New Train Room Finally Getting A Layout! (Last Update: 07/02/2022)

trainroomgary posted:

Now for the important question as related to model trains.  What is going to be your control system for your 3 Rail Trains?  MTH - DCS or Lionel TMCC / Legacy.

I'll be using both, I have a lot of MTH and TMCC/Legacy.  I'll also use my lone LC+ locomotive, the Camelback.

DennyM posted:

That's a quarter of your stuff!!??  You got a lot of moving to do.

That's why I'm starting early!  I want to get all this boxed up before we make settlement on the 22nd, right after that I'll be trucking this over.  There's plenty of other things that have to get done, this move is going to be a giant PITA, but I'm hopeful the long term result will be worth it.

Looks like a good time to get that new F150 you have been wanting, with the large bed of course!!  

Seriously, it will be worth it after you get moved and re-grouped in your new place. May take a while, but it will be a big relief (I think) and it looks like you will have a lot less to do with others doing the maintenance, other than play with and repair trains that is. You will have more time to make nifty, neat, new electronic devices for them as well! 

I can't wait to get started on a real layout, first one in years!  Right after I figure out what to do with all the trains to make room for the layout!   I think most of the boxes will finally bite the dust when I get the display shelves up for stuff.

I think I'll just use the phone to call a moving guy rather than buying a truck.   Some of those larger boxes are pretty HEAVY!

I can help you do a 1/48th scale move. Sent from my iPhone.

Atlas scale model, looks just like my full scale version, the color red is correct.

If you ever come to Detroit you can take a tour of the Ford Plant, where they build these trucks.

Click here.  for Ford Factory Tours

Gary

Don't do like I did and stack all the train boxes right where you plan to put the layout!  It works great...until the bench work arrives... 

John,  Just an idea, but it helped(s) when having to lift/move a box.  At some point, take time (when you move it) have a bathroom scale nearby and  get a weight (at the least, close) of each box, write the weight on outside of each box.  That way, you have an idea before lifting each one, and that comes in very handy later.  I did this when we moved from Lake of The Ozarks in Missouri to the OKC area, in Tuttle.  As much as the individual boxes get moved/relocated before being opened, it is nice to know.  My boxes (too many) were moved in two U Haul box trucks and after being unloaded into the garage (half of a two car), they were relocated to the attic, by myself, while I had to work on sites out-of-state for the next eight years.  Now, when taking one down from attic and then upstairs to the train room wife had built over new 3 car garage, cannot over state the weight being known is a good thing.  Another good thing I did at the time of packing was to include the date items were packed, more information that is nice to have later.  Don't ever misplace the spreadsheet, I did on mine.  But, as I relocated boxes from attic, I have gone through them, took out items as needed, inventoried the rest and put copy of listing in box (copy off of printer) for later when looking in box, knowing what is in there at a glance.  Don't live in a condo, so doing all the property workings and business myself robs me of time, and layout progress, but it is slowly getting done.  Congrats on the new digs and beautiful area for your new layout.  As others, cannot wait to see your progress and steps getting there.

Jesse      TCA  12-68275 

Wonderful looking layout room, John. Keep us posted as you build your dream layout.

Jay

gunrunnerjohn posted:

...  However, there is simply a LOT of stuff!  I figure the train stuff is going to be around 45-50 large boxes.  ...

Seriously, I think some of us could easily fill a train store with our inventories.    The worst culprits -- and I include myself in this category -- are the ones who purchased our trains while DREAMING of that big basement empire or barn empire we'd build in our retirement years. 

If I could do it all over again, I'd spend the $$$ on building the layout as early in the game as possible.  THAT then becomes our built-in governor of sorts in spending... because you constantly SEE the trains either on display or in operation on the layout.  Storing them away in boxes (for years and years) is an absolute guarantee to over-purchasing in the long run.  I'm speaking with first-hand knowledge here -- as my wife will very quickly attest. 

Yep, I wish I had this place first, it would have targeted the spending a bit more.  However, I'm here now, so I have to deal with it.

Larry, the 1:48 move isn't going to help enough to make a dent in the task, I'll have to stick with the 1:1 move for now.

The weight isn't a bad idea Jesse, but my plan is to have all the boxes stacked in the entry section and not in the actual train room.  I'm also not planning on moving them any great distance, they go down there and stay down there.  Also, I'm not planning on carrying all this stuff anywhere, I'm hiring a trucker to move them all over.  I'll move the more delicate stuff individually, but the big boxes will be hefted by someone younger and larger.

Great Job Gunrunner John !

Your new place looks great .  Great looking train room to boot. 

Good Luck on your move . 

Wow John, a Condo?  

Good Luck buddy, I know it's going to be a beautiful piece of work.

Please keep us posted on how thing progress.

It's a big condo.  

So John, just one really important piece of advice. You're not as young as you used to be and you're not immortal. Moving a lot of heavy boxes can be REALLY STUPID. I'd give that a lot of thought if I were you.

Gerry 

I'm having someone younger and stronger move most of the boxes.

