# moving semi modular layout...



## Zug (May 4, 2012)

If all goes well, I'll be moving just over a month from now. 
I'm looking for ideas for moving my layout. It was build as 3 2 foot by 4 foot sections, screwed togther at the end.. being in an apartment I knew moving was an eventuality. in fact I'm amazed I've lived in this..hmmm can't say it on the forum.. apt this bloody long. I'll have to cut though some scenery and remove tracks that cross seams of course. but beyond that I'm a bit concerned at it will be movers handling the sections. 

I was thinking of getting something like pallet wrap or just heavy scran type stuff and wrap it to protect the wiring under the layout. buildings, tress etc will be removed.. so it will be tract and grass/road/on the top, wire and switch machine below.
Last time I move I handle most of the layout myself. but this not practical given my health these days. So I'm just open to suggestions that might work better and let me keep my existing layout relativity the same..


----------



## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

I've not moved a layout, but generally speaking I'd cover/protect the wiring underneath an the stuff on top.

not sure about how to do either, but I would probably try to add some side rails that extend up 1 foot above the surface. Then if you use pallet wrap to wrap the whole thing good and tight that might work. Or you could enclose the whole thing with MDF, masonite, pegboard, etc


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Tom C has the right idea.

I gave away a 2 section modular HO layout some
years ago. There was some unfortunate damage
in the move.

I would suggest that you attach a 1 X 4 or 6 to
at least two sides then attach a cover material to
that. Even cardoard could help. It will be safer
if moved standing on end. Make large signs 
saying THIS END UP. 

Don


----------



## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

For me,moving has been a concern from the beginning.I know I will eventually have to move so designed the layout to be moved rather easily.I can disassemble it in three hours without cutting a single wire and should take about a day to re-assemble.

It's made of four 3/8 ply/foam modules (40" X 40") bolted on a three section angled iron frame (L-shaped) with the heaviest component being about sixty pounds.Everything assemble with 1/4" bolts so a 7/16" socket+7/16" wrench is all the tooling I need.Modules fit (two at a time) on the floor of our Gran Caravan.

Adding multiple wire connectors and dowel pins to each module has added to the building time but should pay off...some day.


----------



## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Can you meet with the movers before time and discuss it with them? They generally have the materials for safeguarding items...it's their job. I understand that you might have to do some preliminary work, but they should be able to handle things well if they know about it ahead of time so they can plan for it.


----------



## bewhole (Dec 31, 2016)

Myself in that case what I would do is:

1: Take it apart like you wanted too.

2: "Box" it up with 2x4 or what ever and wrap it.

3: Call a friend (with a pickup) if possible. If not he may have have a friend that has one.

4:Buy the beer after everything is moved. I find that a 30 pack works really well. 

It gets treated better and I think you will find that the movers will find something like that an "Extra" as in charge more. It needs to lay flat with nothing on top of it.


----------



## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

Zug said:


> If all goes well, I'll be moving just over a month from now.
> I'm looking for ideas for moving my layout. It was build as 3 2 foot by 4 foot sections, screwed togther at the end.. being in an apartment I knew moving was an eventuality. in fact I'm amazed I've lived in this..hmmm can't say it on the forum.. apt this bloody long. I'll have to cut though some scenery and remove tracks that cross seams of course. but beyond that I'm a bit concerned at it will be movers handling the sections.
> 
> I was thinking of getting something like pallet wrap or just heavy scran type stuff and wrap it to protect the wiring under the layout. buildings, tress etc will be removed.. so it will be tract and grass/road/on the top, wire and switch machine below.
> Last time I move I handle most of the layout myself. but this not practical given my health these days. So I'm just open to suggestions that might work better and let me keep my existing layout relativity the same..


Just a warning that I learned the hard way. I had United Van Lines move my stuff from California to Oregon. When the stuff was delivered, first off, the driver said it's not his job to unload the trailer. The reason he said that, IMHO, is he couldn't get the trailer close enough to the building, because of rain and dirt road conditions. OK, so some friends helped.

When we got the stuff unloaded a Bicycle I had restored was taken apart by united, Against my knowledge, and the custom paint was destroyed. Then all of the hose fittings were broken off of the back of our washing Machine.
I contacted United with a claim for damages. Their response....." WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR DAMAGE IF WE DID NOT PACK IT".
So read the small print, You may be better off destroying your layout now and save the shipping cost. When they load a van, your stuff is not the only stuff on the van. They put your stuff in a central storage place until they get enough stuff to fill the van, with items going in your general direction. So it's packed in like Sardines.
Not trying to be super negative, just don't want you super disappointed if your layout is damaged. The better you pack it, the less careful they will be with it. 

