Access hatch, photos and opinions.

Dave,

You could use one of our turntables like Alex (Ingeniero No1 - on forum) did on his layout. Now he has a 34" access hatch

Hi David - I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but here are a couple of pictures of an MTH arched bridge that I mounted on hinges so it would just flip straight up.  I used a door catch on the free end to help hold it and line it up.  I don't know if it was necessary, but I mitred the track on both sides to get as good a fit as I could when the bridge is down.

As you can see in the picture, the downside is that part of it protudes below the layout when it's up, so you lose that storage space.  I have had this in place for a year or so and have had no problems with derailments.

The Long Arm

This photo will show you a Long Arm, 3 feet. I purchased it at one of those large big box home centers. I used it to grab things on the layout, because I have no access panels. I would say add access panels.

Good luck & great topic..........

   Click to enlarge photo. 

Here's the way I did one of my pop up's.

On my round-the-room layout I initially had access space in the corners. But eventually used the corners to install a Sawmill/lumber company in one and a Textile Mill in the other[3rd photo]..

I enter the layout via a piano-hinged Barrett Drop Section roughly decorated as a plate truss bridge. 

That's awesome!!!

Great ideas here guys!!

Alan