Floor layout

[GRAFFINC]

Originally Posted by Gary B

I do believe they have narrower pieces sized to fit between wall studs. I'm confused here, a lot of replies but none from the original poster. I think most of us would support the idea of running trains anyway you have to.

I apologize, I was watching my e-mail giving me notices of replies and never received any, I just randomly checked and saw I had a few replies..

Originally Posted by railfan

but sounds like he might want it on the floor for now. I've seen a few on youtube who like it that way....to make a larger layout in a place where a layout table won't work.

I do live in an apartment, I would be setting it up on the floor... I don't see the harm or issue with that.

Imagine EZ track but in better detail and with liberty to set it up anyway you want. I'm not looking for a detailed layout but rather a prefabricated sectional lay out where I can run my trains over great lengths without effecting my surrounds and not have a permanent structure.

I'll see if I can get some pictures of what I have so far

[MarkVIIIMarc]

I have considered attaching some old rail to 1x4x8's or similar and hooking together the 1x4's outside to see hor far a loop I could power. With power tools I can cut plywood to allow for spurs even I suppose.

A buddy of mine made reference to a drop down type layout suspended over his pool table. Would require an invasive hinge set up in the ceiling joists.

I am laying on my closed sleeper sofa.... Any chance you could rig a "murphy bed" like pull down layout? Even just a sheet of plywood you attach track to one side of and paint the "bottom" of it perhaps.

[Selector]

Originally Posted by Beachbum

Are you anywhere near Chicago? I can't find 2X8 sheets of extruded foam, only 4X8s that I have to cut in the parking lot before I put them in my car (no carrier on top and my trunk is too narrow for a 4X8).

If you need to cut them down, score them blade-deep with a straightedge and a carpet/box cutter, then snap.

[railfan]

Originally Posted by GRAFFINC

I do live in an apartment, I would be setting it up on the floor... I don't see the harm or issue with that.

Imagine EZ track but in better detail and with liberty to set it up anyway you want.

Yes....I have no issue......I think whatever works is great. Some like the flexiblity and added length of floor layouts.....makes sense to me.




Mike

[Cjcrescent]

Might I suggest to attach the "modules" together, no matter how they are built, is to use simple door hinges, the kind with removable pins. The only thing is they would have to be mounted onto a piece of wood, like a block of 2x4, mounted in the support framework, at each corner.

My old club in Mobile, and the club I'm currently in have used this method for over 30 years, and we've had no problems of looseness between the modules at all. One layout, the one in Mobile was set up an average of 6-8 times a year for shows and the current one an average of 2-4 times a year. The rest of the time, it remains up in our clubroom.

[GRAFFINC]

Originally Posted by Cjcrescent

Might I suggest to attach the "modules" together, no matter how they are built, is to use simple door hinges, the kind with removable pins. The only thing is they would have to be mounted onto a piece of wood, like a block of 2x4, mounted in the support framework, at each corner.

My old club in Mobile, and the club I'm currently in have used this method for over 30 years, and we've had no problems of looseness between the modules at all. One layout, the one in Mobile was set up an average of 6-8 times a year for shows and the current one an average of 2-4 times a year. The rest of the time, it remains up in our clubroom.

I like that, thank you I will be looking into that.

[Cjcrescent]

You're Welcome!

[GRAFFINC]

I'm still working on my first 8' long piece... pretty much taking this slow and going to do this one piece start to finish before I move forward with anything else to do some trial and error....

-one question, when you put down ballast, do you do it before you put down your track or after?

[Beachbum]

After. However (LOL!) some people have sprayed a thick layer of stone texture paint on their roadbed and laid the track into that. Supposedly glues the track down and looks ok. And doesn't melt the plastic ties. (Prolly best to test that...)

I've not tried that myself yet but since I really dislike ballasting, I might experiment with it sometime.