I'm a wheelchair user in the process of building an around-the-walls layout (see my post Shelf Layout underway in the Scenery forum). With the cantilever benchwork currently framed in, I'm looking into alternative ideas for where to locate my transformers (a postwar 275-watt ZW for track power and an 80-watt CW for accessories/lights) to minimize their impact on my reach. Most of the benchwork is 26" deep. If I mount a traditional control panel--even a sloping one--to the front of the benchwork, I'm concerned that I'll have a difficult time reaching around it from my sitting position. Controls for turnouts, accessories, lights, etc. are no problem--they'll be mounted to the fascia--but those bulky transformers (and a Legacy control unit) are a potential problem.
The train room will have vinyl plank flooring. I'm thinking about mounting the transformers to a sturdy cart on caster wheels, such as a powered A/V cart. The transformers could be tethered to the benchwork with an extra six or more feet of wiring, all bundled together with zip ties to form a strong umbilical cord. I could then move the cart around (with care, of course) or even roll it out of the way under the benchwork during operating sessions.
Any reasons why this wouldn't work? The train room might look a little like an electronics lab, but I favor practicality over esthetics.
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