Frank, that is a good solution too. The strip of masonite or plexiglass I was referring to only has to stick up 1 to 2 inches above the table top. At my club, we have a tall plexiglass barrier but that is to stop wandering hands not derailments. In the back, non-viewing, area we have a short masonite barrier to keep the trains on the table.
Pat, I'm definitely heading out this year to check out your display in St. James. You guys have had that operation running for years.
I'm 27 soon to be 28. Back in, say...1993 - 1994, there was a club that had open house every weekend just about in Farmingville. My father used to take me to that place all of the time and I would be glued to that layout for hours. I have the whole layout practically memorized in my head. Do you know anything about what happened with that club, if that layout got moved elsewhere? After 1997 I don't remember any visits. The Wrong Island Railroad had a great thing going in the 90's as well before it burnt down. The new layout they built was nice but not the same. Too bad they are gone now, for display purposes anyway.
StillPlaysWithTrains1469 posted:Frank: This too makes perfect sense. Ever since I was a kid, I loved the up close view of that first track right at the edge on any layout. Having that in my own now is very important to me for those same reasons they were back when I was a kid! It's all part of the magic of electric trains, watching them go by at a close view, the colors and lights, it's fantastic.
That one inch barrier with the wood really is a good idea. For commercial layouts the Plexiglas is a no brainer, but for personal at home protection I think the idea of using wood will be my go to. It's a little less invasive and as you mentioned it does really provide that intimate experience with the trains.
Excellent layout by the way! I really enjoy the effort you put into your scenery and houses!
Thank you both for your very helpful ideas
"Up close views" is right! As a kid (yes, that's me) my father encouraged my having access to his layout. Apparently, such generosity made a positive impression, huh.
Thank you for your most pleasant and positive feedback. Such conversations within our hobby speak well of its vibrancy, I feel.
FrankM.
P.S. In a previous posting, you mentioned being on Long Island. I have a client in Selden. His name is Jerry. Do you happen to know him?
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Moonson posted:StillPlaysWithTrains1469 posted:Frank: This too makes perfect sense. Ever since I was a kid, I loved the up close view of that first track right at the edge on any layout. Having that in my own now is very important to me for those same reasons they were back when I was a kid! It's all part of the magic of electric trains, watching them go by at a close view, the colors and lights, it's fantastic.
That one inch barrier with the wood really is a good idea. For commercial layouts the Plexiglas is a no brainer, but for personal at home protection I think the idea of using wood will be my go to. It's a little less invasive and as you mentioned it does really provide that intimate experience with the trains.
Excellent layout by the way! I really enjoy the effort you put into your scenery and houses!
Thank you both for your very helpful ideas
"Up close views" is right! As a kid (yes, that's me) my father encouraged my having access to his layout. Apparently, such generosity made a positive impression, huh.
Thank you for your most pleasant and positive feedback. Such conversations within our hobby speak well of its vibrancy, I feel.
FrankM.
P.S. In a previous posting, you mentioned being on Long Island. I have a client in Selden. His name is Jerry. Do you happen to know him?
Fantastic picture, the gears are certainly turning in that young mans head! I wish to God kids would get back into this hobby. I know some are and Lionel did a great job in doing so with their Polar Express opportunity as well as Harry Potter sets and the like, but there needs to be more advertisement and more sets in stores like Walmart and ToysRUs. We need the old time displays in the stores! It worked for FAO Shwartz, we need it again. A wholesome hobby that actually taught kids the basics of electric, carpentry, basic mechanics and engineering! Creativity!
Don't know too many people in Selden, my folks used to live in Medford not too far from there however.
StillPlaysWithTrains1469 posted:Moonson posted:StillPlaysWithTrains1469 posted:Frank: This too makes perfect sense. Ever since I was a kid, I loved the up close view of that first track right at the edge on any layout. ...
.... We need the old time displays in the stores!It worked for FAO Shwartz, we need it again...
