Building a permanent layout with modules

I haven't, but this is the approach I'd like to use when I start my permanent layout in a couple of years so I will be watching this thread.

This is also what I intend to do.  I have one module built currently for use with the club I joined.  Also, since I currently rent the house I live in instead of owning I know I will be moving in about two years so I don't want to crazy on anything that won't easily break down to travel up the basement stairs.

 

This module just has three straight tracks because its for use with the club.  But what I wanted to show was I purposefully set up this module to be able the store legs under the table for travel.  ( Not as important as what you described for a permanent layout but food for thought.)  I will definitely be following this thread.

 

 

I am going to build the Fastrack modules. There is a small radius corner to get started.

read here with links on the page

The problem is that Lionel with LCCA went with 30" wide modules. Most module clubs(some place to train) have used a 24" x 48" standard(Hi-Railers)

So, I'll have my movable layout and wait to find others with the modules later.

I am curious jhz563, Do your modules rock back and forth?

HEre are some pics of the North penn O guage Layout visited last December...

they too have semi permanent and Modular layout.

 

 

 

 

I am building what is probably my last permanent layout from scratch and am doing it in the largest modules I can move out of my basement, roughly 3 foot x 8 foot max.  

Having moved 4 times in the past 10 years, I have had to tear down layouts and start over and now have decided it's time to do it differently.  

Essentially I am pretty much following the L-Girder benchwork method, but my joists which sit on top of the L-Girders are attached to stringers and then the road bed so the entire top comes off the L-Girder base.   Each section has it's own wiring with 20 - 30 wire terminal blocks at each end so that the wiring moves off the supports with the layout if I have to move it.  I will try to post some photos this weekend.  So far the classification yard, and the engine service peninsula are framed and about 75% wired.  I also managed to save a Canyon Module that my son and I built about 10 years ago it pretty much goes from the floor to table height (32 inches) and is in it own frame about 4 feet wide x 3 feet deep.  

They do at first.  Once you get them all clamped together however they are more than solid enough for a temporary display.  We always use regular C-clamps for more clamp force than the quick grip bar clamps.  We also have several 1' wide scenery extenders that get clamped to the inside of the modules.  This allows us to still put up some neat buildings and scenes and maintain the three track set-up.

 

As to my home layout I'm still in the imagineering phase, as well as cleaning up the basement enough to make things presentable.  I will probably add some diagonals to the legs here and there to stiffen things up a bit.

 

Also, the club modules started out with foam roadbed.  This is good for noise control but lousy for travel and repeated setup.  The foam start to get torn and keeping that track in place was problematic.  To maintain the profile for interchangeability we now build the modules with a 1/4" strip of wood below the track before ballasting.  Noise doesn't really matter in basketball gym or library conference room with sound deadening walls.

 

John Z.

I took a modular approach to my current layout but it does not fall in the specific category as "modular" as I do not intend to break the layout down unless I have to move someday. The layout consists of 7 sections that I built in my garage and then brought into the house one by one, attached the legs (and to the previous module) and then started in with track, electrical, and scenery work - one module at a time. I built it in such a way that eventual tear down will be relatively easy (i.e. track joints meet up at joints between tables, electrical wiring separates via wire nuts at each table joint as well)...and the key word here is "relative"...as any tear down will take significant effort. I did save in some of the mess by doing initial construction in my garage. My layout is on the main floor of my house so keeping things clean was important to me. I've attached a few pics showing the progress. Contact me via the e-mail in my profile if you have any specific questions...I'd be happy to share.  -Len

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

analog - That looks fantastic!!

jhz... Thanks for the kind words. Fantastic work on your modules. If I go mobile with my trains someday I'll definitely keep your engineering ideas in mind. -Len

Thanks Analog, it's exactly what I want to do, I may have confuse the peoples with the word modules, I should have use sections. The only difference with you Analog, I will completely finish the messy part of the scenery (plaster, ground cover)  in the garage before bring the module ( section ) in the layout room. I don’t plan to move or sell the house, it’s just that I want a dust free layout room. 

Modules or sectional construction make good sense for any layout that might have to be moved some day. Even though you might not be able to use all of it in the same configuration in a different residence, at least you have the possibility of salvaging parts of it for a jump-start on new construction.

 

For people who move periodically, corner modules have the potential to be easily adapted to different spaces. These are some minimum-size ideas I posted for the micro-layout contest, which could be easily expanded. Additional connecting tracks would be built to fit available space.