How high?

I'd say around waist height. Eric, from EricsTrains, has his table heights set at 47 inches (around 4 feet) and his second level of track sits at 59 inches from the floor (around 5 feet).

Generally you want to have your table be at a height that is comfortable for you. Waist height allows you to be able to put your trains on the track(s) without having to angle your arms in a weird way. And if you need to see something at track level, all you would need to do is kneel down.

Of course, be sure to experiment since it's your layout and you need to be comfortable with working on it. 

Ideally, I'd say 36" because I like low layouts.  However, my layout is at 43".  That's as low as I could get away with.  I need the area underneath as storage (household stuff not trains).  

We went with 4' for the first level, with the second 8" above that. This allowed for near eye level viewing from a seated position, and allows for lots of storage under the layout, as well not having to lay on ones back to do wiring.

You might try the SEARCH feature here on the OGR Forums, as this subject has been discussed many, many, many times. Lots of different opinions. We wound up with 43" to the top of the plywood, and then roadbed and track on top of that.

I like 36"

36" as well, plus 1" of foam.

You need to consider whether small children/grandchildren will frequently be viewing the layout.

40", its high enough to get under and still low enough to reach over.

I used Mianne standard height 30” wide benchwork, which is 40” high - adding half inch plywood and half inch homosote brings me to 41” night. It affords a nice view level while allowing sufficient room for my aging body to scoot under the layout with minimal discomfort. Another important consideration is the 30” width - that allows me to reach pretty much any area of the layout with minimal effort.

  Tall enough to be "eye to ground level" while sitting upright in nearby couches and chairs. (No slouching!)

About 30".

Tall enough to be seen by kids without them all needing stools and chairs.

About 30".... And as a kid, oh boy did I hate tall layouts I needed a stool to see and I would tell you about it too. Never was good at holding back truth 

Low enough to reach over the El line and down to ground level.

About 30".

Tall enough to sit under, but short enough to reach up to wires easy.

About 30".

My inseam...30". Reaching down that far isn't really an issue

I've had 48" high, but my new layout is 36", I specified that height when I ordered my Mianne benchwork.

This top on this side with the Atlas TT is approx 40" wide, at 36" high I can just reach the far edge.

My layout is 36 inches high, around waist high. Seems to be a good compromise height.

Mine is 48" off the floor because that is a comfortable working and viewing height for me. I will have a movable platform available for my grandson to stand on safely and comfortably when he's old enough. Hopefully he grows up liking trains because most are going to be his IF he enjoys them.

I like 36 inches, standard kitchen counter-top height.

More and more, I'm leaning toward 54" because you can still reach across the deck, but you don't have to stoop as low to go underneath, plus you can sit underneath it in a chair. Down side is that you might need extra sets of legs if its modular and you operate with a group.

Bob Delbridge posted:

I've had 48" high, but my new layout is 36", I specified that height when I ordered my Mianne benchwork.

This top on this side with the Atlas TT is approx 40" wide, at 36" high I can just reach the far edge.

Normally I would not copy the picture as well when quoting, but I think your comment and photo combine to demonstrate a very obvious consideration .  (I'm guessing it's a huge part of why you chose the 36"! )

With sloped walls like that in an upper floor/attic, obviously something lower is more beneficial in terms of how much layout you can fit up to the wall (and/or ceiling - I'm not sure where one becomes the other in that scenario)  surface.  If yours was another foot higher, I'm sure the rear of the layout would have a big "dead zone" where you couldn't put any track or scenery/accessories.

Personally, in a big open area (~ 8 foot nominal ceiling, but it is a basement, so there are some things lower like AC ducts, pipes, etc) - I think I like 42" as the basic height to start with.

-Dave

I’m in a basement and I chose 42 inches. I wanted higher but it’s hard for the kids to see 42 let alone 48

My table height is at 42 Inches and I use a wheeled stool under the table for wiring and other work,I also have Single Tube fluorescent lights under the table to make working easier,table is 22 x 24.

Mikey

Mikey

I have always had 48" because I find it the right height for operating, and viewing because I have a wonky back problem.  I built a Thomas table for the grandkids (9 of them) at 18".

If they want to look at my trains I have plenty of safe stepons for them. Roo.

Dave, you're most likely correct.

The other side has a slope different from the photo you showed in your quote, as can be seen in this photo:

The house was built with 2 sides different because the stairway is on the left hand side in the photo above:

If it had been built like the other side I wouldn't have been able to go around the entire room at the width I did if I had made the layout 48" high, plus I would have had to deal with the track section you see at the top of the stairway hanging out over the landing.  I would have had to design the track plan differently which would have had duckunders, didn't want them.

The layout I tore down to build this one was also 36" high, but only on the side of the upstairs left of the stairwell banister wall.  I simply liked the 36" high layout better than the 48" height of the garage layout.  I think my HO layout was 42", that was in a 12x16 shed.

I chose 43", this is for me a comfortable viewing height and gives enough room under for working while seated on a furniture dolly and lots of room for storage, maybe too much. This is also a good height for my young friends to play with the trains at their eye level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZLTcGQbffc

Ray

Seems like something between 36” and 48” is ideal 😃