# Question Regarding Height of Model Train Table



## JStussy (Dec 31, 2020)

Hello,
I have plans to expand my current HO scale layout, and found out from my model railroad club recently that I may be receiving pieces of the benchwork from a late member's layout. My fellow club members have also told me they'd be willing to cut the benchwork pieces to my specifications, deliver them to my house, and put them together in my basement. I'm wondering, though, at what height I should have my layout so I am able to reach about two feet across while not bending over all the time. 

The track will be 2 1/2 inches off the layout base, as it will be Kato Unitrack (1/2 inch tall) on 2-inch Woodland Scenics risers; the foam sheets/pieces for scenery foundation will also be on risers. I myself am 5' 2" tall, so I was thinking between 32-34" (including 1 inch for the layout base) would work best for me, but wanted to know your thoughts on the matter.


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## Steamer_11 (Jan 23, 2021)

Hello,
In answer to your question, layout height is all about personal preference. Most people build their benchwork between 30"-32" as per Ntrack standard. I however have my layout at 60", mainly due to the space I have available to use. Plus, in my case it gives you first person perspective when viewed. It does make things more difficult to work on but being 6'2" tall, I manage with a step stool. Just remember this...it is your layout. Don't ever let anyone else tell you how to build it. Good luck in your venture and enjoy the hobby!
Matthew


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Whatever height suits your purpose will be the right height. Take into consideration if you will be sitting or standing during operation, how much room do you need underneath to access wiring or to install and wire accessories, and how much of the layout you need to be able to reach on top.

My benchwork starts at 48" and rises to 56" with even higher terrain. But I sit in a drafting chair with a good adjustment for height so I am just above eye level on the lowest level of the layout. There is also ample room underneath for maintenance. Reach, however, would be a problem without the three access areas I have in the layout.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

JStussy said:


> Hello,
> I have plans to expand my current HO scale layout, and found out from my model railroad club recently that I may be receiving pieces of the benchwork from a late member's layout. My fellow club members have also told me they'd be willing to cut the benchwork pieces to my specifications, deliver them to my house, and put them together in my basement. I'm wondering, though, at what height I should have my layout so I am able to reach about two feet across while not bending over all the time.
> 
> The track will be 2 1/2 inches off the layout base, as it will be Kato Unitrack (1/2 inch tall) on 2-inch Woodland Scenics risers; the foam sheets/pieces for scenery foundation will also be on risers. I myself am 5' 2" tall, so I was thinking between 32-34" (including 1 inch for the layout base) would work best for me, but wanted to know your thoughts on the matter.


To a large extent, this is about personal preference, although the surface height of a standard table is 30". This is too low for a lot of us to work on comfortably without a lot of lower back strain. My personal recommendation is to build your layout so that "elevation 0" -- that is, the lowest level of terrain -- is at the height of your solar plexus (that notch in the center of your rib cage right underneath the sternum. I feel that gives enough room for you to reach comfortably without your arm hitting scenery and structures, while still giving you a more " trackside" view of the layout. For me, this is 44", but obviously will be somewhat lower with your build.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

When building my room size HO layout I knew the
wiring would require a lot of under the table work.
This can be difficult and awkward. I knew I would
be looking up with my hands working on wires.
So, I figured, try to get comfortable. Sitting upright
with plenty of head room seemed mandatory. 
So I measured myself sitting on the floor and
added about 6 inches to the height of my head.
You might try that for your new layout.

Don


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## Bigfoot21075 (Aug 7, 2021)

I am going with Directors chair height. I am 6'5" and will operate it from a stool with arms. That should put me just above eye level, but still allow me to work on it with relative ease. So i am going to be about 42" for elevation 0.


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## JStussy (Dec 31, 2020)

Thank you for your replies and recommendations . I like the idea of measuring from my solar plexus, and have three items I can use as a reference point for height--kitchen table (29 inches off the floor), kitchen island (36 inches), and dining room table (30 inches). I also plan on having a sliding drawer under the layout on which to store my DCC controller and switches, and have accounted for just about enough room to fit a barstool between the main oval and yard.


