some ideas to help me with mine. Thanks.

Dylan, that is great you and your dad have friends who can help you keep your costs down.  If I had to build a layout building, I wouldn’t have money left over for the layout!  I have never been to your climate in Las Vegas, the worst I have seen was a week in Dallas during August about 15 years ago.  That was rough enough for me.  😄

I looked back, your inside dimensions are 11x15.  Our backyard shed is 12x16 on the outside, so I can picture your interior space.  My layout room is 11x11.  While not a large space, you can pack in a lot of action and scenery if you think it through.  Definitely keep posting.  The folks here will help you along with ideas, materials, and methods.  My layout would be a lot less if I was not posting on this forum.

@Junior posted:

Looks good Dylan! I was thinking about your AC to the Train Shed. Are you gonna have 220VAC run to the shed?

I recall you mentioning Air Conditioning is a requirement. 220VAC will support any Air Conditioner unit. Plus....you could arc weld if you ever feel the urge.

Junior, I love your comment about arc welding!  😄😄  Really, with AC for Vegas climate, 220VAC is a good idea.  You don’t want to under power.

well done

Awesome you got the shed Dylan!! I’m looking forward to following this build. Keep up the progress!!

A window AC should be fine for that size of building, but they key is going to be lots of insulation. I had a Tuff Shed here in Phoenix. I omitted the insulation and my AC struggled hard on summer afternoons.

Hey @Mark Holmgren 110217....

I always wondered about standalone sheds in Phoenix. Did you have to keep the AC running at night as well? 

I used to live in Mesa, so I know heat!

No, I only ran the AC when I was in it. It was pure shed. If I had stuff in there that was sensitive to heat, like trains, I would have insulated it and put in drywall and run the AC all summer but set to a pretty high temperature like 85 depending on what the power bill looked like.

Congratulations Dylan. Keep us posted on your progress.

Today is my birthday! While I didn't buy any new train cars or engines (I plan to later on this year), my mom did buy me a few metal signs for my train room. Here are some photos.

#1: Lionel Postwar Santa Fe F3 Sign (The Santa Fe is one of my favorite railroads, and I love the Santa Fe Warbonnet livery.)

#2: Funny "Train Lovers Parking" Sign

#3: "The Train Room" Sign

I also recently got an AC unit for the room. Now I'm just waiting on my electrician and drywall guys to find time to install the power, lighting, and drywall. That should be done by the end of the summer. Then I can start moving my trains into the new room and start planning my new layout.

The new signs are the perfect additions for your new train shed, ….Happy Birthday!….

Pat

Awesome!!!

Dylan, signs are great gifts for model train enthusiasts.  I have some too, and they enhance the overall look of the train room and approaches.

A quick update for my train shed: the electrical for the shed was started today. That should be completed by sometime on Tuesday at the latest. Then it's on to the next phases of the train shed installation.

-Phase 1 was the shed construction which was completed at the end of June.

-Phase 2: Electrical

-Phase 3: Insulation

-Phase 4: Drywall and painting

-Phase 5: Lighting

I estimate that the shed will be ready for me to start working on my layout before the end of this year. I'd say sometime between the beginning of October and the end of November.

It sounds great, Dylan!  

Dylan - great beginnings!

Remember to double your estimated timeline and your budget.

Not knowing much about ac for vegas heat i would recommend a ductless system.  Had one installed 3 years ago, best install ever.   Replaced window units, quiet, efficient and lowered the electric bill.  A bit pricey up front but far superior to window units plus probably more secure.   A friend just experienced a break in due to a pushed in unit.

To maximize the effectiveness of AC in your new "Train Shed," consider installing insulation in the walls and ceiling. With Vegas HOT weather, an AC unit would be stressed to "keep up."  The add'l one-time cost of insulation would pay off in the long run.

Carry on, regardless ...

Mike Mottler    LCCA 12394

Insulation is the next priority, after the electrical gets done sometime soon, Mike. Thanks for the advice and friendly comments, everyone. I also already have an AC unit that I will be using. This is going to be a fun project going forward.

Very exciting!

Peter

Dylan,

Along with the insulation, you should check into a vapor barrier. I don't know the year-round tendencies in your area, but there are various recommendations on where that vapor barrier should be placed. If you know any builders out there, they could certainly advise you.

Here in the Northeast or any similar colder/wetter climate, it's essential that a vapor barrier is placed on the inside and behind the sheetrock. If placed against the out side wall, the dew point moves to the cavity within the wall and causes water vapor to be trapped in the wall. This causes black mold and rot from condensation. No vapor barrier at all causes the AC to work its tail off when trying to effectively cool a space  (at least here in NH).

I presume you have a fairly dry climate and I know it's just a small building and one you won't like be sleeping in, but for your cooling to be most effective and most efficient (think power bill), you may wish to consider checking more about vapor barrier recommendations or codes in your area.  Just a suggestion!

https://up.codes/viewer/nevada...erior-environment#12

https://https://www.hunker.com/13419005/which-side-of-the-insulation-does-the-vapor-barrier-go/13419005/which-side-of-the-insulation-does-the-vapor-barrier-go

@Landsteiner posted:

Congratulations.  There are a number of experienced designers who will design your layout for a fee, given your wants and needs.  Might be worthwhile engaging one of them, such as Michael Tylick (advertises in Model Railroader).

http://www.raildesignservices.com/

Or you could start by buying the recent book from OGR by Ken Hoganson on layouts (see below).  Don't know whether Ken designs layouts for individuals, but might be worth asking.

https://ogaugerr.com/products/...outs-by-ken-hoganson

Post photos if and when you can.

This is a free standing, pre-fab shed, I assume. How are you getting power to it, just out of curiosity?

Never knew there were experts who can design a model railroad layout for a fee, but I  would never hire one. Why?

Because I will never forget how much I loved the process of designing my own layout.  I so much enjoyed thinking about it, drawing diagrams of where the track would be and where accessories and structures would be. I did this for many hours and it was a labor of love.

Maybe I'm a frustrated civil engineer at heart.

If only I was better at Calculus at Columbia College in NYC. LOL, Arnold

A mini split is a very effective method for keeping the temperature balanced. Also, consider putting outlets in the floor and extras along the walls.