On the edge... How close is too close?

Get 1" thick foam for the floor, so there is no damage or minimal damage.

Andrew

I have found out, if the train falls off onto the floor, it probably was to close to the edge.

I would be more concerned about the walls, why were they not painted or covered to make it a nice space for your layout or just to hang out. 

Good question.  I built a similar shelf last winter.  I my track is about 5 inches from the edge, but I haven't permanently fastened it down yet.  It is farther back than I would like, because I can't see the wheels at my height of 5' 11''.  I have had no derailments to date, but of course do not want to have a derailment into the 6' 9" canyon.  It only takes once however. 

This is about as close as I'd go . . .

Unless you have at least 12 inches, I doubt it matters how close 1" 2" even 6" it will likely end up "string lining" to the floor in a derailment. I would use some plexi to make a guard to catch the train. 

Depends, in part, on how you run your trains and the reliability of your track work.  My track is very close to the layout's edge in several areas, but there are no switches in those areas and I always run my trains at slow speeds (compared to some that I have seen on videos here).

I'm thinking you are probably doing a simple loop around the perimeter of the room.  Have good trackwork, run em slow, and I would keep the track an inch from the outside edge as an overall guide.  That is what I would do.  Why would a train derail on a straight and probably all inside curves where it would derail into your platform anyway if it ever did?  If you are still stressing, you may consider a border of ripped plexiglass set an inch above your platform for a border to catch any wild runaway trains.

I'd 3rd the clear plastic edger so you can run it close.  Be sure to check that long cars don't run into it on the inside of turns.

I had Williams Scale size Hudson take out the guard rail on a Gargraves switch and find it's way straight to the concrete floor. Good news is that it only bent the headlight, fairly easily fixed. Talk about terror!

I plan on adding about 3" of plexi above ground level.

Or you could build a guardrail fence with dowels and wire so you can still see the train yet have something to stop a direct plunge to the floor. Or a safety net below the shelf edge like they use in high rise building construction....low enough to still allow you to see the trains unobstructed.

Paul Goodness

I guess my only concern would be for people below rather than the trains themselves.

Running trains at any level above a floor near a table/shelf edge must assume a risk to the trains.  Ever ridden some of the cliff-hugging train rides in the real world?  (Durango and Silverton RR just north of Durango comes to mind!)  No 'guard rails', fences, clear plexiglass walls, etc. there!

In fact, depending on the CG (Center of Gravity) of the train (particularly diecast steam locos.), a fence might have to be higher than you'd expect to ensure it didn't roll over the top.

I've installed a couple shelf style G gauge trains in commercial establishments.  One shelf run was 18 (eighteen) feet above the floor.  As you point out, the train at that height necessarily must be close to the edge in order to be seen in any reasonable manner.  In each of the installations, I was required to provide a 'fence' against mishap to protect customer noggins lest the train decided to take a Buz Lightyear 'To Infinity, and Beyond!' leap.  After all, the pilot on a steam engine is often shaped to a point....something rather painful to the skull under gravitational force/acceleration.

No easy answer.  Trade-offs all around.  What are you willing...able to afford...as a risk?

By the way, on my home layout, I run as close as 1.5" to the table edge at a table height of about 40".  Concrete floor, thin unpadded carpet runners,...mostly a concern for the feet/arches/toes, rather than the cranium. 

Que sera, sera.

KD

On my layout I am about an inch from the edge with no side protection. But I am going to install a plexiglass border about 6 to 8 inches high so that I wont bump things walking around the exposed edge sections of the layout.

I would go with 1/4", but 1/8" would probably work too. Doesn't need to be tall, 2" or 3" should catch all but the worst disasters.

Back to the original question, I run as close as 2" center rail to edge in some places on my layout.

Now that I think of it, I always keep my fascia an inch above the layout platform.  It only makes sense to do the same with ripped pieces of plexiglass.  1/8" is fine. 

Geez, I need to build a layout.  I'm getting rusty.  Good luck with yours!

In one place I am an inch from the edge and haven't lost a train there yet in over 10 years.  Just have good track work.

.....

Dennis