John,
Yes I have a dimmer for the lights. I never had one before, but am putting one in for others' benefit. I don't get that big a kick out of low light running; but my wife does.
Y'all know I'm an Engineer at Lutron, right? Mark if you have ANY questions about picking out dimmers and dimming LEDS please don't hesitate to reach out to me.
No John, I only know you as an O gauge train enthusiast I met at Harry's! LOL.
Thank you for the offer. I will get back to you when I have more time. I have an errand to run now. Always something! LOL
The first reply was to John C. The second was to John D. This could get confusing!!
Hey Mark, everyone know you cant rake leaves in the rain. Let alone wet leaves, that should give you a couple of days for train room work!
Mike,
You are right. It has rained hard a couple days, in fact we had hail last evening. Too sloppy a mess out there. Great weather for working in the train room.
Well, I got the track lights hung and finished the painting. I thought I may need another track light, but never having used them before, I thought I would not spend the extra money until I installed these. The LED lights are great, but there are a few dark spots, so I will order one more from Home Depot. I will have to add some wiring to do it. With spring coming on, it may be a while before I get it installed, but I can do other things in the meantime. That's all for today. My old nemesis, chronic sinusitis, has me whipped. I took a nap before writing this, but at least I got done what I hoped to today! I have learned to not hope for much, and I might just get it accomplished! 
Here are some photos from what I reported yesterday. First one of the lighting units showing a dark corner.
Next, I left the brick wall unpainted. I hate to paint it, and I will have a backdrop there. We will see how it goes.
Lastly, is my shipment of GarGraves track.
I bought two Ross Custom Switches Friday, so I still need to buy 9, but there is plenty of time for that. I need to get some benchwork up first.
I mentioned before that when I get ready to build the benchwork, I will shift to a layout build topic in the 027 and 3-Rail Forum. I'll put links between the two.
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Looking good, Mark!!!
Mark, it sure is nice to see things moving along! Make sure you enjoy it as things go!
Thank you Mike and Mike! Even the tasks that aren't my favorites will be enjoyable because of the anticipation of the layout coming into action!
Mark, I've been remiss in commenting on your progress. The room looks great and I like the backdrop idea vs painting the brick.
Dave,
No worries! Thank you.
Yesterday while taking breaks from winter leaf cleanup and getting the mower running, I laid out my GarGraves track on the floor in an approximation of how the plan flows. It is not exact, because I just laid pieces overlapping where there will be track cuts, and I did not bend any of the flex to shape. I used some 054 and 072 I had on hand to simulate the bent track. I also only have 4 of the 9 switches, so only one is in place. I also left the staging sidings out. Here are a couple of photos of how the track will fill the space. Not too bad. I think I can live with this as long as I make the layout high enough to get my increasingly arthritic body under and into the access hatches. Sorry the room is so small I couldn't get a complete view. It was too windy or I would have opened the sliding glass door. I didn't want dried leaves and maple blossoms blowing in. I think you get the idea.
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Very nice Mark, now time to get some benchwork built!
Thank you Jim! You are right. I think benchwork will be slow going until late fall; but one never knows. 
That looks good Mark, things are progressing nicely.
Thank you, Dave!
You could avoid the duckunders (save arthritic knees) and get broader curves if you them, by going around the walls instead of an island layout with acess hatches. build the whole thing 30 inches wide (or however far you can reach) around the outside of the room and maybe a peninsula up the middle if you have enough room. 24 inch aisles are wide enough for one guy operation. 30 or more if multiple operators.
your getting there mark! I am almost done with my garage to start my layout.
Nice, Mark. I like that plan.
It's been a while since I first saw your thread Mark. You are patiently planning a nice layout. I like the planning stage but it really is enjoyable to start building bench work. Have fun.
prrjim posted:You could avoid the duckunders (save arthritic knees) and get broader curves if you them, by going around the walls instead of an island layout with acess hatches. build the whole thing 30 inches wide (or however far you can reach) around the outside of the room and maybe a peninsula up the middle if you have enough room. 24 inch aisles are wide enough for one guy operation. 30 or more if multiple operators.
Jim,
Your idea would have been my preference except for some problems with my room. The entry from the rest of the basement is a door at one corner, which is good, but the adjacent wall has a sliding glass door with the opening at the far end only 2 feet from the far corner. I needed to keep that open for traffic, so in effect my 11' 6" x 11' 4" room has about two feet chopped off the one side. At the beginning of this topic we discussed an idea I had of having a loop go the whole way around with a lift-out bridge in front of the glass door, but I finally decided against it. The duck-unders came as a concession I didn't want to make at first. I talked about the problem with my wife, and she even suggested I take the glass door out and put a wall in it's place, which wouldn't be that hard to do, but the way the rest of the basement is constructed, I decided against it.
