Design for 6x10 Layout

A rear or trailing spur is easier to drop or add cars to a train.

Harbor Freight sells cheap 12volt hoists that could be used to raise and lower a tabletop layout.

You will want to cover the top of the layout when not in use, because most garages are dirty.

Good luck with your project.

The answer to some of your questions depends on what you're looking to get out of the hobby.  If you're looking to occasionally just run/display your equipment for yourself or others, your plan is fine.  But, your size choice will prevent you from ever running/displaying the largest equipment.  And, if you ever plan to run your railroad in the sense of operations (moving passengers and freight from one location to another), you will soon tire of this plan.  For other ideas, search on the web for "givens and druthers" and "model railroad layouts."  You will get lots of locations to look at trackplans and you will get some idea of how to determine what you really want.

Chuck

Carpet works well for a base but so does fleece, especially with Fastrack or Realtrax that has "built-in" roadbed/ballast. I opted for a desert appearance and Joanne has just the fleece for it:

Each stub siding in these pics has (a) car(s) spotted at various industries. Switching these sidings requires backing the train into the siding to set-out or pick-up car(s).

totrainyard posted:

A rear or trailing spur is easier to drop or add cars to a train.

Harbor Freight sells cheap 12volt hoists that could be used to raise and lower a tabletop layout.

You will want to cover the top of the layout when not in use, because most garages are dirty.

Good luck with your project.

Thanks - great suggestions.

If you are going to use 4 cables, one in each corner, I would recommend 1 x 6's for the outside frame members (especially the 10' long members).  1 x 4's would be okay at first, but over time your layout would most likely start sagging in the middle, even if you don't have a lot of weight on it.

I have a 6' x 16' train table, with 1 x 4's (and a couple of 2 x 4's at plywood joints) spaced at 2' on center.  I have 8 legs total, so I didn't have to worry about the framework sagging.  However, the 1/2" plywood I used sags very slightly (probably no more than 1/8' to 3/16" max.) between the 2' spaces.  I figured this might be a distinct possibility when I built the table, but decided at that time I could live with it, if it did.  And so far, I'm okay with it.  It's not a problem for me.  But naturally, if I had wanted more guaranteed flatness, I would have went with 16" on center spacing instead.

I used this lift system for my garage layout (6x10).   Been up for 10 years, no problems.  I am using an inside layout now, in the dining room, since I have been unwell.  I will get this one running again, now that my health has come back some.   Anyway, lRacor lift system.   I am using the hand-crank, but it can be powered up and down.

I had to modify the system just a bit 1)  I created a longer center axle to run 10' long.  2)  To extend the width, I added four pulleys at each corner to span 6' width.   

Trains happily stay on the tracks as it moves up and down, no real bouncing issues, nice and smooth.

I like the lift up and out of the way concept, especially for a garage. I'd recommend placing a sheet of 1" rigid foam board down on top of the plywood. This will deaden some of the noise and makes creating terrain easier. Consider 2X3's for the frame if you don't want to go with 1X6's. For the track plan do lot's of research. Many plans are posted here on the forum, just search. Consider attaching the hoist cables with clips on the ends so you can disconnect them and keep them out of the way when the layout is down. Won't take more that one or two times whacking your arm into the cables to realize why this is a good idea.

As always its your RR your rules. Build what you like. Personally I prefer a mix of switching to keep things interesting with the ability to let the trains run loops when I just feel like watching them go.

Bob