How many here have low tables !

Two foot high might be a little low, especially around an animal, as a dog could jump right up on it or a cat can climb up on it. 

I would go with at least 30 inches high, plus you can get under better then a two foot high layout.

Lee Fritz

Mine is at 36 inches. WORST decision I ever made in my toy train life. Go up to at least 40 or more. Don't worry about small folk they like to climb up on a stool or chair to watch. Standing on the floor means nothing to them. HIGH enough to sit under is what you need.

Well, two foot is better than ground level, but 2 feet won't deter a dog or cat.

My layout is 42-44" off the ground and I still get this:

George

I hope you know that a cat can jump a good distance in the air just from a standing position, I have hear it can be around 5.5 feet straight up. The only way to keep a cat out is to have a closed door with no other opening to the room.

I have two cats and they don't get in my train area.

Lee Fritz

Some cats will climb up on layouts, but, when a loco starts up, I have seen one, who

obviously did not know what kind of threat that was, promptly sprang off and disappeared from the room, now seen there very infrequently.  However, cats are

not predictable.

My layout is 27 inches high off of the floor, great at the time I built it 40 years ago, but now I can easily injure my back underneath it. Also, before my cocker spaniel died of old age, she jumped up on it and left teeth marks in my nearly mint post war Lionel transfer table. Good thing I loved my dog at the time.

If you want to try it, put it on spackle buckets and see if you like it. They are sturdy enough to hold up a 4x8, or several (that's what we used on my Christmas layouts for years). Then, if it isn't to your liking, you won't have wasted any wood for benchwork.

i have a double deck layout and it was essential that I push the envelop on the lower deck. It is only 27 inches above the ground... the upper deck is 49 inches....

Sound advise.  As with most layout design aspects, if it can be built to allow for adjust-ability, the flexible end result gives you the best use of space.

I'm facing the same issues as rattler21.  I'm confined in the attic to building around the walls and any higher than 30" cuts down on available real estate ( and restricts curve diameters ). "L" girder construction should keep working above my head to a minimum until scenery is installed.  "L" might be a consideration if building so close to the ground?

Bruce

i could never figure out people that buy $2000 locos, then post pictures on here running em on the floor....spend some money on benchwork,people.....btw, mine is 42" high  and i think another 4-6" would be better.-Jim

' 

My layout is 32 inches above the ground and I've never had any problems, other than hitting my head on it when I'm trying to wire something.

I have no pets and my daughter is off at college.  As such I built a townhouse living room layout.  24 inches high.  Sit on sofa, watch football, play with trains, work on music

I had mine at 48" off the floor when it was in the garage, but brought it down to 36" when I brought in inside.

Go stand in front of your washing machine/dryer and see how it feels, then put 12" of books on it and see what you think.  Your height and comfort level are should be the deciding factors.  Next, do you want to look at wheel tread or tops of buildings and rolling stock?

I am (or use to be) 5'-10" and the 36" height works well for me.  Even at that height anything more than 36" wide is going to be a stretch to work on and clean unless you have orangutan-like arms.

Both groups I belong to, have 4feet from the lowest section of the layout with 3 feet for our two kids loops.

Now, for York, if you could make the tables five feet high, you could see everything almost at eye level as you hurried against the arrows, and there would be room under them for the seller to be seated out of the aisle, and for the three-wide strollers (but

not you) to get through.

I certainly do!  I usually keep the train room door locked to prevent this, but sometimes they just want to keep me company.

Besides Pumpkin (the orange one) actually owns the house.  She just lets us stay here (as long as we feed and worship her).

George

Thanks everyone for your comments .

I watched EscapeRocks when he built his layout. That is why I thought about the 24" height .

When the dog goes to heaven , I plan on getting cats.  Maybe ?

I figured building a table will hide wires better than the floor !

Like you guys with the attic layouts , I was hoping to get bigger curves by having a floor layout. 

I am still rehabbing the basement by cleaning,organizing & painting ! Still a little bit of time left to think.

My layout is 32" high. Partly because of the low ceiling height in the attic (just shy of 7'). The low height allows me to easily reach 44"+ from the edge.

Against tradition and all concepts, I built mine at 26" AFF.  I find that I can sit on a stool and work across the bench work with ease.  If I need to stand to work at the corners, I just bend over the table.  It helps keep my back muscles strong.  If I need to work underneath, I just lay on the floor, no problem.  And, when finished, the top level of the scenery will be approximately 42", a height I can reach without a ladder.

