Svein Wrote:...Here's a drawing of the area, the rooms in question are labeled Storage 1 and Storage 2 ...

How do you plan to "connect" the rooms? One or more small holes/tunnels or will you make a larger opening?

I'll probably just make several small holes in the wall. My initial plan was to knock down the wall (or part of it) to make it one large room, but then I got a little worried about the structural integrity of the floor and walls above. The basement walls are all cast concrete, acting as the foundation for the ground floor, and the ceiling height in the basement is only slightly over 6'2" (189 cm).

I've been thinking of using only the larger room as the layout room, with staging and helix (if any) placed in the other room, along with a work bench, a spray booth, and general storage shelves.

Svein

Sounds like a solid plan. Looking forward to plans & sketches.

Galen

Please don't hesitate to chime in with any ideas you guys might have. We've also had a discussion thread over on the trains.com forum, but I'm having serious problems coming up with a working track plan that I like. I fear maybe I'm coming down with a slight case of analysis paralysis here...

Svein

Svein Wrote:Please don't hesitate to chime in with any ideas you guys might have. We've also had a discussion thread over on the trains.com forum, but I'm having serious problems coming up with a working track plan that I like. I fear maybe I'm coming down with a slight case of analysis paralysis here...

Svein

Ha ha, that sounds like a recent article in Model railroad hobbyist magazine, Analysis Paralysis. :-) If you haven't read that magazine, I suggest you do. It's free, online, downloadable, printable etc. Including all the back issues, and I personally think it is right up there with all the established better 'paper' magazines, and in some ways, even better. Oh, and did I mention it's free? :-)

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Koos

torikoos Wrote:Ha ha, that sounds like a recent article in Model railroad hobbyist magazine, Analysis Paralysis. :-) If you haven't read that magazine, I suggest you do. It's free, online, downloadable, printable etc. Including all the back issues, and I personally think it is right up there with all the established better 'paper' magazines, and in some ways, even better. Oh, and did I mention it's free? :-)

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Koos

Actually, I usually download MRH on a regular basis, but with so much going on here lately I've simply forgotten about the last two issues. Thanks for reminding me!

Svein

Got the keys to our new house this afternoon. We will probably start moving boxes and smaller stuff tomorrow, and we're getting a truck for the furniture and heavier items this weekend. Will try to post some pics of the new train room(s) tomorrow.

BTW, the previous owner told us today that the crawlspace has full height basement walls all the way around. If that's true, it's only a matter of digging out and removing all the dirt and gravel from the crawlspace area and cast a new concrete floor, and I'll have a pretty sizeable expansion area for my layout..!

Svein

Svein Wrote:I'm having serious problems coming up with a working track plan that I like. I fear maybe I'm coming down with a slight case of analysis paralysis here... Svein

Then ----- don't analyze. "See it", and then "paint ( as in build ) it"

Sumpter250 Wrote:Then ----- don't analyze. "See it", and then "paint ( as in build ) it"

Gosh, you make it sound so easy!

Here's some pics of the two rooms.

















Svein

I wonder how wet that basement will be in the rainy season?

Even so, it looks like it will be a splendid place for trains after a good scrubbing.

Galen

I wondered about that too, but according to the previous owner the efflorescences on the walls and floor are old. He replaced the outside drainage about 10 years ago, so the basement should be dry now. The house is situated quite high in the terrain, with a slope leading down to a small stream to the southeast.

Svein

OK, so here's a draft for a possible track plan configuration I'd like to discuss with you guys. I've tried several double deck designs, but wasn't really satisfied with any of them, so I'm back to a single deck design.

This layout is to be situated quite high, about 140-150cm (55"-59") above the floor, and the shelves are only about 36-40cm (14"-16") wide in general. The duckunder could also be built as a fold down section, but the idea of interrupting the traffic like that isn't very appealing to me.

Minimum radius is about 60cm (24"), and operator isles are 70cm (27 1/2"). Enough for a solo operator, but maybe a little cramped if two operators need to pass each other. A possible workaround is to have each operator in his/her own "compartment" during a session, and simply put them in charge of "their" half of the layout (with possibly a third operator located in Storage 2, if I decide to extend the layout into that room to reuse my existing sections. Otherwise, the track leaving Storage 1 in the lower right corner can lead to a second staging yard).

The towns and stations are subject to changes if necceccary, the plan as shown is only an idea to see what will fit.



So what do you think? Any constructive critisism is welcome, as well as pointing out any pitfalls or design errors I may have overlooked.

Svein

Can you remove the wall between the two rooms? The rooms are small enough that I would not try to put any sort of peninsula in the center of either room. If you can't remove the wall, could you put a doorway between them? A doorway @ 4 feet wide where that center peninsula is located would allow for an industrial switching district along the dividing wall on either side in both rooms. Connecting both rooms would also allow you to only have one of the other doors used for access to the two rooms. The other door could be left in place and a sign placed on the outside advising people to "Use the other door." That way the door would still be there for an emergency exit. Make the layout point to point, with provision of a shelf across the entrance door to allow for continuous running when the mood strikes. With this modification to the space, the entrance door puts you in the center of the layout with with plenty of room for the operators to move about without getting in the way of each other.

Sadly no, the wall is cast concrete and acts as the foundation for the upper floor. I may be able to put in a doorway between the rooms, but I have to make sure it doesn't compromise the structural integrity of the house first. Actually, I was kinda hoping I wouldn't have to open up between the rooms at all, but rather take advantage of the fact that there are two separate areas; one for the layout, and one for a work room.

I agree with you that the area is a bit to small for a peninsula, I've sort of been aware of that the whole time, but I just didn't want to admit it to myself, trying to cram in as much as possible. It's probably for the better if I just keep it an around the walls layout without the peninsula, it'll make the room much more spacious and suitable for more operators. But then I'll have to go over my givens and druthers list one more time, it seems I just don't have enough room for everything I want.

Svein