# Train Area Help



## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

I got a neighbor with an 8x12 shed and is letting me build a pike in there. Anyways, I'm gonna do some extra stuff to it and seal it in and install 2 window units. Will they help with humidity? I'm not storing trains in there or anything of value I like. Just wouldn't wanna see my table warp and do odd things from Florida's horrific humidity! I mean bare steel rusts over night here! What y'all think? Also, what's a good road bed to use these days? Afraid to use cork!


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

I'm from Alabama -- almost as humid here. The window units will reduce the humidity, but only if they are run most of the time. Gets costly.

We have a large 2-story old house. We only use parts of the downstairs at a time. So we have window units in these rooms to cool them when we need to use them. But when we do not use the rooms for a while, it gets humid and we have had mildew problems.

We have put dehumidifiers in some the rooms where we have had the most humidity problems. This has greatly reduced our humidity and mildew problem. They cost something to run, but significantly less than the A/C units. One dehumidifier should take care of your shed, if you seal it up.


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## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

I may buy one to help along. Probably bump the units up to 78 while away. 75-73 when running trains. These units gotta fit a 18"X11" window!


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

The biggest problems I foresee is the fluctuations in temperature and humidity unless you run those units continuously, and not running your trains often enough. Otherwise, you will start having issues with the mechanical and electrical equipment.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

THE TYCO MAN said:


> I may buy one to help along. Probably bump the units up to 78 while away. 75-73 when running trains. These units gotta fit a 18"X11" window!


Dehumidifiers do not go into windows -- at least the ones that I have don't. They are "sort-of" portable units on wheels. They collect the water in a bucket that you have to empty about once a day. They do come with attachments where you can hook up a hose and let the water drain out. If you have a floor drain you can run the hose to that. If not, you can elevate the unit on a secure stand and run the hose out a window or through the wall.

What Golfermd said about running continuously is true, but as a fellow southerner, I think the humidity is far more of a problem than the temperature. You can avoid most temperature problems by leaving tiny gaps or rubbery insulated joiners between in your trackwork every so often (i.e. do not solder ALL of your rail sections together). That will take up any expansion without buckling the track.

But humidity will cause all kinds of corrosion and mold problems in addition to the expansion issues. That is why I suggested a dehumidifier. I find that In Alabama I have to run ours from about mid-May through about mid-October. The rest of the year our humidity is not so bad. But in Florida, I would expect that you might have to run it longer.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

THE TYCO MAN said:


> I may buy one to help along. Probably bump the units up to 78 while away. 75-73 when running trains. These units gotta fit a 18"X11" window!


If your A/C unit does not fit through the tiny windows, you could cut a hole in the wall for the A/C unit, if your neighbor does not object. That way you get to keep the windows for ventilation on nice days. We did that in a bedroom, where we had only one window and did not want to give it up.


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## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

I may just run a hose through the wall into the ground and not have to worry about the bucket dumping ritual. I know the window unit and the dehumidifier won't remove all of it, it'll help a lot I think. Not storing trains in there or putting anything on the layout I don't want getting ruined. It has 2 windows and prefer not to have to cut into the walls. I may get the rubber track bed stuff as cork will dry out and swell up depending on the season and do damage.


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