Dan


----------



## Zug (May 4, 2012)

Panther said:


> Just a warning that I learned the hard way. I had United Van Lines move my stuff from California to Oregon. When the stuff was delivered, first off, the driver said it's not his job to unload the trailer. The reason he said that, IMHO, is he couldn't get the trailer close enough to the building, because of rain and dirt road conditions. OK, so some friends helped.
> 
> When we got the stuff unloaded a Bicycle I had restored was taken apart by united, Against my knowledge, and the custom paint was destroyed. Then all of the hose fittings were broken off of the back of our washing Machine.
> I contacted United with a claim for damages. Their response....." WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR DAMAGE IF WE DID NOT PACK IT".
> ...


good to know that. one time we hire movers (i think it was United also).. they showed up on moving day and decided they didn't like the boxes we used and left..
We had yes banana box, regular file type boxes they sell at Stable and some other random grocery store boxes, all with solid and taped..

I looked at the apartemt today and apply and got it. but, and there's always a but, the bedroom is 12x10 feet, vs the 13x10 I have now, and the closet door swings in to the ro0m take and 2 feet apx....

So how do I bob 3 feet of what I have... seriously, not thinking it would be easier to just scavenge the track and dumb the existing bench modules and start over.


----------



## Zug (May 4, 2012)

bewhole said:


> Myself in that case what I would do is:
> 
> 1: Take it apart like you wanted too.
> 
> ...


I don't know anybody with a pickup. and nobody where I'm going. So calling on help isn't a option. Like i just posted a minute ago, it's a smaller space.. And I going to seriously thing about just stripping track and starting over instead of try to rework it to try to fit the new size limit..

btw: i don't drink either


----------



## bewhole (Dec 31, 2016)

Zug said:


> btw: i don't drink either


I do not drink alcohol either but some of the persons I know do so it works for them anyways.LOL And gets the job done.
Depending on how much work you actually put into it it may be hard to part with it. That being said tho if it is that much of a change then I would salvage what I could and rebuild when I could with the size and layout of the room.


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Pickup/van*



Zug said:


> I don't know anybody with a pickup. and nobody where I'm going. So calling on help isn't a option. Like i just posted a minute ago, it's a smaller space.. And I going to seriously thing about just stripping track and starting over instead of try to rework it to try to fit the new size limit..
> 
> btw: i don't drink either


Zug;


You can rent pickup trucks and small panel vans from Hertz, Avis, Rider, U-haul, etc. It might be worth the cost to protect your layout. As for trimming your layout, there's no easy way, but I have had to deal with a somewhat similar situation. When my family and I relocated to San Diego, from the Los Angeles area, my sectional model railroad went along. The layout was originally designed to be set up under a staircase in our condo. When we moved we bought a single family house with attached garage. So I had to scrap some of the layout, and add on new sections to fit the new (fortunately larger) space. You will likely need to do some similar surgery in order to fit into the new apartment. It is physically possible to reverse the swing of a door, from inward to outward. Whether your new landlord will approve such a change is another matter. If the door is between rooms, as opposed to accessing the outside world, it could simply be removed and stored. This is usually a simple matter of removing the hinge pins. When/if you move out of Apartment #2, the door can go back on the same way. If you decide to salvage what you can and start over; I suggest making the individual sections smaller. I would also fit electrical plug-and-jack connectors at each joint,(if you don't already have them) and have unsoldered rail joiners at, or near, each joint between sections. You might also consider making any new sections from Extruded foam, with 1/4"-thick Luan plywood glued to the underside of the foam. I would also recommend making a tall backdrop from 1/4" Luan or Masonite. Lastly I suggest adopting the design I used on another sectional layout. This had two strips of wood forming a channel across the front fascia. The purpose of this channel was to accept the backdrop board of another section. Two sections would fit together in "69" fashion with the backdrop of each snuggled down into the fascia channel of the other. This formed a type of protective "crate" of the sections themselves. I screwed squares of plywood to each end of this "crate" when the two sections were being transported. The overall intent of all these suggestions is to make your railroad as easy to disassemble, protect during shipment, lift (very lightweight if built with foam and Luan) and reassemble after the next move. As long as you are renting, a next move is always lurking in the background. Adopting one, or more of my suggestions might help make that move much easier.

good luck with whatever you do;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## Zug (May 4, 2012)

Ok, I've attached pics of the main layout as it stands now.  I really don't see a good way to shorten it 3 feet. even if I made the right end loop parts a down down part it's still a foot to long. and as i can see there's 3 undeveloped modules as a second deck them never came to be as my cat likes playing up there., so those un finished 2nd level modules could become the base of the new layout saving me work and money.. or i could save the left corner sections.. and just re do the right part


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Very nice layout. I can see why you would want to
move it to a new location.

