preventing falling off layout

Perhaps some scenery items on the edges of the table like trees, fences or something similar, integrated in the layout's scene. Plexiglass is also an option, but may not look good on all layouts.

There are numerous options.  I have my fascia board high enough to prevent it, but I have several long bridges and hidden return loops that aren't protected.

 

I really need to do something in those areas as well.

 

Lastly, I have a completely rubberized floor.  That's been a blessing because I had an engine hit the floor and luckily no damage!

As a kid running Lionel in my grandfather's basement, I ran on a 4x10 piece of plywood to which he added 1x3 to all edges, creating about a 2 inch lip.  Being a kid, that equipment ran at some high speeds and often left the track at corners, but never hit the floor.  Maybe I was just lucky.

 

I've also seen pictures of people using plexiglass here on the forum.  If you are running close to the edge with expensive equipment, I would recommend heavy plexiglass with a height of about 3 inches above the edge and screwed into the edge enough to make it hold firm.  Alternatively, if you'd like to protect your equipment from little hands, you could always use a 6 or 8 inch piece above the edge for more insurance.

 

Chuck

On my 14x32 ,twin shelf, 5 track operation at our mountain cottage I used 4" high plexiglas barrier which Lowes cut for me from 4x8 sheets in their glass area. Over 15 years I had one major derailment of hopper cars stringlining in a 30 car consist towed by a Clinchfield Challenger. None including the engine even reached the barrier, much less the floor 9' below. 

I have read that some say don't put the track less than 4" from the edge.  This allows some space for it to stop or give you time to catch it.

On my shelf layout I purchased 3" small head trim screws. I placed them every 24" along the edge & wrapped a single strand of black florist wire on each. The screws were black, the wire was black, thin & strong & disappeared into the scene. Plus no dusting or glare from plexi.

One cool story, but not cool story-

On our annual holiday layout we set up in our town hall, the top level runs HO in our pathetic attempt at forced perspective. The HO steamer was chugging along with 10 cars in tow. The last car derailed, creating a chain reaction of every single car & train falling to the lower level. At that exact moment my 2-8-0 MTH steamer with 15 cars at medium speed plowed right into it. Almost like a movie scene, the HO blew everywhere. Thankfully, my Railking kept on trucking like nothing happened. Our garage-sale purchased tyco HO paid the ultimate price. Later that day, we salvaged all but 2 of the cars & needed to replace the locomotive. However, as I said it was a $10 garage sale purchase. The only thing better was if we caught it on camera.

Here is our community layout & the master-blaster MTH steamer...

at :29, you can see what we saved from the North Bloomfield Train Disaster!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hei5LRK3uU

Large dia. curves, moderate speeds, excellent trackwork a must! I have never suffered a derailment with a crash to the floor, except when my wife (???) left a magazine on the tracks!

I really partially blame the locomotive for this crash.  I run 22 inch radius curves and then run a 22 inch radius curve in and back out with the help of a 33 inch radius to make the track snake looking and run other engines with no problem at full speed.  This was at 52 and derailed.  It is the only engine I have that would uncouple and derail the cars as it went thru that curve above 52.

That was what I did and never had a fall in my years in HO.  Even with my shelf running near the ceiling, I am putting the O gauge trains back a few inches.  However I am thinking of some barrier, since I don't want the fall of a lifetime to land on someone's head.

If you only have an 8' x 12' layout, then you have to use all the space. I have track within 2" of the edge of the table. I have gotten 4" wide x 1/8" the plexiglass from the local plastic house and put around the entire table. I also have a 7 yr old grandson who likes fast trains. NoT worth the risk of the trains I had back in the 50's.

Why are your trains derailing? I'd be more concerned about that instead of figuring out how to keep them from hitting the floor.

I set up a system similar to Rogerpete except used wooden dowels and fishing line.

