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Post by spud7378 on Jul 11, 2012 14:47:43 GMT -5
So when we moved into our new house i managed to get the big spare rm in the basement 12x13 so now my wife says that maybe we should switch the spare rms areound (meaning take my rm) so the other rm is 9x8 with a closet that is 2x3 now im thinking this could be good i get a chance to build a new layout since my current layout has been moved 6 times and mismatched back together everytime. but im also thinking wow thats a small rm! Now is it possible to build a nice layout with decent running rm and switching in 9x8 and or is is possible to build a double deck in 9x8 with a helix in the small closet or if i ran the whole lenth of the layout a grade to the second deck. Oh i forgot to mention i run ho scale and i only run 4 axle units so my curves can be a little tighter. so any ideas guys that would be great, just looking for some help with anyone with simmiler experiances and some advise on the double deck.
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Post by diesel on Jul 24, 2012 1:07:02 GMT -5
I faced similar issues with my 10x13 space. You will not have the space you really want to do either a con't grade or a helix to a second level. You could do it, but that will leave little space for the rest of the layout and if you want to have a friend over...
If I were you I'd ask to keep the bigger room because you simply need it, unless your wife also has a real need for space that is.
You DO have ample space in either room for a nice switching theme, even a small fraction of a terminal RR. Many people will say go with broader curves because they look nicer, but if you find a reason to use tighter I'm all for that. I want to use 15" on my LAJ project because I really think that would out to be close to real... maybe 18"
I would stay away from any type of heating unit, water tank ect. and I don't like to block window because you're gonna want to get at them sometime. Have you ever seen Lance Mindheim's site? He wrote a book on building small shelf layouts.
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Post by iomalley on Jul 24, 2012 9:23:13 GMT -5
put your foot down and take back the larger spare room. Nothing good can come from a spare room, just vagrants and inlaws (what's the diff) staying too long. Not to mention laundry and clutter filling it up.
Run a shelf layout at 50" height and you can compromise both.
Tell your wife to get real, spare rooms are a collosal waste of space...spare rooms turn into granny flats and voila, your stuck living with your mother in law, and you have nothing but a 3' photo diorama.
Mind you I share a mutual disdain for my mother in-law so I might be biased.... ;D
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Post by diesel on Feb 10, 2013 17:18:11 GMT -5
Hey Spud,
It's been almost a year, so did you get the room or get kicked outta the house? (just kidding)
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Post by spud7378 on Feb 10, 2013 19:50:10 GMT -5
Hey gang yep I dismantled the old layout a few months back. I now have the 9x8 room and I spent months trying to come up with a workable layout before I committed to moving. So I have all my bench work built. I went with a double deck horse shoe design with a 4 foot elevator between decks (bought the book multi deck layouts by kalmbach). So I went 36" on the lower deck for the yard area and 24" or the rest of the layout with the exception of the deck over the yard is 18" to allow more space for the yard. Here's some pics so far just now laying some track out making a few changes as I go from my plan (used xtrack free software). Also went with fluorescent strip lights under the upper deck.
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Post by spud7378 on Feb 10, 2013 20:00:05 GMT -5
Oops the pics didn't work the first time ill try again
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Post by diesel on May 19, 2013 16:11:09 GMT -5
That's looking nice Kevin! I often forget to come to this section on the bottom of the page.
I like how well you pulled off the 2 level layout design. Do you have a track plan? Is there a helix or is this done as two separate pieces?
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new layout
May 20, 2013 18:29:57 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by spud7378 on May 20, 2013 18:29:57 GMT -5
Thanks for the comments diesel the layout will be ran as one there is a elevator between the 2 decks. The elevator is 48" so for me that's big enough. All the track is down now but it's summer break time but il try and get some pics up
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Post by m a y o r 79 on May 20, 2013 20:21:46 GMT -5
Nice, ive got a future layout going in a 12ft by 8ish-ft room. Dont need a ton of space to make a good layout. Of course its in my unfinished basement right now so layout construction is a ways off still. Its eventually going to house the southern end of the Milwaukee Road Beer Line. Lots of switching in a compact space, just like the prototype!
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Post by diesel on Jun 8, 2013 23:21:41 GMT -5
Kevin, I don't know how final the track we see in the pics above is, but look at the pic of the right hand curved switch that sits alone next to the red building on the lower level. If the track follows the pencil outline with the switch in it's current position you will create a reverse curve with no straight away safety. I know sweeping curves can be dramatic, but you should have 1 car length of straight track between the opposing curves. If you will be using 60' beer cars that will give you a problem.
Dan
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Post by spud7378 on Jun 9, 2013 14:42:04 GMT -5
Ill get some new pics Dan I had to play with that a little to get the nice curve and get the straight away in there it's not as long as I like it but its better then first drafted on the bench work!
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