New Layout 2021-24......Update, August 12, 2024

@coach joe posted:

Boy, Peter you've made great progress.  Anyone in the build crew have experience with the lift gate?

No.....but I am fortunate to have very saavy and skilled friends....

Peter

@Putnam Division posted:

Update on the timeline.....

1. I will know this week when the Mianne Benchwork will be arriving......likely by the end of the month.

2. I acquired a layout-essential supply....pigtails for wiring.

I will put an update this week after I talk with Tim. I have used the time to arrange the storeroom. I have also dropped two Pilot/SUV-sized loads of trains to Cabin Fever in PA. I have worked on my inventory list.

I have taken the delay in stride.....everything that I'm doing in the layout room is probably easier done without the chaos of a layout build going on......However, the gang in Midlothian (Richmond) are getting excited to help me put the benchwork up. It was March/April of 2011 when the modular group gang helped me put together the Mianne Benchwork for my 6x16 layout.....and they are looking forward to a rematch!

Peter

Yes!  I like those GarGraves pig-tails as well.  Pricey though, aren't they?

George

Peter,

Just caught up on the thread.  Man, it's looking great!  You've made significant progress.

George

OK! Here's the latest Update......everything took a pause....my son got married in Philly on the 14th and I had Rufus for a week.....Rufus has been delivered back to Philly.....and, things can start up again.....

I finished building the Mianne Benchwork frame. As I said, I have not "motorized" the Lift Gate......that will come when I have the guys over to help with the plywood decking.

Here are the final structure assembly pics....the Lift Gate went up easily......

Have a great day!

Peter

Looking awesome Peter!

The before and after pics are going to be amazing. Heck the before and up to now is amazing.

I can't wait to see this one finished .... I mean further along. lol

Excellent progress, Peter!

Chris

LVHR

Exciting stuff Peter! Keep it coming.

Dave

WOW Peter. Looks great.

Congrats on your son's wedding too!

Bob

Looks great Peter.  I hope my benchwork comes soon.  It is supposed to be shipped out this week.

Peter, just caught up. Wow! Excellent space and overall plan. Not surprised at all. Things are really coming together at a nice pace too. I’m bookmarking this thread…

Andy

@jeffrey37 posted:

Looks great Peter.  I hope my benchwork comes soon.  It is supposed to be shipped out this week.

From what you said, Jeff, I am assuming that you are also going to use Mianne. Here is a tip that I realized after the fact last time......

4x8 isn't really 4x8....it's more!

For example: if you put a 4x8 Mianne configuration together, it is 4x8 from the center of the vertical supports.....there is an extra 1 and 3/4" in the north/south, east/west direction.

I am going to take advantage of this and with good quality 1/2" plywood, go about 1and 1/2" over in each direction.

Peter

Thanks Peter. I was going to order the plywood before getting the base put together. I am glad you showed me this. Now I will wait and take some good measurements.

Peter, the benchwork looks great, as do the shelves full of trains.

@Putnam Division posted:

OK! Here's the latest Update......everything took a pause....my son got married in Philly on the 14th and I had Rufus for a week.....Rufus has been delivered back to Philly.....and, things can start up again.....

I finished building the Mianne Benchwork frame. As I said, I have not "motorized" the Lift Gate......that will come when I have the guys over to help with the plywood decking.

Here are the final structure assembly pics....the Lift Gate went up easily......

Have a great day!

Peter

Looks great Peter. I ordered mine a few weeks back. Congrats on your son's wedding.

Peter, that's shaping up to be a really nice layout, and I do love the setting!  Looks like top shelf for everything there!

Peter looks great post a drawing of the track work and size of the layout if you can it will be amazing?

@Putnam Division posted:

I finished building the Mianne Benchwork frame.

Have a great day!

Peter

Peter,

I recommend additional lower bracing (left to right in your two photos above). Mianne doesn't suggest this but I think it makes the table more sturdy and rigid. I have included it on both my layouts. You can see what I mean in this photograph of my 10'-by-5' layout table. I prefer legs to be braced in two directions. Just a suggestion and my personal preference... You can add it later.

Edit: As far as tabletop overhang, you can see that my layout has been built with 6-inch overhang on each side. Table plywood is 1/2-inch thick. Hasn't caused any problems at all, but I don't stand on the table.

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

Peter,

I recommend additional lower bracing (left to right in these two photos). Mianne doesn't suggest this but I think it makes the table more sturdy and rigid. I have included it on both my layouts. You can see what I mean in this photograph of my 10'-by-5' layout table. Just a suggestion and my personal preference...