On my O27 layout of years ago, I used baseboard molding as a safety rail for an attractive look. Mine was real wood (clear pine) material. There are other types made of pressed sawdust with a veneer that cost less, but those aren't stable unless they're nailed to a solid wall.

 

For added protection, I spaced the rail out from the edge of the table with small wood blocks every foot or so. This creates a gap so that if anything approaches the rail, wheels will tend drop into the gap and get trapped as added protection and to prevent anything heavy from rolling over the safety barrier.

After a derailment leading to a crash and an expensive engine repair, I lined the basement floor with 2x4 sheets of 3" thick high density polyethylene packing foam in several key areas. It comes in several different thicknesses and has the side benefit of being able to sit and kneel on it while working underneath the benchwork, saving wear and tear on knees and rear end.

 

I had one more crash after that, at the exact same place which led me to replace every Gargraves switch that I had on my layout with Ross. There have been no crashes or derailments since but the point is that the instead of the hard floor the engine landed softly with no damage whatsoever.

Back off on the speed.  I used to run on a 4x8 sheet of plywood with O27 tubular, so I've combat launched my fair share of trains.  When I used to set up my Xmas layout, I'd screw masonite strips at the corners, about 4-in high, with a 45-deg miter at the ends.  This was just at the corners.

Fascia board around the edges not only keeps trains from falling onto the floor but also keeps little fingers from the tracks, since kids like to hold onto something trying to see the action.  I had my GG-1 come off a bridge for no apparent reason, do a 360 and land on it's trucks when it hit the floor.  With only one bent truck it was a pretty easy fix.

 

Jack

As a kid, I remember my engine would derail frequently.  It was a tough old engine and I probably had o27 track.  I had a carpet central layout that was on the dining room floor.  My mom would come in and tell me it was time to set the table and I would have to put everything away.

 

To prevent derailments on my current layout, I have laid o72 curves and purchased engines that run on o54 track.  Even when I high ball the engines, they stay on as long as nothing is on the track.   

 

David56

Someone posted large radius curves, moderate speed, excellent trackwork.  All good advice.  I had one MTH camel back jump off the track in the middle of a 12 foot straight track.  To this day I have not been able to replicate that event not do I want to.  At any location that is a potential problem (outside of a curve too close to the edge) there is a plexiglass barrier.  At other locations where there is some space between the track and the edge, a one inch thick pink foam was placed and tapered to make the track appear to be in a small cut.  It serves to provide some scenic interest and as a barrier in the event of a run away.

It sounds like I am in the minority, but I do not run my trains fast and really enjoy them operating at the edge of my layout with out protection (ties less than 1.5" from edge of bench work in many places).  I feel like I can put myself in the scene unobstructed and get up in the action.  I do have carpeting under the layout, but I assume most of my steam engines would be toast any ways falling over 3' to the ground.

How fast are some of you guys running your engines? In all my years I have never ran one off the tracks and onto the floor. But then again I run my trains at moderate speeds, have good track work and I pay attention to what I am doing. If you have kids you can always lower the top speed if running command.

 

no need for plexiglass or the like. 

I have plexiglass though it's less about keeping trains in and more about keeping little hands out. We have over 20 small kids on our block and often host the kids for movie nights. Naturally the kids are drawn to the layout. After having some trees snapped and a couple of cars knocked off the tracks I decided to install a barrier. The plexiglass is held in place with bolts and wing nuts so I can easily remove it when the tiny terrors are not present. My layout is small - 5x10 - so running the tracks right at the edge is a necessary evil. 

Let's remember these are TOYS!. expensive ones to be sure, but if this hobby has any chance of growth we must encourage the children to take part. Touching, holding and playing with trains and accessories is what this hobby is all about. Kids are interested, let's keep it that way! Plexi-glass acts as a barrier to imagination. How about teaching these children to respect and enjoy.

I made wood post and drilled holes in them and strung them through all of them and put holes in the table and put them down inside the hole and hot glued all of the wood posts. hope this helps.

I use a white picket fence strategically placed on the corners.