Nothing is etched in stone yet, so I won't rule out that once I get building benchwork I may change my mind on this. Time will tell. Thank you very much for your suggestion!!!
Chris D posted:your getting there mark! I am almost done with my garage to start my layout.
Chris,
Thank you! I am glad you are getting done with your garage. We may find ourselves at similar points of construction somewhere down the line. Someday you can come take a look at mine in person.
mjrodg3n88 posted:Nice, Mark. I like that plan.
Mike,
Thank you! I'm glad to see your layout is coming along nicely, and someday you can come up to see mine in person as well.
Mark
Nice work so far. I was looking at the track plan and looks good as laid out. I was thinking that you could actually connect everything to see how things would run. Then decide if you would have to modify. Easier said then done, but then you wouldn't have to modify the bench work. As for the suggestion of around the room option. This would be perfect timing to mock that one up then you could decide which way you want to go. The one thing you will have to do with that option is to build a either a lift away at the door or something similar to what paul2 is doing that flips up . Another advantage will be storage. You could build shelves into it and then the room might not look so cluttered. with shelving on the walls.. I think it was mike who asked about the celling central. Something to think about, but from the looks of it you could possibly do the same thing in that room and then run a spur connecting both rooms. Another option with the around the wall plan. Might need to knock a hole in the wall, but you could run a spur into the other room and along the wall have a hidden yard with four or five sidings with trains ready to go. Then you could decide what you want to run before you enter the room to operate. The work on the room itself is looking good. The lighter blue actually make it look bigger. Question the window leads to the out side or into the garage?
I use a mechanic's stool to get under my layout. It's the only way I can do it and be able to get back out and stand up afterward. Harbor Freight has a couple of different ones and I use the shortest one they have. It's the rectangular one, the round one is a little higher. Unless they have gotten some new ones in the last 3-4 years. If you can get something like that and make your benchwork high enough so you can fit fairly comfortably while on the stool I think you will be able to get under there and work fairly well and certainly be able to get to the access hatches without much trouble.
I'm 5'-9" and my benchwork is 40" to the top. The cross pieces are about 3-1/2"-4" or so and that leaves me roughly 36" of clearance. That's a little low, I would go about 3"-4" higher if I had it to do over, but as long as I remember to duck a little for the cross braces it isn't too bad. If you haven't been under there for a while the first encounter with a cross brace usually provides incentive to duck from then on.
Also, I was worried about the 40" height as my grandson was only about 6 or 7 when I got going on my layout. He could reach the items on the outer parts of the layout, but anything a little ways in on the layout was hard for him to get to. I got him a couple of step stools, also at Harbor Freight, and he used those when he wanted to get to something a little further in on the layout. He just moves them around where he wants them and has never complained. He's taller now and doesn't use the stools so much any more, only once in a while now.
Just some more things to consider or think about here.
suzukovich posted:Mark
Nice work so far. I was looking at the track plan and looks good as laid out. I was thinking that you could actually connect everything to see how things would run. Then decide if you would have to modify. Easier said then done, but then you wouldn't have to modify the bench work. As for the suggestion of around the room option. This would be perfect timing to mock that one up then you could decide which way you want to go. The one thing you will have to do with that option is to build a either a lift away at the door or something similar to what paul2 is doing that flips up . Another advantage will be storage. You could build shelves into it and then the room might not look so cluttered. with shelving on the walls.. I think it was mike who asked about the celling central. Something to think about, but from the looks of it you could possibly do the same thing in that room and then run a spur connecting both rooms. Another option with the around the wall plan. Might need to knock a hole in the wall, but you could run a spur into the other room and along the wall have a hidden yard with four or five sidings with trains ready to go. Then you could decide what you want to run before you enter the room to operate. The work on the room itself is looking good. The lighter blue actually make it look bigger. Question the window leads to the out side or into the garage?
Doug,
Thank you for your observations and suggestions. I started mocking up an idea from earlier on in this process, but with some suggestions since I opened this topic. Yes, it would have a flip up shelf/bridge. I want to do a little more before I post any photos of it.
As to the hole in the wall to the Ceiling Central RR room, here is why I won't do that. Eleven inches of concrete block and brick. Then you can see the CCRR shelves above the clock in the other room.
This room is an addition my in-laws put on the house a few years before we bought it from Mum after Pop Pop passed. The train room was intended to be the supporting structure for the sun room above it. LOL My father-in-law loved that sun room, as his health kept him indoors a lot. So yes, this was the exterior and the big window has the laundry on the other side.