The long awaited Mianne benchwork is on it's way.  UPS says tomorrow I'll have a bunch of heavy boxes, then the fun begins!

gunrunnerjohn posted:

The long awaited Mianne benchwork is on it's way.  UPS says tomorrow I'll have a bunch of heavy boxes, then the fun begins!

I see you got the liftgate.  I love mine and it is worth every penny.

Wonderful news! Now we can watch a master in action!

Great news GRJ! Good luck with it all, but it really is very easy to assemble, liftgate may add a bit of difficulty, but probably not a lot. Well designed stuff!

Take lots of pictures to post for us, that is if you can pause long enough every now and then! 

Congrats! If I lived near I'd be over there!

Thanks guys, I hope to finally get started on this project, it's sure taking a long time!  

Mike, I doubt the "master" designation applies to this endevor.  I'm an average carpenter, and my skills with the scenic end of layout construction do not match my electronic skills.  I'll be importing some consulting for the more difficult parts.   I can lay the track and wire it without issues, but making it look like some of the masterpieces I see here is way beyond my personal skills.

Did I miss a track plan??? Good luck!!!

No track plan yet, I'm still mulling over ideas about what I'll do.  Basically, I made the benchwork fill the available space to give me the maximum flexibility of the layout.  I also have to do some thinking about what pieces I currently have will go on the layout and an idea where they might go. This has kinda' been on the back burner as I didn't know when I'd get the benchwork and could actually start, so I've been doing other stuff.  Of course, I still have the other stuff to do, but now I have an additional major project in the mix!

Can't wait to see what you come up with John. 

Nice!!  I'm struggling with a similar situation.  Are your layout dimensions 12 x 20 feet?  And the platform is 4 feet wide from the center hole??  What are the overall dimensions of your room!?  Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

Benchwork looks great !!! Let’s get going on that track plan !!LoL 

Remember what we say ,  always leave a little time for ourselves. ! 

Since I posted the first video of my new train room , NOT a single thing was done. Absolutely zero progress. 😟

Alex 

Here's the dimensions of the table, feel free to offer any suggestions.  

I'm actually thinking of moving the liftgate over a bit as I am already planning on an extension at the lower left, I have a 12 foot open area there.  Moving the liftgate is no problem now as I just move modules around.  The one narrow section at the middle top will get a angled segment to allow more room to make the curves fit there.

This is the whole basement plan.  The red is where the current layout will go, and it will also fill that back cavity, too lazy to draw that shape.   The green is what I'm going to add for a yard, so I'll move the liftgate over about 4 feet to keep out of the way.  The white triangle is also bench for the tracks to the yard.

John, that's going to be awesome! Are you planning to put up any backdrops before assembling the benchwork?

Make sure you post some photos after you get the benchwork assembled. Have Fun!!!

Bruce

I have a simple strip of cloud backdrop, and I'm thinking of putting that up.  I am planning a town on the shelf section with EZ-Streets, and I figure the back wall will be the faux building fronts that stick out about 1-2" for the skyline and then put lower stuff in front with the streets.

I've still got a little work to do in removing a couple of wall sconces, I've ripped some stuff out already.

Hi John, either way I cant wait to fallow your build! Looks like a great space and from your other pictures it sure looks comfy !

Plans look great John. I hope that those 3 human figures in the plan are actual people who are helping you. Can't wait to see when things start to get set up.

Will someone please call me when this pile looks like benchwork?

Hah - looks good, John.

Are you using Mianne for the yard, too, or will that be stick and frame construction ?

It's easy John- Tab A goes in Slot B.

At least its not a book case from IKEA

Looking forward to the build. Good Luck!

Bob

I have more of the Mianne stuff that I was given after my order, so I'll be building the extension with Mianne as well.

Hey John,

What a beautiful space to build a beautiful layout, as I know you will.

If you have any questions about wiring, electronics, lighting etc feel free to ask me.  I will forward them to this genius that always bails me out on the forum .....Gunrunner.....lol...

Better than Lincoln Logs.

Once you get familiar with the directions and parts you will be surprised how fast just the benchwork all goes together (not sure about the lift gate?).  I think you will find it kind of fun to do after you get a couple of pieces put together. It's not like real carpentry or woodworking stuff and it's all light weight and easy to handle. Oh, and no sawdust! 

I would offer to come help, but you will probably be finished by the time I get there, don't want to spoil all your fun either.  

The only issue was two of the pulleys on the liftgate got squashed during shipping, so I have to wait until I get those to assemble the liftgate anyway.  I'll put all the other stuff together first.

That's not good, too bad there was shipping damage. I think I'd probably wait on the gate anyway. I imagine it will take a while longer and may need a little extra thought? Forgot to say I like the pictures and please keep them coming!! I just like the looks of the Mianne too. 

I'd really like to have one of those lift gates myself. Maybe in the expansion project. 

Oops, thought of one more thing, use a #3 Phillips screwdriver. They may say that in the directions, but it works much, much better than anything smaller. 

John - Whew!!  There's going to be a whole lot of railroading going on in that spacious basement!  Congratulations on the move and looking forward to seeing photos of your progress!