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Though it's true there is no one correct MRR height, 96% of the time we see 1:1 scale trains from the side; not from above or below them...
So,...if you have your layout at a height which causes you to view your trains nearly from the side it tends to make them appear more real..(but a little above, not exactly directly across from so as to be able to look across all trackage, front to rear)..
This doesn't mean you have to stand all the time..If you like to sit and run, then you still can build it so as to be viewing from side just the same...
At the same time, if you have trackage which climbs up into hills and mountains you can build bench so as to have trains go way above your head, lending a majestic feel to the scenes...
All in all no one can decide this for you...It's your call...You can have it a knee height if you prefer looking down on all of it; a bird's eye view, say..


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Several posters are discussing operating while sitting on a barstool. I do that and have two in the layout room. To help visualize how it works a picture is posted below. The distance from the floor to the bottom of the layout structure is 35.5". The layout structure is 5", so the top of the elevation zero table is 40.5" and the top of the rail with the roadbed etc. is 42". I am just able to get my legs under the benchwork when sitting on the stool, maybe 1/2" to spare. I would not enjoy operating nearly as much if my knees always bumped the layout structure. I recommend considering this if you want to use a stool when operating.


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## Chaostrain (Jan 27, 2015)

We're building at 30" ,standard table height, so we can sit in chairs to work on it. My wife has back issues and can't stand for very long.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

This is the amount of room under the table at 44-1/2" to the bottom of the fascia board.


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## Mixed Freight (Aug 31, 2019)

N-Trak standards are 40" to the top of rail, with 1" plus or minus adjustable legs to accommodate uneven floors. Which is a pretty good all-around height for a model train layout of any gauge. It also allows adequate room to sit on the floor or on a roll-around legless chair underneath of it to work on wiring.

I make my home layouts slightly easier - 40" to the top of basic table structure, which is generally 1 x 4 framing and a 1/2" thick plywood top. Anything else (1" or 1-1/2" foam, etc., etc.) simply gets added on top of it. But, I'm 6'-2" tall, and a little extra rail height over and above 40" doesn't bother me. I can still reach 2' easily across the top without undue bending over.

Others use different heights for various reasons, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's your railroad, and therefore you can simply do what works out best for YOU.


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## JStussy (Dec 31, 2020)

Thank you for your reply . I will have portions of my layout running on inclines/declines, though they'll only be 2% grades that elevate the track one half-inch. I'll also have mountains in the center and upper left-hand portions of the layout, so I figure a bird's eye view would still enable me to see the track.



telltale said:


> Though it's true there is no one correct MRR height, 96% of the time we see 1:1 scale trains from the side; not from above or below them...
> So,...if you have your layout at a height which causes you to view your trains nearly from the side it tends to make them appear more real..(but a little above, not exactly directly across from so as to be able to look across all trackage, front to rear)..
> This doesn't mean you have to stand all the time..If you like to sit and run, then you still can build it so as to be viewing from side just the same...
> At the same time, if you have trackage which climbs up into hills and mountains you can build bench so as to have trains go way above your head, lending a majestic feel to the scenes...
> All in all no one can decide this for you...It's your call...You can have it a knee height if you prefer looking down on all of it; a bird's eye view, say..


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

My O-Scale layout is 41" to the top of the benchwork, and another half inch to the rail tops. That varies about 1.5" with the slope of the floor, so in some places it's more like 43" from the floor.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

I have a shelf layout that is 16" wide. I'm 5'8" and I wanted a close-up view of the trains so my shelf is 53" from the floor. What I failed to anticipate was a few of the buildings at the front of the layout would force me to reach over them to access the track at the rear of the layout. It's not a big problem but it is something to keep in mind with whatever height you go with.


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Gramps, I'd say 16" is nothin' to reach over..It's good you have structures in front of some trackage. The visual, to me, is more realistic that way...I too am planning a 10' x 8' shelfie L of similar width, and high up, too. I keep procrastinating due to rental room situation / wishing to relo to a better one...the fear of having to tear it down for....


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

MY layout benchwork is about 38 inches high. I have an N-Gauge layoutthat was 30" high, before the O. For expedience's sake, rather than remove the old layout, I just built the O-gauge benchwork right over the N-layout. I like the height, which, with mountains and all, means my innermost, highest loop is about 48 inches off the ground. 

