# Going up!



## mrmtox (Aug 24, 2011)

My layout is 6' x 8' with a small cutout. I don't have space to expand horizontally so I'm going verticle with an elevated track. It will be a single track about 60' long that loops over itself in two places. It will be about 10" - 12" above the table with the cross over points being separated by 2". Does anyone have/know of any pictures of a similar arrangement? I'm particularly interested in any clever ideas for the support posts. The outer edges will be easy to brace against the outside of my table but the interior supports are still under consideration. Thanks!! PS - I tried without success to attach a picture of the cardboard mock-up.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Mine is HO, but it loops all over the place. Maybe this will spurn some thoughts?


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## mrmtox (Aug 24, 2011)

Scott: My main thought that is spurned by your picture is that compairing my proposed elevated track to yours is like compairing a used VW beetle to a classic Royles Royce!! What a great layout you have - would have loved to have seen your planning diagrams. ! Thanks for showing me - now I'm going to take a couple of aspirin from the headache I got just trying to follow your track,


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

haha..thanks. All the detail is in my build thread if you want more info (including track diagrams)

The really low trackage is to bring trains from staging to the main level, then there is a climb up to the main yard or a branch line out to industries and a town along the back wall.

That island in the front is approximately 6x10, so it's not a ton bigger (at least that part of the layout.)


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'd hate to be on that train on the top track, he's heading for a fall right around the corner!


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

*going up*

Now I know who designed the mix master in DALLAS, TEXAS, It was sstlaurie:laugh:


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## mrmtox (Aug 24, 2011)

Well, the track is done from cardboard template to (at least) getting the track bed and retaining walls on. Still lots of things to do before the first train can leave the station.


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Great progress. Your track plan is outstanding.


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## mrmtox (Aug 24, 2011)

*going up - finished!!*

Finished it with the last bits this AM. Remarkably - it works (DCC). Am running up to four trains simultanously. At normal speed a full lap takes 55 seconds so I start the trains 10 seconds apart. Running four Brill trollies is a hoot. I highly recommend the elevated approach to anyone limited for horizontal expansion. Working in three dimensions is certainly different than working on the flat two dimensional table.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Looks very cool.


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## powersteamguy1790 (Mar 26, 2012)

Have fun with your elevated layout.:thumbsup: My original layout was completely elevated on three levels. I operated the "original" JJJ&E for over nine plus years. The "new" JJJ&E is an around the room layout in the shape of an inverted "U". I using 24 inch radii and 30 inch radii on this layout. Only a small part of this layout has a 1 1/2% grade.


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## mrmtox (Aug 24, 2011)

*It's finished - again.*

Couldn't stand the open spots on top of the outer supports so had to add an additional single track. Went with DC for now to run a single freight or passenger train. With the double looping track with the double crossovers (56 feet of track) and this new single track above it (25 feet of track) I managed to add a total of 81 feet to my layout without taking up an additional inch of floor space. I have three DC tracks on the table so with my four trollies running on the DCC track, a freight on the top and three running on the table I'm attempting eight running at once. Have made an important discovery, don't do it late in the evening after a couple of martinis!


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Very nice :thumbsup:


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Looks cool...is all of that EZ track?


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## mrmtox (Aug 24, 2011)

Scott - No. The table is all E-Z track (I was even more of a Newbe then than I am now). All of the elevated track is Atlas code 80.


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## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

Holy Cow! Awesome sauce! And a Floridian?!


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