It seems a daunting project to me, however. You have
some scenery that is going to make taking it apart more
difficult. Your benchwork is going to be heavy and
awkward to move even after you cut it into sections.
A moving company is likely going to insist on some
sort of crating. 

It may be easier if you remove the hills and other
features. Pack them separately. 

All in all, though, you may want to simply take the
whole thing apart and start over in your new home.

You also might consider renting a trailer. They
are available in various sizes and cost less to use
than a rental truck.

Don


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Shorter layout*



Zug said:


> Ok, I've attached pics of the main layout as it stands now. I really don't see a good way to shorten it 3 feet. even if I made the right end loop parts a down down part it's still a foot to long. and as i can see there's 3 undeveloped modules as a second deck them never came to be as my cat likes playing up there., so those un finished 2nd level modules could become the base of the new layout saving me work and money.. or i could save the left corner sections.. and just re do the right part


Zug;

I can't see from your photos where the loop you mention is, but that doesn't really matter. You are in the best position to decide what can, or can't, be shortened. While I agree with DonR that you have a nice layout; I also agree that it will be difficult to move. Ultimately, yours is the only vote that counts, of course.
I'm curious about the grids attached to the front of the layout. Are they intended to keep your cat off the layout, or help it climb to the top shelf? I also notice the front support boards blocking some of the view. My sectional, N-scale, layout also has a top shelf, used for storage of books, not cats! However there are no front posts at all. This gives an unrestricted, continuous, view. The design is copied from an old Model Railroader article titled "Bookshelf Model Railroads." It uses built-in arches to support the load on the top shelf without front posts. The design is amazingly strong. There must be many pounds of books, a 19" TV set, and other equipment, sitting on top. If you choose to rebuild for your new apartment, perhaps you might consider this design for the new layout. 

Regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:

End view of one of my sections showing the supporting arch, and curved backdrop. This is one of the four sections I was able to re-use from the original layout.


----------



## Zug (May 4, 2012)

Thank you for the complements on my layout, I wish I had got more done on it but when my health really started getting bad about 6 yeas ago, I got stalled on it. So perhaps a start over would be best., but it's month to the actual move. but I figure whatever i do must be done with in the next two week. I wish I had measured the new place's bedroom in detail to give me better ideas. while i figure the right most section is a lost cause, the two that meet in the left corner could be saved and be a great jump start and cost saver. 

the grill covering the layout is to keep my cat out and let air flow and let me see the layout a bit to. They are the eggcrate type drop in ceiling panel use for office lighting.

any body know how wide the trunk is on a05 Grand Prix off hand? lol


----------



## bewhole (Dec 31, 2016)

Well...... Seeing you asked.(2005 mdl)

Trunk Volume (ft³) 16.0


----------



## Zug (May 4, 2012)

bewhole said:


> Well...... Seeing you asked.(2005 mdl)
> 
> Trunk Volume (ft³) 16.0


 Oh i wish mine looked the neat  but you know.. looking at that pic.. i almost thing i could lay them in there. going to take my tape measure when I go out tomorrow and see, with the seat down i should have no trouble putting the 2 sections i want to save in.


----------



## grouch (Sep 25, 2013)

*Mattress box*

Take a look at different size mattress boxes. Rim it with ridge foam on the sides and top, then either air pillows or foam peanuts for padding. 

Yes the movers will treat it like a mattress, but that's why you pack it securely.


----------



## Zug (May 4, 2012)

Well new problem... the movers I hard got touchy when I asked to see references.. they said it sounds fishy to THEM.. and did want people calling around bothering past customers... So back looking for movers again... grrr


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Mediocre movers*



Zug said:


> Well new problem... the movers I hard got touchy when I asked to see references.. they said it sounds fishy to THEM.. and did want people calling around bothering past customers... So back looking for movers again... grrr


Zug;

Sounds like those bozo movers should be reported! Perhaps the better business bureau, or Angie's s#*t list! Sorry to hear you're having so much trouble. I hope things improve for you.

regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## Zug (May 4, 2012)

traction fan said:


> Zug;
> 
> Sounds like those bozo movers should be reported! Perhaps the better business bureau, or Angie's s#*t list! Sorry to hear you're having so much trouble. I hope things improve for you.
> 
> ...


