[stumpycc]

I am finaly getting started on my indoor suspended railway!! It has been 2 years in the planning and aquiring stage. On Feb. 3rd, I received 39 track hangars from Micheal Neibaum www.trainbuildings.com. All total I have 42 sigle track hangars, ( I have had three of them for over a year now ), which can hold up to 30lbs. each. 144 feet of AML Flex track, 3 boxes of 6pcs. of 6 foot track and 1 box of 12 pcs. 3 foot track.

Here is a link to the pictures of preparing the track and hangars before installation:

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/570491571kliWBo?vhost=home-and-garden

You can click on each pitcuter to see it or watch a slide show

I borrowed a Train-Li track bender from a fellow club member and took one box ( 6 pcs ) of 6 foot straight track and bent them into 90 degree turns. I took a 1 foot secftion of Aritocraft track and attached it to the flex track with split jaws and used the rail joiners to keep the track even against the wall. Then I bent the track until I got a 90 degree turn. I took pictures of the reading on the track bender when it was complete but I have no idea as to what it means. I bent three left and three right curves.
I then hooked 2 of the peices together and measured them across at the widest part. They measured 7 feet 8 inches. I am not sure what diameter the curves are or thier circumfrance. ( radias )

Another item I got from Micheal was a 5 foot bridge, which will go across the Fireplace. I painted it black so it will stand out from the wall. ( my wife likes it ). I am still trying to decide wehter or not to paint the hangars for the livingroom black or use the ones I have stained already. I will get a couple of them hung and see what the boss thinks.

The reason I get to hang it from the ceiling is because the wife is afraid she will step on the track ( with bare feet ) if it is on the floor and also not be able to sweep around it. She also gave me permission to cut holes in the walls as long as I make them look like tunnel portals. I have showed her some examples of portals and she seemed to like them. The track will run from the livingroom into and around thru the computer room and across the hallway to the bedroom, around the bedroom and thru the closet to the bathroom, thru the hallway closet back into the livingroom.
Cliff

 

[RRT114]

I also have an overhead layout, and LOVE it. I used 8 foot diameter curves, so i can run anything on it, and it is great. Never in the way, no scenery needed, no cleanign required, and really adds something to the room when i'm running something on it.

You won't regret it.

Ryan

 

[stumpycc]

Thanks Ryan.

I am not sure what diameter the curves are, here is a couple of pictures that I took after bending them and hooking two of them together.

Measured across the wide end.

This is the measurement I got.

It is 7' 8" across. But I am not sure what the radious or the diameter is.

I have been wanting to do this for 2 years now.
Cliff

 

[ROUTE 66]

Cliff,
Waiting 2 years is long enough!! take your time on installation,go slow and be precise. the scariest part for me was running my first train afer installation,I ran a lone loco(LGB Stainz) and walked under w/ arms ready to catch if anything were to happen, watched for any dips and odd sounds,I did that for a few weeks until finally after I was satisfied that things would hold up I put the cars and loco I intended on running now I go about my business and let them run and enjoy. The scary part is over.

 

[stumpycc]

No, I am not going to get in a big hurry to do it. I can get the Living room done since I painted the living room and hallway last summer and put up all new trim. the plan is to get the living room done, then cut holes in the walls and start figuring what kind of portatls we are ging to need. The ceiling in the bedroom and bathroom have to be repainted before final instalation. I am gong to go ahead measure and mark where the support screws will go, then install the anchor screw bases then paint over them.
Cliff

 

[Stan Cedarleaf]

Quite a project, Cliff. Michael does some great wood work. Glad to see you're keeping him busy..

Great job.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Cliff, diameter is the distance across the complete circle, which looks like 7' 6" in your picture (normally measured center of track to center of track).

Radius is from an imaginary center of the circle to the track, so it half the diameter, or 3' 9". But most people in G scale use diameter as opposed to smaller scales.

Circumference is the distance travelled on the outside, and normally applies to a full circle. It is Pi times the diameter, not real useful to use unless you want to calculate your total track length.

You show 1/2 a circle. In this case, it's about 3.14 * 7' 6" then divided in two because only a half circle.

Good luck on your project, please post pictures.

That is a MTH loco on the mantle? Just asking because your curves will be too tight for an Aristo mallet.

Regards, Greg

 

[stumpycc]

Posted By Stan Cedarleaf on 03/14/2009 8:25 AM
Quite a project, Cliff. Michael does some great wood work. Glad to see you're keeping him busy.. " src="http://www.mylargescale.com/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/smile.gif" align="absMiddle" border="0" />

Great job.



Thanks Stan. Micheal is a great guy to work with too. HE's very honest. We are hoping to buy some of his face fronts for the layout in the future.Then when we start the layout in the backyard in a couple of years, we hopw to use quite a few of his buildings.


Greg,

Thanks for the info on the curves, the engine on the mantel is an Aristcraft Mallet. It is sitting on Aluminum code 250 track that one of our club members gave me. I just got thru runing the Mallet on the curves ( temporarily set up on the floor ), and it took the curves pretty good. I ran it slow so I could monitor the clearance on the bridge. I don't think I will ever run it on the suspended layout, I was just very curious about it. I am planning on hanging the bridge and some of the single track hangars today in the livingroom. And I wil take pictures of the progress and and post them.