MELGAR

The wheels are a great idea too. I have them on my 6 x 20 and had to change out light bulbs last weekend and didn't have to climb on the table. The extra braces make it more sturdy if you have to move it with all the weight the layout will add. Great start either way.

@jeffrey37 posted:

Thanks Peter. I was going to order the plywood before getting the base put together. I am glad you showed me this. Now I will wait and take some good measurements.

To illustrate what I mean a little better, I took some pictures with my 48" level....

1st, on a 48" I-beam.....

next, on a 36" I-beam....

Lastly, on a 24" I-beam......

That extra room that will be available for the  layout will be great!

Peter

@MELGAR posted:

Peter,

I recommend additional lower bracing (left to right in your two photos above). Mianne doesn't suggest this but I think it makes the table more sturdy and rigid. I have included it on both my layouts. You can see what I mean in this photograph of my 10'-by-5' layout table. I prefer legs to be braced in two directions. Just a suggestion and my personal preference... You can add it later.

Edit: As far as tabletop overhang, you can see that my layout has been built with 6-inch overhang on each side. Table plywood is 1/2-inch thick. Hasn't caused any problems at all, but I don't stand on the table.

MELGAR

I see what you mean....I have a few leftover 48" I-beams and I intend on using them....thanks, Mel!

Peter

This is the latest plan, which will no doubt have to be altered a little once I see how it works when the plywood is up.....

.....those are one ft squares, and, there is ~3 feet of clearance along the top and right..... with about 4-5 feet on the left and bottom.....the dormers on the left are not figured into the diagram.....

I've already adjusted the R side, because there is a 5 track 27" Ross transfer trable on order.....

Peter

@Putnam Division posted:

From what you said, Jeff, I am assuming that you are also going to use Mianne. Here is a tip that I realized after the fact last time......

4x8 isn't really 4x8....it's more!

For example: if you put a 4x8 Mianne configuration together, it is 4x8 from the center of the vertical supports.....there is an extra 1 and 3/4" in the north/south, east/west direction.

I am going to take advantage of this and with good quality 1/2" plywood, go about 1and 1/2" over in each direction.

Peter

Great tip Peter.  Thank you!

@Putnam Division, Peter, Wow, your making real progress, your bench work is really nice, well made, and more than likely easily assembled. Question, my reason to build with Grid construction was to have the ability to have valleys, rivers, mountains, also an easy way to have trains rise and fall as does actual earth. Are you going to have risers for grades, and if so, how will you attach them? I really like your plan and I do hope you are allowing wide radius to be able to run those beautiful articulated locomotives. Your train room is one of the best I’ve seen, Gunrunner John also has a super cool train room. Thank you very much for sharing the updates often, it’s going to be a fun to run model railroad. Your friend in Tennessee
Happy Railroading Everyone

@leapinlarry posted:

@Putnam Division, Peter, Wow, your making real progress, your bench work is really nice, well made, and more than likely easily assembled. Question, my reason to build with Grid construction was to have the ability to have valleys, rivers, mountains, also an easy way to have trains rise and fall as does actual earth. Are you going to have risers for grades, and if so, how will you attach them? I really like your plan and I do hope you are allowing wide radius to be able to run those beautiful articulated locomotives. Your train room is one of the best I’ve seen, Gunrunner John also has a super cool train room. Thank you very much for sharing the updates often, it’s going to be a fun to run model railroad. Your friend in Tennessee
Happy Railroading Everyone

Larry......my plan is all on one level.......I am incapable of thinking in 3 dimensions.

Also, I am strictly an urban modeler.....no valleys, hills, etc. I hope to achieve changing elevations by varying the heights of buildings......and, I might enclose a corner or two in a tunnel with buildings/a city scene on top.

The Benchwork is customizable insofar that if you plan a river, canal or valley,  Tim of Mianne, can selectively adjust the height of the I-beams to creat them.

So, to answer your questions, I am likely not a great source of information. I guess, if I was going to have grades, I figure that I would use the Woodland Scenic risers. Unfortunately, woodworking and carpentry is not a skill I possess.

Peter

Peter, looking at you open house post on Weekend Photo Fun it occurred to me that you are experienced with both, module construction and Mianne Benchwork.  It seems to me that Mianne Benchwork would lend itself nicely to modular layouts.  From what Mianne users post it is top quality and easy to assemble and re-configure or add on to.  Not being a modular club member I don't see any negatives.  Having experience with both I was wondering what you think about that.

@coach joe posted:

Peter, looking at you open house post on Weekend Photo Fun it occurred to me that you are experienced with both, module construction and Mianne Benchwork.  It seems to me that Mianne Benchwork would lend itself nicely to modular layouts.  From what Mianne users post it is top quality and easy to assemble and re-configure or add on to.  Not being a modular club member I don't see any negatives.  Having experience with both I was wondering what you think about that.