I have found other movers, a lot bigger price tag, but BBB accredited.. and more fun, my ISP is shutting off my internet on the orgial date (2nd) and can't change it. move is now the 3rd.. and ISP just called my 5 minutes ago to say I can't get new server on the 3rd. so going to try for the 4th... And with no internet I have no phone (magicjack), not TV because I stream everything.. of fun.. my DVD stash and PS3 just made the high priority list in the move.


----------



## Zug (May 4, 2012)

two weeks til moving day, 2 sections of my layout are still standing, behind were I wanted to be in packing, had a few sick days and a couple just to exhausted to do anything days slow me down. and I wanted to move the two sections I want to keep in the pre move load that would be either friday or that start of next week.. Still up at 2am because my back and leg are hurting for off the stuff I'm doing getting ready to move.. and tonight I'm starting to thing the 2 "keep" sections may just be scrapped after all and start a whole new layout after the move instead of the hassle of trying to moving them protecting all the wiring and track.. maybe it's the exhaustion getting to me.

but I'm thinking if i start over, I can fix some of the mistakes in the existing layout. and eliminate the 1 foot bridge section between the two section, the left section is newer then the rest, it's 2' by 4', but it replaced a section of my original layout I build about 12+ years ago that was 3' by 5'. so the 1 foot "bridge" filled the gap in size..

Am I making any sense out of this a late nite rambling post under the influence of back pain and advil that isn't helping? in the new apt, it'll also being in my bedroom. (10x12') pretty much a basic box. window center of far wall, door swinging in on the left facing in, closet door swinging into the room on the right.. so no matter what way I do it. I loose a few feet to the doors on the inside wall. I'm thinking start the layout on the right side just clear of the closet door, go to the corner. narrow shelf track under the window (and over the heater) and a single section in the left corner. may only 2x3' to allow ore room for normal furniture...


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Hope you're feeling better!*



Zug said:


> two weeks til moving day, 2 sections of my layout are still standing, behind were I wanted to be in packing, had a few sick days and a couple just to exhausted to do anything days slow me down. and I wanted to move the two sections I want to keep in the pre move load that would be either friday or that start of next week.. Still up at 2am because my back and leg are hurting for off the stuff I'm doing getting ready to move.. and tonight I'm starting to thing the 2 "keep" sections may just be scrapped after all and start a whole new layout after the move instead of the hassle of trying to moving them protecting all the wiring and track.. maybe it's the exhaustion getting to me.
> 
> but I'm thinking if i start over, I can fix some of the mistakes in the existing layout. and eliminate the 1 foot bridge section between the two section, the left section is newer then the rest, it's 2' by 4', but it replaced a section of my original layout I build about 12+ years ago that was 3' by 5'. so the 1 foot "bridge" filled the gap in size..
> 
> Am I making any sense out of this a late nite rambling post under the influence of back pain and advil that isn't helping? in the new apt, it'll also being in my bedroom. (10x12') pretty much a basic box. window center of far wall, door swinging in on the left facing in, closet door swinging into the room on the right.. so no matter what way I do it. I loose a few feet to the doors on the inside wall. I'm thinking start the layout on the right side just clear of the closet door, go to the corner. narrow shelf track under the window (and over the heater) and a single section in the left corner. may only 2x3' to allow ore room for normal furniture...


Zug;

Sorry to hear about your pain. I have been there and know it's miserable. Scrapping the old layout to correct mistakes is something a lot of us have done, but its still for you to choose. When you're feeling better, you might want to make a scale drawing of the new apartment's available train space. If you have SCARM, or some other digital track planning program, you could use that. If you're like me, and wouldn't recognize a digital program if one ran up and bit you on the leg, you could just use pencil and paper. Such an analog, "old school" drawing can be scanned into a computer to post it. The point of posting either kind of drawing would be to solicit suggestions on fitting the new railroad into the new space; if you want.

Good luck with your heath problems and the new layout;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## Zug (May 4, 2012)

the more i think about it. starting over is probably the way to go. I can make it all proper 2x4' sections and not have that 1 foot gap and a filler selection. making it easier to move in the future. and I won't have the worry of moving existing section trying not to destroy all the work I put in to it. and I can work on a better design, I made it a bit to complex trying to put in a lot of switches and sidings and go with a simpler easier to run plan


----------

