# Phase 1 drawings and aquisition of rightaway!!



## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

Hey: We are in the proces of aquisition of rightaway for our new railroad:laugh: Thiought i would post first set of drawings and construction of bench work for funzies:thumbsup:Now over look the architectural engineer, as he only has one eye and it doesnt work too good sometimes:thumbsup:

feel free to critique and give advice as you please!! Just rememebr as in all construction contracts if you want to post a change order you will have to make a cash contribution:laugh:


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

The 1/8" plyboard will warp like crazy with shifts in humidity, even if you bolt the heck out of it. I wouldn't go lower than 1/2" thick personally.

Also, 30" layout height seems too low, do you want to sit or stand when you're running your layout? I wouldn't do anything lower than a standard kitchen countertop height and I actually prefer the layout to be higher for a comfortable view when standing (the highest portion of my layout is at 48" with my staging at 32". A higher table gives you more room to work on the wiring, etc below and will also provide for some storage.

Here's a view where you can see the staging at 32", the main table level at around 40" and the upper level at around 48"


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

Scott has good valid points. Do you want to view your layout at helicopter height?
Take a look at scott's layout build for guidance and inspiration.


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## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

*phase 1 drawings and aquisition of rightaway*

Hi sstlaurie: I am glad you brought up the height, I went back and measured the current set up which is 2 6 ft x 3ft folding tabled side by side they are 28 inches from floor, so that will be my frame height before adding on the 4 inch foam, that allows us to roll our 3 drawer storage cabinets under the benchwork!! And as you stated, i think you are correct on using heavier ply wood strips for my cross piece supports , so thank you some times its better to get another pair of eyes on something:thumbsup: I know the photos werent that good but me and wifes little camera argue, and as have stated got only one working eye and it doesnt see that good !! i did think my idea of not laying full sheet of plywood is best for me as we plan on having a lot of what i call animated toys on the board, i am working on plans for a working drilling rig, lots of little lights ect. adistant familly memeber is chief engineer for our wireless internet, and said he has a bunch of fiber optic cable from the phone side of his co and bunches of scrap multi conductor phone wire, his boss says i can have just come get it:thumbsup: I welcom and appreciate all suggestions


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

Will you be seated or standing when you play with your layout? 32 inches isnt very tall, but if it works for you then thats all that matters, but for instance my layout height is about 50 inches tall, some may think 50 inches is tall, others may think this isnt tall enough. There is lots of different opinions on layout height. 

I honestly prefer a layout thats near eye level, you get a better perspective, and it doesnt look toy like. Again im not trying to get you to make your layout 50 inches tall, I just want you to think it over alittle more, you could always add height to your folding legs, but again if 32 inches works for you then so be it


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## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

*Phase 1 drawings and aquisitin of right of way*

Hey joeed: The reason i am not going over 36-38 inches, is i have back problems, and as it will be 4 ft wide, i want to be able to reacch all the way across, after checking this is most comfortable for me. also we will sit to operate the trains,and all controls will be mounted on side on shelves on drop down L brackets, will be similar to sitting t desk and using pc key board. at my measure ments we will be looking across whole trian board at approximately 12 inches above the track >> rough estimate it will give us a complete view front to back all the way across.also this allows me to compensate for my visual problems. I knwo doesnt sound conventional, and i am stil tweeking height and reach so nothing in concrete as of yet, and taking all suggestions under advisement


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## David-Stockwell (Sep 21, 2010)

joed2323 said:


> Scott has good valid points. Do you want to view your layout at helicopter height?
> Take a look at scott's layout build for guidance and inspiration.





gandy dancer#1 said:


> Hi sstlaurie: I am glad you brought up the height, I went back and measured the current set up which is 2 6 ft x 3ft folding tabled side by side they are 28 inches from floor, so that will be my frame height before adding on the 4 inch foam, that allows us to roll our 3 drawer storage cabinets under the benchwork!! And as you stated, i think you are correct on using heavier ply wood strips for my cross piece supports , so thank you some times its better to get another pair of eyes on something:thumbsup: I know the photos werent that good but me and wifes little camera argue, and as have stated got only one working eye and it doesnt see that good !! i did think my idea of not laying full sheet of plywood is best for me as we plan on having a lot of what i call animated toys on the board, i am working on plans for a working drilling rig, lots of little lights ect. adistant familly memeber is chief engineer for our wireless internet, and said he has a bunch of fiber optic cable from the phone side of his co and bunches of scrap multi conductor phone wire, his boss says i can have just come get it:thumbsup: I welcom and appreciate all suggestions





joed2323 said:


> Will you be seated or standing when you play with your layout? 32 inches isnt very tall, but if it works for you then thats all that matters, but for instance my layout height is about 50 inches tall, some may think 50 inches is tall, others may think this isnt tall enough. There is lots of different opinions on layout height.
> 
> I honestly prefer a layout thats near eye level, you get a better perspective, and it doesnt look toy like. Again im not trying to get you to make your layout 50 inches tall, I just want you to think it over alittle more, you could always add height to your folding legs, but again if 32 inches works for you then so be it


Hello to you all,
I agree with gandy dancer#1:thumbsup:about the height also. I guess my dream layout would be roughly the same height with track levels + or - 6 inches and have scenery maybe only 2 feet from the floor so I could have some deep gorges with tall bridges something like the Gorre & Daphited of John Allen, but like I say that's a dream layout!!hwell: I don't even have one of any kind:laugh:
All of you youngsters can have your high railroads and walk around control and DCC, but us old farts want to sit and operate. Maybe have a chair with wheels on it to move around easily.

Cheers, Dave


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Am I seeing this right that you have a 16x22 ft space to work with? I'd love to do some design work in that space. I could do a really nice walk-around where you wouldn't have more than 2 ft of reachover anywhere and with a 100ft+ length mainline.

Also, looks like you were going to use 2x4 lumber. 1x4 is more than sufficient and you just use 1x3 to make stringers (I went every 16" just like framing a wall.) I've framed up (2) layouts this way and my father has sat in the middle of both of them (~250lbs) Legs are 2x2 with 1x2 bracing. I cut the gussets out of leftover plyboard to reinforce where the braces attach to the legs.

Here's the basic benchwork on my 16x16 (it keeps growing) layout.


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## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

*Phase 1 drawing and aqusition of rightaway*

Hey Stlaurie: I know my pics were horrible asking wife to pay for photography leesons for christmas Actually envision a square horse shoe along 3 walls, one leg is 18ft long x 4ft wide, connects in corner to center leg 16 ft x 4 ft wide, connects to third leg i re-measured 8ft x4ft. I have access thanks to father in law, to a bunch of 2x4's so will go with that. then in second drawing, i will use 1/8 to maybe a little thicker x 2ft x 4ft plywood across the base, leaving a gap between these pieces of approx 2ft, all the way down the lenght. the gaps are for electrical wiring and other top side attachments that nned to go through the foam base. I think we will have enough rightaway to construc a proper railroad being as room actually measure 16 ft 11 inches across, that leaves 8 ft in center of horse shoe for walking room. we will be using office chairs with wheels for engineer seats:thumbsup: each section, i will mount a shelf 12 inches in width x 2ft long on L brackets controller, switches ect will go here, just roll up and put hands on similar to pc key board set up. hid out of sitte underneath will be a couple of small 12 volt power supplies for lighting and track accessories and action objects. there will be plenty of height to also roll our 3 drawe cabinets with rollers to keep all neccessary equipment in. in the open area we will have a little round table, where we will drink our coffee, his naturally is hot chocolate:laugh:


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