F.A.O. Schwarz, yes!! The last two years the display was present, the store SOLD OUT of every Lionel train item before Thanksgiving Day! The First Floor layout was so well-received (one of the doormen assured me of this) that there was, regularly,
a line from the plaza in front all the way through the store to the layout. Also, that success had the store invite Lionel to keep the display up all year 'round, which it did, relocated to the mezzanine level.
FrankM
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Fantastic! This is what sells! Great pics. Lionel should come to NYC more often during the holidays!
Some new Shark Bay layout pics. 
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WOW, BAR GP7 #63. Wow. Yes, very wow. And that's a wow-o-wow-wee, too !
FRankM.
Moonson posted:WOW, BAR GP7 #63. Wow. Yes, very wow. And that's a wow-o-wow-wee, too !
I agree. Great shots!
BAR GP7 #63 posted:Some new Shark Bay layout pics.
Absolutely great. Is that the new back drop?
BAR GP7 #63 posted:Some new Shark Bay layout pics.
Hope mine looks that good some day.
FrankM: Thank you very much. I am glad you like it. 
I always try learn something from you.
-Johan
p51 posted:Moonson posted:WOW, BAR GP7 #63. Wow. Yes, very wow. And that's a wow-o-wow-wee, too !
I agree. Great shots!
Lee: Thanks.
-Johan
suzukovich posted:BAR GP7 #63 posted:Some new Shark Bay layout pics.
Absolutely great. Is that the new back drop?
suzukovich : Thanks. Yes they are a brand new back drops.
-Johan
Tat2d1 posted:BAR GP7 #63 posted:Some new Shark Bay layout pics.
Hope mine looks that good some day.
Rick McCombie: Thank you very much.
-Johan
For years I ran the chance of the trains falling off the tracks at the top of the attic stairs. I found some Plexiglas and mounted strips on the upper and lower levels. Pics of the area..............Paul
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paul 2 posted:For years I ran the chance of the trains falling off the tracks at the top of the attic stairs. I found some Plexiglas and mounted strips on the upper and lower levels. Pics of the area..............Paul
You just don't want to let that rear end crew do their job do ya? 
BAR GP7 #63, another great set of pics. You have an eye for doing scenes with detail. You and moonson show us the way to do better..................Paul
Pennytrains, I can't trust the crew on the end to keep them on the track so I added a backup plan. For years I had nothing there but after I installed the switches that is when I figured to play it safe.................Paul
paul 2 posted:BAR GP7 #63, another great set of pics. You have an eye for doing scenes with detail. You and moonson show us the way to do better..................Paul
What a nice thing to say, Paul. Thank you! FrankM
Thought I would take a couple of new pics of different parts of the layout. Still have so much to complete. And I still have places where I like to run on the edge.........................Paul
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Allan; does that include this months Run 288 in the magazine? 
paul 2 posted:Thought I would take a couple of new pics of different parts of the layout. Still have so much to complete. And I still have places where I like to run on the edge.........................Paul
Paul, nice attic layout! I have similiar situation , a large attic. What's the size of your layout and is it around the walls setup? I love that giant bridge! Would you have a track plan?
christopher N&W posted:I've enjoyed looking at all of the photos here. I've been meaning to post but just haven't gotten around to it. I thought these showed a nice progression.
WOW!!Thats the real thing did back then.Very impressive!!
paul 2 posted:Thought I would take a couple of new pics of different parts of the layout. Still have so much to complete. And I still have places where I like to run on the edge.........................Paul
Paul,
Your two levels are giving me ideas of how to do mine! Thank you!!
paul 2 posted:BAR GP7 #63, another great set of pics. You have an eye for doing scenes with detail. You and moonson show us the way to do better..................Paul
Paul: Thank you very much. I really appreciate your kind words.
-Johan
StillPlaysWithTrains1469 posted:Pat, I'm definitely heading out this year to check out your display in St. James. You guys have had that operation running for years.
I'm 27 soon to be 28. Back in, say...1993 - 1994, there was a club that had open house every weekend just about in Farmingville. My father used to take me to that place all of the time and I would be glued to that layout for hours. I have the whole layout practically memorized in my head. Do you know anything about what happened with that club, if that layout got moved elsewhere? After 1997 I don't remember any visits. The Wrong Island Railroad had a great thing going in the 90's as well before it burnt down. The new layout they built was nice but not the same. Too bad they are gone now, for display purposes anyway.