Joe.....same answer as above:

I am neither a skilled nor insightful carpenter nor a woodworker......and, I lack the ability of thinking/visualizing things in 3 dimensions.

Peter

@coach joe posted:

It seems to me that Mianne Benchwork would lend itself nicely to modular layouts.  From what Mianne users post it is top quality and easy to assemble and re-configure or add on to.  Not being a modular club member I don't see any negatives.  Having experience with both I was wondering what you think about that.

Actually, I don't see Mianne benchwork as being all that appropriate for a modular club, and I am such a member, and I used Mianne for my layout.  For transport, you have to take the legs off the module, or at least build in the ability to fold them.  Also, Mianne is fine for a fixed layout, but the lateral strength is not nearly up to the of constant assembly/disassembly.  If you apply a side force to a Mianne Leg, it will likely split the I-beam end it's attached to.

@Putnam Division posted:

......my plan is all on one level.....

Also, I am strictly an urban modeler.....no valleys, hills, etc. I hope to achieve changing elevations by varying the heights of buildings......and, I might enclose a corner or two in a tunnel with buildings/a city scene on top.

Peter

Peter,

Please try to include some terrain height variation on your layout. You can still keep the tracks level for ease of assembly and constant speed operation. Many layouts are perfectly flat and, to me, look unrealistic. Even if you don't include hills and valleys, you can easily vary terrain height above the plywood with layers of 1-inch-thick extruded pink foam that is lightweight, and easy to cut and shape. In the real world, there is terrain both above and below the level of the railroad tracks. It is much more work to create valleys (below track level) but not difficult to include terrain above track level. You can get away with flat terrain in an urban area with street scenes. Take your time and enjoy the construction process.

MELGAR

Coach Joe,

I'm with Peter and GRJ as far as the Mianne frame is intended to remain in situ. However, on my smaller 4x8 layout that I moved to the basement, I asked Tim at Mianne to provide caster nuts with 3/4" deep threads to use casters instead of the leveling feet. The idea here is to be able to move the layout to accomodate activity in the  area. To strengthen the framework I ordered four more 2' I-beams and six more 4' I-beams to tie together the legs on the bottom. This worked well, and I plan to put a sheet of 3/8 plywood over that level to store the trains. In the pic below, the center lower truss is left out temporarily to add some wiring under the layout. This kit is the same one Tim assembles in his video on the website, I just modified it to my liking.

As to my 8x16 layout in the making upstairs, no cross-bracing is desired, because I need the storage space underneath for tubs, and it won't be moved after the final construction is complete (famous last words).

Peter, John, 452, thank you all for the responses.  Looking at Peter's two posts just set off the idea in my mind so I figured I would ask and wouldn't you know I got answers.

Peter,

When you install the Gargraves pigtails, how far apart will you place them? Thanks to your post, I now know of their existence. No need to scuff up the rails and no soldering. That is the best way to go. And yes, they are a bit pricey, but like the Mianne solution they are worth it. I'm planning on using terminal blocks and wire nuts. Hey, if my whole house is wired that way, why not the layout?

@452 Card posted:

Peter,

When you install the Gargraves pigtails, how far apart will you place them? Thanks to your post, I now know of their existence. No need to scuff up the rails and no soldering. That is the best way to go. And yes, they are a bit pricey, but like the Mianne solution they are worth it. I'm planning on using terminal blocks and wire nuts. Hey, if my whole house is wired that way, why not the layout?

My gut tells me about every 5-6 track connections with more in an area where there are many turnouts.....

In reality, using a voltmeter and using as many as I need to ensure adequate power. What I said above will likely come close.....

I would welcome the comments of those more electronically astute....

Peter

Plywood ordered.

Plywood delivered.

Plywood in the attic!

I even have a left over pallet......

9 sheets of 1/2" 4x8 sanded birch plywood.....

We are moving steadily forward!

Peter

Cool, break out the saws, sanders, and routers, time for some benchwork!

And STILL no loop of track and a train running in circles........

Getting all that plywood upstairs must have been fun.

Bob

Great project fun ahead Peter!

With the price of wood today, did armed security guards follow the delivery truck to your home?

Oh yeah, I wish I could help guide you with your wiring questions but instead of being "electronically astute" I'm more like electronically astupe.

Looking forward to following your progress

Popcorn in the microwave now...

Dave

Now wait a minute, Peter. Its not an attic anymore, its a "Train Room"!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Cool, break out the saws, sanders, and routers, time for some benchwork!

Don't forget the shop vac for the saw dust....🤪🤪