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I've been trying to find time for a few years to put up a layout.  I had a bare bones one 4-5 years ago but I want to go a little bit better.  Well, now that I'm pretty much stuck in the house (NYC resident) what better time.  I'm going to use MTH ScaleTrax.  

Stage 1 was cleaning up the basement. - Complete

Stage 2 will be deciding the layout height.  My ceiling is only 7ft and 5ft 6in in the middle.  I have Mianne benchwork and I'm going to put together a square and sit under it and see what the height is like.  I'd like to make it as low as practical.  I've spoken to Tim and it's pretty easy to cut them down and reinstall the levelers.

Stage 3 - Install the benchwork

Stage 4 - Install the track (MTH Scaletrax with Woodland Scenics Roadbed and Brennan's Better Ballast.)

Here's the layout plan.   Any comments would be much appreciated.  

The outer red line is the room dimensions.   There's an amusement park area (lower right),  Refinery area (lower middle) and a Superstreets run .   More buildings etc, to come.  I intend to cram it full!

I'll try to keep this updated as I go along. 

Here's some shots of the basement now that it's cleaned up and ready to go.

D20200325 - T113332 - MS420-Pano - ResizedD20200325 - T120553 - MS380-Pano - ResizedD20200325 - T120824 - MS420-ResizedD20200325 - T120830 - MS540-Pano-ResizedD20200325 - T120858 - MS380 - Resized

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  • D20200325 - T113332 - MS420-Pano - Resized
  • D20200325 - T120553 - MS380-Pano - Resized
  • D20200325 - T120824 - MS420-Resized
  • D20200325 - T120830 - MS540-Pano-Resized
  • D20200325 - T120858 - MS380 - Resized
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Last edited by Chris Lord
Original Post

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RSJB18 posted:

That is an impressive collection and even nicer basement (especially in NYC). Is it a brownstone?

Good luck with the build and do keep us posted.

Bob

Thanks.  Saying NYC was technically correct but I'm in Staten Island.  Raised ranch with full basement. Fairly unusual house plan on SI but lots of other fully and semi detached houses with basements.

Chris Lord posted:
RSJB18 posted:

That is an impressive collection and even nicer basement (especially in NYC). Is it a brownstone?

Good luck with the build and do keep us posted.

Bob

Thanks.  Saying NYC was technically correct but I'm in Staten Island.  Raised ranch with full basement. Fairly unusual house plan on SI but lots of other fully and semi detached houses with basements.

I built many raised (high) ranches on LI with full basements. Makes for a big three level house. Lot's of stairs tho.

From the photos it looks as if you have a large collection of scale length engines and cars.  You also have a larger collection of traditional sized equipment.

I suggest that you try to use a minimum of O-72 curves throughout your track plan so that you can run scale length engines and cars.  Some of your mainline curves appear to be a bit smaller than O-72.

I know a person who runs a scale length Lionel Big Boy on O-63 but the overhang is awful.  He can't run the engine at all on his inner loop.  The bigger the curves the better.  

If you didn't have all those beautiful shelves full of trains, I would also suggest that you consider an around the wall layout.  Around the wall layouts generally give you more layout space for a given size room.  NH Joe

New Haven Joe posted:

From the photos it looks as if you have a large collection of scale length engines and cars.  You also have a larger collection of traditional sized equipment.

I suggest that you try to use a minimum of O-72 curves throughout your track plan so that you can run scale length engines and cars.  Some of your mainline curves appear to be a bit smaller than O-72.

I know a person who runs a scale length Lionel Big Boy on O-63 but the overhang is awful.  He can't run the engine at all on his inner loop.  The bigger the curves the better.  

If you didn't have all those beautiful shelves full of trains, I would also suggest that you consider an around the wall layout.  Around the wall layouts generally give you more layout space for a given size room.  NH Joe

Thanks for the feedback.

The outside loop is O-72,  the middle is O-54 and the inner is O-31.   I wish I had room for more O-72 but I really want lots of building, lights, etc. on the layout.

Fortunately, I belong to the NJ Hi-Railers and we have LOTS of large runs and that's where I run my large steam.  I just bought a couple of sets of O Scale Haulers on sale and that will make it a lot easily to get stuff back and forth.  Also, members at the NJHR store trains and have display cabinets so I also have a good number of large items there.  

A round-the-wall layout would be good except it didn't make sense to me to have all those locked up in my storage unit!

Well,  I'm making progress.

  1. I put together a mock up to check the table height
  2. I decided I could cut my 40" legs down 3 inches.  I had about 6 inches of head room.
    1. I pulled out the levelers
    2. Drilled the center hole deeper
    3. Cut 3 inches off the legs
    4. Reinstalled the levelers
  3. Started putting together the benchwork.
  4. Should finish the benchwork legs tomorrow and then on to the plywood and homasote.

 

D20200325 - T184105 - MS840D20200326 - T100158 - MS730D20200326 - T100312 - MS300D20200326 - T100354 - MS560D20200326 - T100401 - MS090D20200326 - T183438 - MS990D20200327 - T114156 - MS690D20200327 - T133208 - MS040D20200327 - T182847 - MS690

Attachments

Images (9)
  • D20200325 - T184105 - MS840
  • D20200326 - T100158 - MS730
  • D20200326 - T100312 - MS300
  • D20200326 - T100354 - MS560
  • D20200326 - T100401 - MS090
  • D20200326 - T183438 - MS990
  • D20200327 - T114156 - MS690
  • D20200327 - T133208 - MS040
  • D20200327 - T182847 - MS690
Last edited by Chris Lord
Mikado 4501 posted:

So far, color me impressed, Chris.

Though I must comment, while the layout itself is still a work in progress, on the beautiful presentation of the display shelves and all the associated trains so neatly organized on them. It definitely lends a striking first impression!

I wholeheartedly agree. Chris that is an awesome train room. I wish mine looked half that good. 

WOW Chris...

Your collection of trains is awesome. I like what you are doing there. I also am planning on a complete rebuild once my new house is built. I will have a wide open basement measuring 30 X 62 with a bump out of 23 X 18.
I am only dreaming of what I am going to do with all that space.

I am also going to finish all the outer walls and the floor first. 

Keep us posted as you go along.

Brian

 

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