Now, that said, the CCRR is right above the top of the door opening, It would be possible to have a shelf 4" lower and it could go through the corner of the door opening, and I wouldn't hit my head. I am 6' 0". I'll ponder that some more over the summer I think.
Thank you very much, and I will post some ideas as I develop them. It is just as good I won't have time to build benchwork until fall anyway.
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rtr12 posted:I use a mechanic's stool to get under my layout. It's the only way I can do it and be able to get back out and stand up afterward. Harbor Freight has a couple of different ones and I use the shortest one they have. It's the rectangular one, the round one is a little higher. Unless they have gotten some new ones in the last 3-4 years. If you can get something like that and make your benchwork high enough so you can fit fairly comfortably while on the stool I think you will be able to get under there and work fairly well and certainly be able to get to the access hatches without much trouble.
I'm 5'-9" and my benchwork is 40" to the top. The cross pieces are about 3-1/2"-4" or so and that leaves me roughly 36" of clearance. That's a little low, I would go about 3"-4" higher if I had it to do over, but as long as I remember to duck a little for the cross braces it isn't too bad. If you haven't been under there for a while the first encounter with a cross brace usually provides incentive to duck from then on.
Also, I was worried about the 40" height as my grandson was only about 6 or 7 when I got going on my layout. He could reach the items on the outer parts of the layout, but anything a little ways in on the layout was hard for him to get to. I got him a couple of step stools, also at Harbor Freight, and he used those when he wanted to get to something a little further in on the layout. He just moves them around where he wants them and has never complained. He's taller now and doesn't use the stools so much any more, only once in a while now.
Just some more things to consider or think about here.
I have thought I would like benchwork high, not as high as the 50" I had on my last HO layout, but higher than 40" We don't have any grandchildren yet, but I think I will find a good height for me and provide step stools if we have grandchildren or any other kids see it. Thank you very much for your experience.
Mark Boyce posted:suzukovich posted:Mark
Nice work so far. I was looking at the track plan and looks good as laid out. I was thinking that you could actually connect everything to see how things would run. Then decide if you would have to modify. Easier said then done, but then you wouldn't have to modify the bench work. As for the suggestion of around the room option. This would be perfect timing to mock that one up then you could decide which way you want to go. The one thing you will have to do with that option is to build a either a lift away at the door or something similar to what paul2 is doing that flips up . Another advantage will be storage. You could build shelves into it and then the room might not look so cluttered. with shelving on the walls.. I think it was mike who asked about the celling central. Something to think about, but from the looks of it you could possibly do the same thing in that room and then run a spur connecting both rooms. Another option with the around the wall plan. Might need to knock a hole in the wall, but you could run a spur into the other room and along the wall have a hidden yard with four or five sidings with trains ready to go. Then you could decide what you want to run before you enter the room to operate. The work on the room itself is looking good. The lighter blue actually make it look bigger. Question the window leads to the out side or into the garage?
Doug,
Thank you for your observations and suggestions. I started mocking up an idea from earlier on in this process, but with some suggestions since I opened this topic. Yes, it would have a flip up shelf/bridge. I want to do a little more before I post any photos of it.
As to the hole in the wall to the Ceiling Central RR room, here is why I won't do that. Eleven inches of concrete block and brick. Then you can see the CCRR shelves above the clock in the other room.
This room is an addition my in-laws put on the house a few years before we bought it from Mum after Pop Pop passed. The train room was intended to be the supporting structure for the sun room above it. LOL My father-in-law loved that sun room, as his health kept him indoors a lot. So yes, this was the exterior and the big window has the laundry on the other side.
Now, that said, the CCRR is right above the top of the door opening, It would be possible to have a shelf 4" lower and it could go through the corner of the door opening, and I wouldn't hit my head. I am 6' 0". I'll ponder that some more over the summer I think.
Thank you very much, and I will post some ideas as I develop them. It is just as good I won't have time to build benchwork until fall anyway.
Brick and mortar wall Definitely a challenge. I don't think you would have to lower the entire Ceiling central to make the door way now looking at it. Just the sections leading to it with a down ward and upward grade to and from the door. In the train room Ceiling Central would be more like shelf central with it at the height to make the doorway. That would be easy to blend in with the layout. Hidden yard run through the window and then into the other room?
It is good thinking. I will look it over and do some measuring.
