[joe rusz]

We got the carpet cleaned, which meant the Living Room Central had to get torn down. But my dear wife said I can have the corner of the living room for my trains, and rather than just lay the track on the (white!!!) carpet again, I'm wondering if I should set it on a slightly-elevated platform, say about a couple of inches off the floor. The area I have to work with is about 6 by 10 feet and big enough to squeeze in an octagonal loop with a passing siding--at least that's what I had. At first I thought I would just set the Aristo brass track on a simple roadbed of black Gatorboard (which I have on hand) cut to match the curvature of the track. But since I intend to set my various home-built structures in the middle, I thought I might use something where I could have some terrain so the thing doesn't look like your typical, toy train layout.

All of this is temporary, of course, since one of these days I am taking the show outdoors (he said for the hundredth time).

Your thoughts?

 

[Semper Vaporo]

I think coffee table height or maybe a bit higher would be better than completely on the floor. Still low enough for folk to see all of it, but not so low that you have to sit on the floor to work on it. Typical seating in the room would make it viewable at a better height too. You also get some storage space under it... maybe even line the outer edges with bookcases for train books or train knick-knacks or for display of special engines and cars.

Of course being higher it might becomes a place to toss the mail and sacks from the grocery.

 

[Guest]

yes! make it high enough, that your wife can pass the "sucking-broom" (as they say here) under it.
will save you some carpet-arguments.

 

[blueregal]

Put it around your ceiling, just high enough to pass under but easy enough to access from a small step stool. I put mine around the ceiling but have it too high I am a little crippled in the legs, and have to get a step ladder to access. Will eventually pull down a ways for easy access, and maybe a draw bridge type 5ft track which can be raised or lowered to get access to kitchen area when not running. Will use my 6 ft trestle in archway between living room and dining room with trains running to two different rooms through the walls through tunnel portals in the walls going and coming. The Regal If you like email me through here and I will send you a picture of what I have now. Used cheap particle type board to lay track on. worked out good but could be refined a little more.

 

[vsmith]

Why not make it permanent?

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Busby_Study_Model_track_plan.pdf

Heres an 8' square layout I designed a few years ago for a friend, a little ditty inspired by the Gilpin Tramway and the Darjeeling Himilayan Rwy. Perfect for the living room!

 

[Paul Norton]

Carl Arendt's web site is a great place for small layout ideas. Although most of the micro layouts are smaller scales, the ideas can be adapted for large scale.
Looking back, hindsight is always 20/20, I should have built a large scale switching layout instead of wasting time and money on an On30 layout. The Lilliputian stuff just didn't turn my crank, but it sure took a chunk out of the bank account.

 

[joe rusz]

Thanks for the tips, gang. Vic, I like your pizza layout and saw it at the Big Train Show. I also like Gary Gresham's On30 layout because of the scenery. Food for thought...

 

[Mik]

I have a 5 x 8 oval with a short spur. see http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/6/tpage/1/view/topic/postid/66469/Default.aspx#67032

It's not how much space you have, it's how you use it. My "hills" are cardboard boxes with green felt draped over them and stapled down... Since they are covered with trees, it isn't really all that obvious.