I don't want to hijack this thread with LI club info so I was going to take this off line and email you. You don't have your email address listed in your profile. Send me your email address and I'll send you info on our open house this December.
Mark and George ( seacoast ). Here is a diagram of my attic layout. It is done free hand. It is 27' X 12'. If the writing is blurry the layout has four mainlines. Blue for the upper and red for the lower. The red actually runs mostly directly under the upper. The grade is approximately 33' long. The bridge on the upper mainlines is 6' long with a 3 1/2" center to center rail going through the bridge. It is a older Miami Valley bridge when they made the kits out of red cedar. I was limited to what I could do with the space because of the stairs and the chimney. Hope the diagram helps Also a pic of inside the bridge................Paul
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Paul,
Thanks for the track plan and description of your layout. I will be using a space slightly less than half the size, 12 x 12, but I don't have stairs and chimney to work around. I will not even try to connect the two levels. I am thinking of a twice around o-72 loop on the upper level for my big passenger trains, and all else on the wider lower level for smaller trains, operating accessories and whatever. I m just starting on the plan.
Nice shot through the bridge
Alan, you have the one of the best layouts…!!!
Paul,
Thanks! Very cool attic layout. Do you have HVAC in attic & how big are the curves? I like the use of the alcove with that 6' bridge. My apologies I am not trying to high jack this thread.
A couple of oldies:
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I have seen a lot of great layouts here and I hope to have one of my own some day. For now I will enjoy my shelf layout. It took me about 8 months to get to this point. I plan to share this hobby with my grandchildren. I bought each family a Lionel train set for Christmas. (Can't wait). Whe I was born I was given a Lionel train set. I'm passing on the joy and tradition. Hope you approve.
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Tat2d1 posted:I have seen a lot of great layouts here and I hope to have one of my own some day. For now I will enjoy my shelf layout. It took me about 8 months to get to this point. I plan to share this hobby with my grandchildren. I bought each family a Lionel train set for Christmas. (Can't wait). Whe I was born I was given a Lionel train set. I'm passing on the joy and tradition. Hope you approve.
A layout is an Layout in any shape or form.. Nothing wrong with a shelf layout. looks good and look forward to any updates. Also it is great that you are continuing a tradition or starting where your parents left off.
paul 2 posted:Pennytrains, I can't trust the crew on the end to keep them on the track so I added a backup plan. For years I had nothing there but after I installed the switches that is when I figured to play it safe.................Paul
I just meant that they can't see over that enormous NYC box ahead of that tiny bobber!
Ahhh all you people with layouts and scenery and stuff....
Thanks for all the motivation.
I finally got back to building my high rail line. I didn't get very far this week but I'm plugging away. I boxed in a vent so I can hang my dropped ceiling. I also started on the line's plywood deck. The grandkids will be able to run their trains here when they come over.
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STILLPLAYSWITHTRAINS1469,
Thankfully I can report that I have only had 1 accident to a box car. There is some of the area that I'm planning on making more of a safe guard for.
About the elevated track. No it wasn't hard I put it in before I did any scenery in the sections. I like how it turned out.
Thanks for looking and asking a question about my layout.
David
Tat2d1 posted:I have seen a lot of great layouts here and I hope to have one of my own some day. For now I will enjoy my shelf layout. It took me about 8 months to get to this point. I plan to share this hobby with my grandchildren. I bought each family a Lionel train set for Christmas. (Can't wait). Whe I was born I was given a Lionel train set. I'm passing on the joy and tradition. Hope you approve.
The shelf layout looks great! Also, I'm glad you are getting trains for your grandchildren! I'm picking up some for grandchildren, but neither of our daughters & sons in law have kids yet! lol.
Here's shelf layout.
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Guy and PeterA, Amazing Work, sawmills, lift bridges, Detail Beyond Compare! This post is a great place to look for Ideas before one Plans a Model Railroad....
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