Thank you for the ideas
So in the last week, I tried looked at this idea, and put some track on the floor for that idea, and measured for another idea, and finally think I will stick with the plan as shown 
I decided I don't want to just go around and around the room. I don't want curves any tighter than 042, because I want to run my MTH Western Maryland Consolidation. I don't want to bother with extending the Ceiling Central into staging tracks, because I don't want a quarter of the room taken up by a helix, and I had trouble building the shelves at that height anyway. It's as painful as trying to run tracks on the floor.
The only possible idea is to take a track off the curve by the big window at the bottom of the drawing and run it through the window over the washer, dryer and stationary tub. Unfortunately the tracks would have to stop adjacent to the edge of the benchwork at the bottom of this drawing, because I need to keep another doorway open. If I did put tracks there the track height would be 45" above the floor, which is workable. I think I would want a Plexiglas barrier in front of the trains to protect against water splashes, which would not be common. Still I don't know that it is worth it and have cars near the water source.
Thank you for all the comments and ideas!!
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Looking great Mark. I have been following the progress and looking great. The layout design looks great.
Marki, sounds like you have your plan and it's a good one. Time to stop discussing the plan, draw a line in the sand and build it.
Looks good Mark. I think you have deliberated and discussed on this forum long enough. Looks like a solid plan that should bring you lots of enjoyment to build and operate.
I was almost going to chime in when someone suggested blasting through the brick above the door to extend the CC but you quickly put that idea to bed. Cutting through 12+" of brick and block is no fun. There's probably a lintel above the door too.
Hope to see some benchwork up soon!
Bob
Thank you Harry, Pat, Bob, And Dave!! I think all of you are correct! I think it is a good plan for someone who wants to tun trains somewhat simulating a prototypical manner, in limited space and leave room for interesting scenery. This was my thought a couple weeks ago, but I wanted to give reasonable suggestions some consideration. Dave gave me a suggestion offline that may aid in having cars ready to swap out quickly when making up new trains, that I will give some thought.
I am glad the discussion came up on the window to the laundry. Since we bought the house, we have kept the window open to let some heat from the vent right above the washer into our daughter's art room. I never thought about moisture getting in there, and daughter certainly would have raised the issue if it had affected her variety of artworks and materials. My wife and I both thought I may want to take the window out altogether. We have never used that baseboard heater on the far wall. I don't think I should have a problem with moisture especially if I have the dehumidifier running. Does anyone have any thoughts on that.
Other than that, I am ready to get some wood and have been looking at miter saws at Lowes and Home Depot. I recall a suggestion for a compound one. Progress may be slow for now, but I should be able to make progress over the summer.
Thank you everyone!!
I don't think you'll have a moisture problem in the train room, but could have had some with a spur going into the laundry room, more heat than moisture. I don't know how that room is configured, but ours gets warm when the dryer is running. Probably not enough to do any damage unless you have an accident and get water on the spur. Even without that, I think it would have made doing laundry a little more of a hassle having to watch out for the spur, etc.
Mark Boyce posted:Thank you Harry, Pat, Bob, And Dave!! I think all of you are correct! I think it is a good plan for someone who wants to tun trains somewhat simulating a prototypical manner, in limited space and leave room for interesting scenery. This was my thought a couple weeks ago, but I wanted to give reasonable suggestions some consideration. Dave gave me a suggestion offline that may aid in having cars ready to swap out quickly when making up new trains, that I will give some thought.
I am glad the discussion came up on the window to the laundry. Since we bought the house, we have kept the window open to let some heat from the vent right above the washer into our daughter's art room. I never thought about moisture getting in there, and daughter certainly would have raised the issue if it had affected her variety of artworks and materials. My wife and I both thought I may want to take the window out altogether. We have never used that baseboard heater on the far wall. I don't think I should have a problem with moisture especially if I have the dehumidifier running. Does anyone have any thoughts on that.
Other than that, I am ready to get some wood and have been looking at miter saws at Lowes and Home Depot. I recall a suggestion for a compound one. Progress may be slow for now, but I should be able to make progress over the summer.
Thank you everyone!!
Yes Mark- look for a compound saw. You will not be sorry.
Bob
Dave,
I think you are right about not having a moisture problem in the train room. I agree, shelves over the laundry would be in the way. And I do as much wash as my wife does.
Bob,
Thank you on the compound saw. I was looking on the phone for the earlier remark, and it is a pain to find on a little screen.
I just want to thank everyone who has given suggestions, input, and just a positive note 'like'. Since my first layout back in 1969-70, I never had anyone to discuss ideas with before! It is so much better this go round with all of you with me here! I appreciate everyone who has read this topic! Thank you!
You don't need a compound saw. Why don't you just build it?
