# Ceiling train for dental office



## Railroad916

Hello all,

I'm glad I have found you guys. I am dentist(opening a new office) and would love to have a train set up on the ceiling in the waiting area (9x11 ft). I purchased the Lionel Polar Express in O guage and it looks too small so I feel G scale would work best. The train wouldn't be on all the time, just more for show. The reason I would like the train is that my area has a rich history in the railroad industry and there are trains that pass in front of my office, a replica train not too far away and so on. I feel it would be fun and make patients a little more at ease by having a train themed office. 

So what G scale train set would you recommend? 

I plan on using the ceiling kit that you can buy from ceilingtrainkit . Love the classic look of it.


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## shaygetz

Welcome to the forum...

I would highly recommend LGB G scale trains, especially one with their 0-4-0 Stainz locomotive. It is well suited to this type of setup as it has power pickup from the wheel sets as well as track sliders that keep the track clean while picking up power...

http://www.hobbymasters.com/GGaugeModelTrainSets.aspx


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## NIMT

Normaly ceiling trains are done in O, But if you've got the space then G would work fine too. O on the average works better because it requires less track cleaning.
Are you going with steam or diesel era?
Sound or no sound?
How do you want to control it?
Making it run randomly would be the best bet, and It will keep the staff from going nuts with it running all the time.
but I would put in a "push to run train" button, overrides the random and make it run right now.


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## gunrunnerjohn

I think unless the ceiling is pretty high that O-gauge should look fine up there.


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## Railroad916

NIMT said:


> Normaly ceiling trains are done in O, But if you've got the space then G would work fine too. O on the average works better because it requires less track cleaning.
> Are you going with steam or diesel era?
> Sound or no sound?
> How do you want to control it?
> Making it run randomly would be the best bet, and It will keep the staff from going nuts with it running all the time.
> but I would put in a "push to run train" button, overrides the random and make it run right now.


I like the steam era.
I would prefer to have the ability to turn sound on and off, or have adjustment to lower as I would now want it too loud chugging around the room.
I never knew you could run it randomly. That seems the best way as it can go on and off throughout the day. Or I can have it for show most times and turn it on occasionally.

This is the kit I would like to buy as well. They are running a G scale and I like how one can clearly see it. I'll check my dimensions to see if I can have one hang that low, but I think I can.
http://ceilingtrainkit.com/

Any recommendations on actual train set by LGB? So much to choose from.


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## shaygetz

I owned this one...

http://www.hobbymasters.com/LGB-G-Scale-120v-Euro-Passenger-Train-Set-w-Sound.aspx

...it served me many years, even though it was used in an outdoor garden layout and, like a well cared for Mercedes, retained its value quite well. It's very colorful, follows a real prototype, has excellent rod action for a small steamer and, --dare I say-- , it's cute, so it will appeal to a wider patient base.


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## gunrunnerjohn

That's a cool looking locomotive, but I think for an office I'd probably turn off the smoke.


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## sstlaure

I love that ceiling train kit. I hadn't seen those before.

I like that engine they showed in their video as well. I would probably be tempted to get something really big like a Cab Forward 4-8-8-2 or something unique like a Shay.

edit: holy crap - I had no idea how expensive G-scale can be. Yikes. I really didn't mean to recommend engines that cost $4K+

http://www.caboosehobbies.com/catal...?maxrow=50&scales_name=G Scale&sort=6d&page=1


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## broox

Get a normal engine for your waiting room, that'd be quite cool... But you definitely need something weird / totally offbeat to run around your surgery (or whatever the drilly-drilly screamy-screamy room is called) just aftet the gas is administered. Some sort of animated circus train or something. Never speak of it, and upload the reaction to youtube. hahaha


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## tjcruiser

FYI ...

Your the SECOND dentist to chime in here looking for office loop layout ideas. Not sure whatever became of this, but have a read here ...

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=4786

TJ


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## shaygetz

tjcruiser said:


> FYI ...
> 
> Your the SECOND dentist to chime in here looking for office loop layout ideas. Not sure whatever became of this, but have a read here ...
> 
> http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=4786
> 
> TJ


...I think because it hides the sound of the drill.


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## Railroad916

Thanks guys. 

I will definitely post pics when I am done and I am doing one for sure because my dental office will be named with a railroad, railway family dental blah blah. Thanks guys.


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## Railroad916

what does 0-4-0 , 4-6-0 and so mean?

Edit...I figured it out for the most part...thanks


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## tjcruiser

Steamer wheel configuration ... "Whyte notation" ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whyte_notation

TJ


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## Carl

Very interesting idea for your office. I am sure it will interest your clients. I have seen the wooden ceiling mounts that you reference in the internet site. It looks great. Best of luck.


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## ChopperCharles

tjcruiser said:


> FYI ...
> 
> Your the SECOND dentist to chime in here looking for office loop layout ideas. Not sure whatever became of this, but have a read here ...
> 
> http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=4786
> 
> TJ


*You're


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## tjcruiser

_You're_ correct!


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## wsorfan4003

tjcruiser said:


> Steamer wheel configuration ... "Whyte notation" ...
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whyte_notation
> 
> TJ


Wow, I knew what the numbers meant, but never knew it was called the Whyte notation. Guess you learn something new everyday.


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