Full Version: DoctorWayne and shelf layout benchwork
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I looked on the "other" forum for your old threads, but found most, if not all, of the pictures were dead links. I am interested to see how you are mounting your upper decks of your layout to the walls. I am in the planning stages now for a possible winter '09 start to my layout, and am in need of knowledge for multiple level shelf layout building technique.....

Anyone else with input is welcome to post here as well....

Thanks all for any pix and advice.

dave
I removed my pictures from the old forum, as I felt that the management's Draconian application of their new "rules" was contrary to the spirit of sharing which I've come to expect from such forums.

While the second level was part of the original concept, none of it is yet in place. I do have the support brackets, lighting fixtures, and some of the lumber required, and hope to start construction this coming Fall, as I have every coming Fall for the past few years. Wink Misngth Misngth

The support brackets are constructed of steel angle iron, welded together to form an inverted "L" - 1 1/2"X3/16"X7" for the part that bolts to the wall studs (using lag bolts), and 1"X1/8" angle for the actual support piece. The latter pieces are mostly 30" long, and will support an open-grid framework of 1"X2" pine, topped with 3/8" sheathing plywood. I'll probably use cork roadbed, perhaps with extruded foam sheets for scenic elevation. No track grades planned for this level. The brackets will also support underslung 4' double tube fluorescent fixtures (one bracket near each end of each fixture) to provide lighting for the lower (existing) level of the layout.
At the end of the Chippawa Creek aisle, shown below, the benchwork will be self-supporting, using 1"X4" pine for the front and end members, and the end and rear members screwed to the wall studs. That wooden framework, which has graced the sky in many of my photos, was originally intended to support engineered wooden I-beam trusses. This idea was abandoned due to the difficulty in getting a 21' truss down the basement stairs and into the layout room. Wallbang Misngth
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Likewise, the upper staging area, to be situated directly atop this one, will feature similar construction, with a vertical support member located roughly in the vicinity of the steel post shown in the photo below:
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Across the aisle, in the airspace above GERN, I hope to build a loco servicing area, with a roundhouse and turntable located in the corner. This will necessitate extending the upper level benchwork into the aisle, perhaps by as much as 1' - not an ideal situation, but the best option that I've come up with.
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With upper management severely restricting visiting railfans, facial and upper body injuries should be kept to a minimum - luckily, Mister Nutbar is a fast healer. Misngth Misngth Goldth

When construction actually starts, I'll be posting progress pictures, at least for the benchwork construction.

Wayne
There are lots of ways, a lot depends on how wide an area the upper deck will be. Brackets off the wall are good for 18" or so, some might say 2" but I think that is pushing it. You can use standard shelf mounting hardware (buy the double brackets for extra strength) I used 2x4 and plywood gussets because I got free wood. But it is bulkier, and the extra strength is not really needed (tho I like it, I can lean on it no worries!) Apic. The lower level is not yet built here. It will be about 4" beneath where the gussets meet the wall. Yes, the backdrop here will be coved. Shelf brackets would not require this.

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For a very deep scene (5 1/2' and another 18" on the other side of a backdrop) on a freestanding peninsula, I elected to only have 12 to 18" wide scenes on the lower level (well, it gets much deeper in the area of the pic, where the tracks head toward hidden staging). This kept the lower level outside of the legs required for l girders supporting the very deep upper deck. Except the one leg you see in this pic. However, it will be hidden behind cliffs. So in effect I have two levels of lgirder here. The very long span I desired to eliminate more legs required heavy lumber, 2x4 and 1x4 make up the web of the l girder here. BTW, cliffs run behind the station and on down that lower level track. Prototypical too, the Spuyten Dyvil area of the NYC, those tracks will pass thru that cut, and two tracks will be added in teh foreground, crossing the Harlem River, encountering cliffs on the other side.

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This pic is of the 18" on the other side of teh backdrop I mentioned above. The l girder here is attached to lolly columns running the length of the room. The backdrop is too hide the columns. The joist in this pic runs a bit over 6' to the area in the other pic.

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Here is one other method, also on a freestanding peninsula. This time, the scenes on the lower level are deeper, with a backdrop running roughly down the center (but at an angle) determining their depth. In this case, I essentially built a wall, I nailed a footer to the floor, and toenailed studs to it. with a header 2x4 across teh tops of the studs. For additional strength, since there are no beams to attach the header to, I placed joists for teh lower level where the studs were located, and used bolts to attach them, as shown. I bought some U channel from a welding shop and was just going to screw it to the header, but that turned out to allow too much movement. So I attached short lengths of 2x4 routed to accept teh U channel instead, this has worked well.

