# Underfloor N gauge track plan



## flankerhung (Jan 6, 2013)

Hi all,

New to this forum. I am a diehard fans on H0, but is now thinking to build a small track under my floor with a reinforced glass floor.

My plan is around 2 meter X 1 meter with around 15cm height. Anyone has a similar work before? I am designing the structure and layout, but still consideration the material for the cover.

Any ideas?

:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Hi Andy,

I haven't heard of an under-the-floor layout before. Sounds like a great idea. First question that comes to my mind is the choice of glass/Lexan/etc material for the top that can support (safely, without significant deflection) standing load over that unsupported span. And how will you have access to the layout? Will you have to remove the top panel, or will there be access from some trap door panel underneath (from ceiling below)?

From a structural standpoint, once you get to a panel aspect ratio of about 2 (i.e, your 2m x 1m panel), all of the load is carried across the short-span direction ... i.e., across the 1m dimension. Length beyond 2m has no affect on deflections.

TJ


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

Theres a couple of pubs around these parts where they have a glass floor (its a bit opaque though, ie, not 100% clear) and you can see through to the cellar, can see all the kegs etc.. Its a pretty cool effect.

You'd want to have it as clear as possible so you dont lose detail of the small scale.

Have you thought about making a large coffee table style first, making sure its running 100% , then sinking it into the floor at a later date?


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I just tried a Google Image search on "glass floor" ... some interesting examples / ideas / schematics.

TJ


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## BaileyJunction (Jan 12, 2013)

My step dad got a great idea several years ago for his back porch. They were tearing down a convenient store to build something new, and he asked them if he could have the glass. The glass panes were like 4X8 and were 1/2 inch thick and weighed a ton.
They gave them to him all he had to do was take them down. He got a guy he knew who used to work at a glass place to help him cut them, and he put them up around his back porch to make a sun room.

I can say from helping him, if you used this type of glass you could use a piece of 1" steel rod to make a support column about every 2 sq. feet, you wouldn't have an issue with being able to walk on it. Maybe you could hide the steel support rod in a tall building or a mountain so it would blend in and not be so obvious.

You won't just lift it up a 150 Lbs piece of glass to work on the layout, though. You'd have to have access from underneath or something.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Sears Tower

1.5' thick glass said to be able to withstand 5 ton of weight, 10'x 10'.

103 floors up.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Do check with your local town / city building codes, though. I'd suspect there are strict mandates for any glass used as a flooring material.

TJ


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## Artieiii (Apr 25, 2011)

Grand canyon skywalk with glass floor. I hope you're not afraid of heights LOL.
-Art


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## BaileyJunction (Jan 12, 2013)

1.5 inch sounds a little overkill to me. Plus I suspect your gonna have to do some reinforcing of floor joists to support a 1,500 pound piece of glass.
You'd have to consult a structural engineer. Even larger fish tanks put enough weight on floor joists that they have to be reinforced. Residential floors aren't designed for that kind of weight.

A friend of mine wanted a salt water fish tank in the corner of a room and he had to literally re-build the floor. An engineer can tell you just by looking at the houseplans how much point weight your floor is designed to support.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

They say that standing on the glass when your high up in the clouds doesn't affect most of the kids.
But a lot of adults get a woozy feeling or start puking or pass out when standing on something like that. Or wouldn't even attempt to stand on it.

I must admit I would not feel too comfortable standing on it that high up with my 265 lbs. 
Especially if the kids were running around and jumping up and down on it.

I would request a safety harness attached to something solid, either that or a parachute. 
Insurance companies should mandate that!

They make me wear a safety harness when I go up top of the tanker sometimes. 
Yesterday I had to wear a harness but the plant doesn't have anywhere to hook the harness to. :thumbsdown:
They forced me to wear it as their bosses would yell at them if they caught me not wearing it. It is filthy and cumbersome more of a hindrance then safe! And would not stop anyone from falling as there is nothing to hook it to.:retard:
Safety BS!
I wore the stupid thing once, now when we bottom sample and they run it into the lab as they go there I run up top and open the domes up. I then pull out on the street when I am done and close them. I refuse to wear the filthy thing! And they can't get in trouble as they were not there to witness it, they are fine with that. I am waiting for the day a boss catches me. I will give him a earful about his safety harness!
We do have tankers with vapor recovery so you can open the tops to vent from the bottom. If they were really concerned with my safety they should make it a law that ALL tankers have vapor recovery on them.:smokin:
Safety BS! It is all about lower insurance rates if you conform to the insurance safety ideals.
Bottom line is they get a better rate saying they have a safety harness setup. Same with with flame retarding overalls, same with hardhats and safety shoes, same with every safe thing they come up with.
Some things I will agree like safety shoes and glasses for protection. I hit my head on more things with the hard hat on as I am tall. And if a 100 lb piece of metal falls on my head I will need more then a hardhat to protect me. The only thing in my line of work that the hardhat is good for is keeping pigeon crap out of my hair.

Someone got run over by a truck backing into a dock, now they make you wear reflective safety vests.
The stupid *!$*!! should not have been standing behind the truck in the first place and the guy backing in would not have seen him anyway even if he had blinking LED lights on him. Maybe next they will think of blinking stobe lights on top of the hardhats.

But now you get a better rate if you force everyone to wear one.

Some plants make all their workers back in their parking spots as they had an accident backing out. 
Duh....either way you can have an accident as you have to back in anyway.
What is next beepers for cars when they are in reverse?
Most new trucks have the beepers installed when new now.



Safety BS!
Thanks for listening to my rant, I could go on in on but won't.


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## Hold'ErNewt (Nov 27, 2012)

big ed said:


> now they make you wear reflective safety vests.


Most accidents happen in the home. I wear my safety vest in the shower... you know, in case I slip and fall.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Hold'ErNewt said:


> Most accidents happen in the home. I wear my safety vest in the shower... you know, in case I slip and fall.


You need a harness not a vest.
You wear a jock strap & cup too? Just in case?:laugh:


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Interesting idea. One could use Lexan Plastic (the clear plastic stuff they use for protection issues. Not sure how you would perform maintenance on the layout.


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## Jez (Nov 12, 2013)

*Did anything come of the underfloor railway?*



flankerhung said:


> ...thinking to build a small track under my floor with a reinforced glass floor...



Hi there, 

I just found this thread from a Google search, so I quickly joined the forum! 

It was posted at the beginning of the year, and I wondered if anything came of the underfloor railway? 

I only ask, because I've just had a quote for a piece of 33mm (1¼") thick, toughened, laminated glass, 1000mm by 800mm (39½"x31½") for £280 (US$440) to do the very same thing!

I'm planning on ripping out a few floor joists and strengthening what's left around the layout, ready for the galss, over my time off work at Christmas. But I'd LOVE to hear how it went for someone else before I start!

If anyone knows, DO let me know,
Cheers
Jez 
(in England)


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

The OP of this thread never came back to his thread to say anything. :dunno:


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

I like this idea. Visited a museum once as a kid that had clear lexan square tiles and a model of the town under the floor. Took up the whole room and each tile could be removed with a pair of suction grips if needed. 
This would be really cool to take the whole floor in the basement, but then you'd lose 4-6 inches of floor height depending on which scale you went with. And I think wireless DCC would be a necessaity.


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