Here is a picture of the bridge and where it will go in the living room and also some pitures of teh hangars I am going to use.( the hangars will be either painted black or stained. I am not sure yet;

Across the Fire Place, over the Mallet

unstained singel track hangar

Wher ethe track hangars in the living room will go. Wall between kitchen and Livingroom

Front wall of house, over the front door going into the computer room.

Cliff

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Going slow might just squeak by, it will take 8' curves. Why not check clearances with it? Who know, you might want to try it.

I'd guess your only clearance issue might be near the walls on curves.

Regards, Greg

 

[stumpycc]

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 03/15/2009 9:48 AM
Going slow might just squeak by, it will take 8' curves. Why not check clearances with it? Who know, you might want to try it.

I'd guess your only clearance issue might be near the walls on curves.

Regards, Greg


The only clearance problem is with the bridge because of the way I have the engines entering it. The cab misses the bridge suports by just millimeters. Besides, the Mallet is too heavy to put up on the rack, I have enough trouble setting it on the mantle. It will look good sitting over the fireplace under the bridge. I took some pictutes of the Mallet on the curves,( will download them and post the in alittle bit) it takes them good, and the track hangars are six inches away from the wall so it wouldn't even get close to the wall. The bridges and the way the engines enter it from curves is the problem. The biggest engine that will be running on it will be a Bachmann Mogul, so I don't really have to worry too much about clearances.

Cliff

 

[stumpycc]

As promised, some pictures of the Mallet going around the curves;

A closer shot of the drivers on the "inside" of the curve

Now, the outside of the curve;

And just sitting one the curve;

Here a few pictures of the Anchor screws;

The anchor's installed in the ceiling;

And now the bridge installed over the fire place;

I used a laser lvel to make sure the bridge was straight;

Before I drilled any holes, I set the track up on extra hangars and used a Laser to mark where they would go on the ceiling;

Now I am waiting for my drills to recharge. As soon as they aready, I will start hanging the Single track hangars along the front wall.

Cliff

 

[Torby]

I've run my Mallet around 8ft curves. Even somewhat gracefully. Check your clearance though as there is a big overhang. Mallets are also wide.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Thanks Cliff, quite an accomplishment!

You need a "reverse lift bridge" to come down to the ground, load up a loco, and then rise back to the ceiling!

Regards, Greg

 

[stumpycc]

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 03/16/2009 2:59 PM
Thanks Cliff, quite an accomplishment!

You need a "reverse lift bridge" to come down to the ground, load up a loco, and then rise back to the ceiling!

Regards, Greg


Thanks Greg, The "lift bridge" sounds like a cool idea. But I don't think I would get tahtpast the "Boss".


Torby,
I have run my Mallet around 8' curves also, it did pretty good. But as I stated before, it will not be put uo there to run. I have a soecial peoject in mind for it and I need to get the DCS system installed in it. It is going to be the LEAD Engine of a Presidential/Military Funneral train that I have come up with. And that will be sometime in the future.

Cliff

 

[stumpycc]

Here is an update;

This weekend I got 8 hangars up in the livingroom, from the bridge over the fire place to the wall connecting the Computer room. Then I cut the hole thru the wall.

I got these put up Saturday.

I went ahead and layed some track up there and put the Annie on their so I could check clearances.
It's looking pretty good. The wife really loves it, and that is important.

Next, I had to cut a hole thru the wall into the computer room. I had never giviven it much thought
but the outer wall in the Computer room is about a foot farther out than the outer wall
in the living room. So now I will have to make an "S" curve in the computer room to get the track next to the wall.

So, untill next time. Y'all take care, Cliff

 

[Mik]

Unless you're going to bang your head on it, or you need it to align when you go through the next wall, you could just run straight across that room. Have fun and make a real fancy truss (Whipple? Baltimore? Subdivided Warren?) bridge

 

[stumpycc]

Posted By Mik on 04/06/2009 9:42 AM
Unless you're going to bang your head on it, or you need it to align when you go through the next wall, you could just run straight across that room. Have fun and make a real fancy truss (Whipple? Baltimore? Subdivided Warren?) bridge



Thanks Mic, but we are going to repaint the computer room and eventualy put in a ceiling fan, so I will have to do the "S" curve. That is no big deal, I took 2 sections of 3ft track, and bent themopposite directions for the S. It will look good when I get it done. here is a few pictures i just took looking thru the "Hole in the wall".

This ones a little blurry, but i think it's cool.

This the "Portal" I made this weekend. First time I have tried somthing like this.
It's not as hard as it looks to make.

Until next time, Y'all take care. Cliff

 

[cvngrr]

That's cool!

 

[stumpycc]

Here's an update. I got the holes cut through the walls from the Living room to the bedroom. And here a few pics I just took.
Cliff
From the living room, thru the hall closet, thru the bathrrom to the bedroom;

I still need to sand them down and clean them up. I am also in the process of making my own portals,
some from wood and one from some decrative rock I have handy.

Will post more later. Cliff

 

[ROUTE 66]

Any updates on this railroad?
Are trains running?
I know the cost for track and supplies are a fairly large investment,but very interested to hear of any updates on this undertaking.