In the first pic, that crossbracing is for teh l girders for teh lower level, not attached to the studs at all.

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In this shot, taken laying on my back on the floor, (crazy looking angle!) you see the bolt joining the stud to teh joist of the lower level. And, you see a freight train in the hidden staging yard. Also, you see the bottom edges of the lower level backdrop (that 3/4 ply on either side of the stud) BTW, I got 2 vanloads of 3/4 ply for free, that is why it is used to such an extent on the layout!

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Here is the U channel I mentioned

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One last pic, it shows the peninsula the last set of photos were taken on. The backdrop on the lower level is that ply, covered with fabric applied with wallpaper paste. You can see it is a long wall, running at an angle so that the lower level scenes,(this one and one on the other side) are wider at one end than the other. The top level has curving edges, all to better highlight the scenes which will be on the lower level...someday!

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I used heavy duty shelving standards and brackets mounted to wall studs for my now double deck layout.
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Looks good, Shaun, and with the lights on for one level, the area not in use (unlit) more-or-less disappears. As I generally operate alone, I plan on the same idea, with lighting in use only where I'm running a train (usually switching). For running through trains, the entire room will be illuminated.

Wayne
Great replies! Thanks for the advice and photos, they were all very helpful!!

Dave
Across the aisle, in the airspace above GERN, I hope to build a loco servicing area, with a roundhouse and turntable located in the corner. This will necessitate extending the upper level benchwork into the aisle, perhaps by as much as 1' - not an ideal situation, but the best option that I've come up with.

Sir I feel I must give some advise here. You may want to look at this <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=567">viewtopic.php?f=3&t=567</a><!-- l --> I can't help but think I am not alone in this quandary. I hope it never becomes an issue for you but it is something to think about.
Thanks, Les - I had read that thread when you originally posted it. Smile

Aisle width in that area is about 3', and the second level benchwork will be at a height of about 60". Tracks crossing the doorway area on both the upper and lower levels are on lift-outs, and what will become the "lower level", once the second level is in place, was designed so that operators will be seated on rolling office chairs. The layout is really intended to be operated by only one person, although I will make provision for a second operator. This is definitely not designed to be big-time railroading. Wink Goldth

As noted in your thread, no one is guaranteed good health, or even any health, but my feeling is that the onset of serious health problems would likely make the entire layout expendable. As much as we would like to think of our hobby efforts as "permanent", for most of us they're only as permanent as we ourselves. Often, even family has no interest (just as well, in my opinion), and when that day comes, it won't matter.

Wayne
Nothing to do with shelf layout benchwork, but a question for doc Wayne...

Is that a bunch of gondola ends stored in this photo?

[Image: Foe-toesfromTrainPhotos2007third-16.jpg]

I never would have thought of stowing gondola ends somewhere. Your attention to detail never ceases to amaze me!
Actually, it was more a case of "there must be a use for these" than it was attention to detail. Misngth The Proto2000 (now Walthers) gondolas come with two types of ends included and the modeller is supposed to choose the ends similar to that used by whatever road for which the car is lettered. It seemed to me that any repair shop would have a supply of spare ends on-hand, as most gondolas were not treated too gently during loading or unloading, so I built a rack from strip styrene and loaded it with the extra ends. The yard under the crane seemed to be a good place for it.

If I ever get around to sorting through all of the "useful stuff" that I've stashed away over the years, I'll have enough "attention to detail" for a dozen layouts. Icon_lol Icon_lol

Wayne
Gondola Ends are often hinged or removeable for loading/unloading.

MOW Trains will have a string of Gondolas with all the ends removed. There will be a back-hoe that can travel the length of the train while loading/unloading ballast or welded rail, etc...
doctorwayne Wrote:If I ever get around to sorting through all of the "useful stuff" that I've stashed away over the years, I'll have enough "attention to detail" for a dozen layouts. Icon_lol Icon_lol Wayne

Hmmmmmm, sounds like a parts warehouse is needed,(with removable roof, and shelves for all the spare parts) and a small loco ( like an oil fired steam switcher, or a "paperwork-burning" shay), and some old "non-interchange flats" to move the spare parts from the warehouse to the car barn (read that workbench) when replacement parts are needed for car repairs. Big Grin Big Grin
Wayne... once you get your second level built, what will be your estimated total footage of shelves?
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