Are Kids involved?  When mine were little, ours was 30" off the ground.  They could play and touch everything.

They are older and taller now.  Our layout is now 48"  we love the height and the view from that level.  I also like being able to sit under the layout to work without having to crawl or lay on my back.

Have Fun!

Ron

I'm on the opposite extreme-build it as high as you can.

I had a layout at 36" once-it sucked.  Oh, and I was only 13 at the time.  A few trips under it, and I was over that real quick like.

Each their own, do what makes you happy.  That's the great thing about this hobby-you can do whatever you want and enjoy it in many different ways.

As some others I read about above, my basic layout table is 27" AFF.  I have a mechanics creeper and a small furniture move dolly I use to get around under it.  I can easily lay on my back and reach all I need for wiring and other "under table" work.  Also, this height keeps it easy to reach across to most all on the layout, work on track and doing scenic steps.  Also, my levels above that, multiple, are all easy to access and when I do my "final?" elevation, I have a lot of open air above to make the best use of.

Oh yeah, I have my two tomcats who assist me, Katman and Abby.   They regularly join me upstairs in the train room and keep it lively, they have learn where and how they may jump up on the table, walk and make themselves comfortable, to nap.  I know, as the scenery and details progress, I know they will have to visit less.  That will be something I will miss, but can work something out, it is their train room, also.  

Ours are real low

By a long shot the most requested height I have had was 42".  Short folks and tall folks would vary from that number.

My around the wall RR runs from 36" to 55" mostly canterlevered from the wall without any legs.

The lack of legs and mostly 42" plus height make service and building a dream.

Seems to me that this is a great idea, as different folks have their own preferences for height.  Myself, I have raised the height of each layout I've built, as I like to see the trains closer to eye level.  Seems more exciting that way.

I just measured the layout height.  The lowest level is 47" high; the highest a little over 5 feet.

This would also be an ideal height for photography and there would be room for you to be comfortably seated under the tables to take or make your cell phone calls. 

42 inches from the floor. A good height for viewing but it does not stop Katie. 

Cats can jump a huntert feet.

Cats take of themselves, mostly.

The old saying applies:  Dogs have owners.  Cats have staff. 

Anyway, they are a great comfort and very friendly, but they have minds of their own.

George

These are both hysterical!  I can just see this at York.

Of course, you'd have to rename the Schaad Detective Agency the Subway Police (and issue them suitably decorated black-and-white Hoverarounds)!

George

Abby is a tomcat?   So are they good at rough carpentry and less good at scenery?    Mine are all paws when it comes to wiring.

George

My upper level sits 51 inches off the ground and my lower level stands 41 or 42 inches off the ground................Paul

My layout is 51" off the floor and it is just right for me. Although my cat can get on it without any problems. He rarely bothers anything, just likes watching trains. When I go to run trains he always is there on the platform or not. He is my train buddy. 

My layout ins at 42 inches and that allows me to work under it easily,bottom of the 2x4 framing is at 38 inches above the floor and I have installed 48 in fluorescent lights to help with wiring etc under the table work.

Mikey

Your cat almost looks like one of my cats, Alice and she is very playful at times and inquisitive too. I'm sure she would be on my layout after I got it finished.

I had another cat, Chilley, who loved to nap in the corner of my layout, but first he would push stuff out of his way, like sending a caboose to the floor. So I installed a set of bi-fold doors at the kitchen/hallway area and that kept him out of my train area.

Lee Fritz

It's becoming clear that the ideal height is a function of what the owner thinks. Not necessarily an absolute. I have Sievers bench work from Washington Island, Wisconsin which comes in 40 or 48 inch height, but I special ordered 36 height (no extra charge) and like it. I can sit on the floor under it and work, and crawl on hands and knees, or lay and work as well. It's a good height for reaching over or using a short step stool to step up on it.

Mine has figured out where I have the crawl space from under various parts the layout and finds her way up top. It's just on giant play land for the cat.  

The guys came to my place one Friday for a work session, and we go off to lunch.  come  back to find Tigger fast asleep in the 2 track bridge.  He walks around the layout and sleeps where he chooses.  Bob