I love having the high tracks and such when I watch my trains run, and it is convenient when I have to stand and work on the layout - don't lean over as much while working on it.


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## Djsfantasi (Mar 19, 2019)

I am 6’1” tall. I wanted my trains to be a little below eye height. I decided that the track would be near shoulder height and decided to build my supports around 60” high. My widest bench work was 4’ on a peninsula. This, with step stool, I could reach all the scenery with just a step stool b

That are the parameters you must decide on. How close to eye level do you want your bench work to be from your normal eye level when operating (e.g. standing or sitting). And at that preferred height, can you reach the entire benchwork top? Or do you need to lower the bench work so that’s possible?


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## HowardH (Sep 18, 2020)

It may sound dumb, but in planning my layout I went all through my house - kitchen counter, dining table, coffee table, my wife's artist's table and my workbench (and shelves) in the garage - at each point imagining structures and elevated (over-under) tracks - and assuming that if a problem were to occur, it would likely be at the point of furthest-possible reach. Other considerations for me: a low-ceiling attic, wanting to be able to work underneath the decking, and realization this wasn't just for me but for numerous grand-nephews-nieces who may not wish to be confined to a high perch. But after all, this all started for me some sixty years ago sitting cross-legged on the floor in my pajamas running American Flyer underneath furniture room-to-room. Your railroad, you call the shots. Enjoy!


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Don't consider the height of kids who may be operating. They can always use a stool.... and time will solve the height problem eventually anyway.


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## Railtwister (Nov 5, 2015)

JStussy said:


> Hello,
> I have plans to expand my current HO scale layout, and found out from my model railroad club recently that I may be receiving pieces of the benchwork from a late member's layout. My fellow club members have also told me they'd be willing to cut the benchwork pieces to my specifications, deliver them to my house, and put them together in my basement. I'm wondering, though, at what height I should have my layout so I am able to reach about two feet across while not bending over all the time.
> 
> The track will be 2 1/2 inches off the layout base, as it will be Kato Unitrack (1/2 inch tall) on 2-inch Woodland Scenics risers; the foam sheets/pieces for scenery foundation will also be on risers. I myself am 5' 2" tall, so I was thinking between 32-34" (including 1 inch for the layout base) would work best for me, but wanted to know your thoughts on the matter.





JStussy said:


> Hello,
> I have plans to expand my current HO scale layout, and found out from my model railroad club recently that I may be receiving pieces of the benchwork from a late member's layout. My fellow club members have also told me they'd be willing to cut the benchwork pieces to my specifications, deliver them to my house, and put them together in my basement. I'm wondering, though, at what height I should have my layout so I am able to reach about two feet across while not bending over all the time.
> 
> The track will be 2 1/2 inches off the layout base, as it will be Kato Unitrack (1/2 inch tall) on 2-inch Woodland Scenics risers; the foam sheets/pieces for scenery foundation will also be on risers. I myself am 5' 2" tall, so I was thinking between 32-34" (including 1 inch for the layout base) would work best for me, but wanted to know your thoughts on the matter.


Don’t forget to consider the standard sizes the lumber comes in to maximize the number of legs you can get out of each board. Example: if your boards only come in 8’ lengths, choosing 36” legs means you are wasting 2 feet of lumber for every two legs. You’d be better to make the legs 32” long, then you can get 3 legs out of an 8’ board with no waste.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

HowardH said:


> It may sound dumb . . . . realization this wasn't just for me but for numerous grand-nephews-nieces who may not wish to be confined to a high perch.


Good point about the grandkids and worth serious thought. I completed my layout before I had grandkids and when I did, ended up building a collapsable (it folds up and I put it under the layout) reviewing stand for my grandkids when they were young. It was worth it.

BTW - it takes a three year old only five seconds to figure out how to handle a Lionchief remote and operate a locomotive with it.


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## JStussy (Dec 31, 2020)

Indeed. I don't have any kids of my own at present, but I do have two nephews, and considering the rate at which they're growing (my oldest nephew's already taller than I am), I don't think they'll need a stool when my layout is finally built. I do, however, have a barstool with the PRR logo on top that I could use to let kids have a look at the layout.



CTValleyRR said:


> Don't consider the height of kids who may be operating. They can always use a stool.... and time will solve the height problem eventually anyway.


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