 

 

After I had mine built, I added a 3" or 4" wide piece of plywood to extend the table which gives me about 7" from rail to outside edge, then a small piece of masonite 1" to trim the edge. Then scenery applied. People of all ages like to touch scenery and I let them, in fact I encourage it. Do I get any damage? usually only from me leaning over the track for maintenance, It's my sacrificial scenery, easy to fix and peoples curiosity is satisfied. I also super elevated all curves to help keep trains stay on track. If I have to put up a barrier to run trains or protect them I'll quit this hobby.

    Oh by the way open house here april 26 and 27

Clem

Blissfield Railroad Days' Events - Blissfield Main Street

I guess I live dangerously because some of my track is right on the edge of the table, and there are even short stretches where the track is over open air.

 

All the "exposed" curves are 42" diameter and my locomotives will rip right around them at full speed with no indication of a problem.

 

So far so good even with an excited 2-1/2 year old shoving me out of the way to get at the transformer.

Complete agreement with necrails comments, also consider banking curves two or three degrees and eliminate/minimize switches on upgrades/downgrades. I you pick a point or split the switch there will be a derailment. I use 1/2" plywood, on curves the plywood is pitched down two or three degrees toward the center of curvature, i.e., center of the curve, same logic on banked curve exit and entry ramps of interstate expressways. 

I thought 52 scale miles was a reasonable speed.  It is what many trains run at in real life.  I really think it was the engines fault as other engines have run much faster with no problem on a 22 inch radius curve(HO remember).  None of my O scale have ever run off even at high speeds.  I just want to add insurance.  I like the idea of the fence and wire. 

Follow train...have on baseball mit...catch as necessary! 

Another idea, consider applying weights to your rolling stock,I added weights to many of my Weaver cars, you can buy steel strip 11GA. 3/4" & 1" wide by 6ft long at Lowes or at the local hardware. Cut to required length, if my memory is correct, for O Scale 5 oz. + 1 oz.per length of the car, for a scale 40ft boxcar the weight is 16oz.

The steel strip was applied to the boxcar and reefer interiors with RTV, for the coal cars weight strips were applied transversely  to the exterior slope sheets above the center sill using RTV, the hopper cars can be taken apart by removing the trucks and mounting screws, weights were applied transversely to the interior facing bottom assembly using RTV.  

Also avoid rapid starts and stops on curves, maintain a relatively constant speed, this will help prevent car pulloff derailments  for cars of different lengths(truck centers) and different car weights. 

 

I've never understood the penchant of O-gauge operators to run at ridiculous high speeds.  Almost every time I see a video of an o-gauge layout, it's like their throttles only have 2 settings:  off, and 18V.  Slow trains look better!

 

But some of us like expresses.  That and kids like fast trains, and I like my kids to be happy.

"preventing falling off layout"

 

Ive an idea about how to prevent

falling off layout!!!

 

Don't climb onto it!!

 there's one in every crowd

I say no pain  no gain!

 

 

Take this one at speed....

 

 

 

Besides isn't that what the 3rd rail is for? Keeps the trains on the track....

On an O27 layout I have a couple unobtrusive "guardrails" made from old telegraph wire which I hammer straight, curve to fit, bend and thread the ends and bolt them to the layout table. They can hang out slightly past the edge of the layout table, where I have an O27 curve on a table only 28" wide. I position it just high enough to catch a derailed item. It's a stiff heavy wire almost 1/8" thick and I cover it with black electrical tape which makes it less visible, and so it won't scratch errant rolling stock. I haven't had any train items plunge off the table but I feel better with the guardrails. 

 

I also have a large room-perimeter O-gauge floor layout on carpet, which avoids the problem entirely!

Not if you have a 1 year old learning to walk and he just happens to sit on the track the same time a train is passing!  So far noting damaged, train or son, but it's happened enough that he doesn't cry anymore.

 

I'm with you.  Let'r rip!