Correct Height

mostly depends on your height as well as how you like viewing the trains. my layout has 48" legs so with the roadbed etc the railhead will be about 50" high. the second level will be about 60" or about 10" above the first level. i like standing as well as sitting on a bar stool. i have had lower layouts and i felt that i was in a plane or standing on a hill. but you need to build what you are comfortable with. my advise is if you have a bookcase set a piece of track and a locomotive on it on the different shelves and see which height you like the best.

Totally depends on what you like. 

My table is 36". A bit low compared to many. Doing it again, I'd maybe bump it up to 40". I think the reason for 36" was my Home Depot was selling 2x4s cut to 36" that were perfectly straight and ideal and I was cheap and not interested in doing it "the hard way". I have no issues with 36" overall and would do it again in a heartbeat. 

I agree with other forum members- your preference and your height. I went with 48"". High enough to store items under the table and able to enjoy how trains look running.

Frank

It depends on your audience as well.  I dropped mine to 36" for young children that were part of my regular guest list.  Plastic milk cartons also can solve the problem,

Totally up to you -- 25+ years  ago when i built my layout it was 42" mostly with some spots up to 49" - 50". If i were to do it over it would be at least 8" higher overall (50" - 58"). Why? easier to work under and better viewing at or close to track level.

Noticed the extraneous subject of table legs was injected here. Most seem to mention either 2x2's or 2x4's. i felt 2x2's were too flimsy and 2x4's were overkill. i went with 2x3's which worked out to be perfect. My local independent lumber yard cuts for free (also gives me a 10% discount on my bill if i pay by the 10th of the month!) -- so they simply cut 2x6's into 2x3's which proved to be more cost effective than using 2x4's.

jackson

thanks so much for the above comments - very helpful

rdeal

my  table now is 36 inches - i would like to raise it to at least 48 - i am a short guy and with a solid table that high - could pose a bit of an issue - maybe a step stool is in order - i do so much agree with the comment " better viewing on or near track level - good to think all of this during the planning stage -

rdeal

Depends on the height of the intended viewing audience and whether it will be operated from a sitting or standing position. For a standing operator, having the railhead at about eye level is good for viewing, but just below armpit level is more accessible for righting derailed equipment, etc.

For kids, between 36 and 40 inches is usually pretty good.

48" puts everything at a nice height to work on and view.

Gather a few off-cuts of 2x4s, thick books, etc. Put some snap track down on a small piece of plywood, TV tray, etc. Now set it on a couple of off-cuts on the ping-pong table. Keep adding "cribbing" and see how you like the effect. When you can see the "layout" well and reach everything you'd like to reach without undue bending and stretching, measure the height.

If you have small children around or might need to sit while you work, don't forget to see how the height works for your chair or whether a step stool will be enough lift for the little ones.

I just started mine and it's 45".

I set my new layout at 32" because I could get 3 legs out of an 8ft. piece of 2x3-tight budget. Works good, I want to be able to look down on mine.  There is enough room underneath to work on it and have my Standard gauge loop of track. Plus, fun to play with a train on the floor like a kid. Only problem is the dog can't figure out why I am there and keeps wanting to play.

Mine is short enough to reach the floor and high enough so there's 12" of clearance between the top of the Beacon Towers and the ceiling. starts out 20" from the floor.

40" here with 1/2" plywood top so 40-1/2". This is about right for me as an easy working height. I also have a nine year old grandson that needs access. He is a little short yet, so I got him a couple of stools about 8"-10" high to stand on.

Getting under it is a problem for me, can't crawl around anymore. I have a roll around mechanic's stool that is also about right for under the layout work, if I don't raise up too high while scooting around under there. And don't stay under there very long at one time, gotta plan ahead for short trips.

It really is a personal thing, everyone is different and has a different comfort zone for working on a layout or watching trains on it. 

Whatever is most comfortable for your height.