Show us your small to medium upper level

Here are a couple of videos with my multi level layout which includes a subway,O and standard gauge tracks with an 0-36 loop and finished off with my Lionel race car set.

Upper is 027 track

My upper level doesn't look like much yet, but it will have a town and a EZ-Streets dogbone track to have cars running both directions down the "main" street.

I like upper levels.  It's all you can do when you run out of space, but would like to add more of these great trains.

A simple example, made of bass and balsa wood.  The uprights allow you to run a line underneath.

For upper levels, I've found it's best to have a good supply of materials.  The big box is 60 years old, purchased by my father.

As you go, you may change your mind.  Here's what happened with the middle room of my layout.  To paraphrase Eisenhower, "Plans rarely work, but I find planning to be essential."

When I started, I had no idea it would turn out to be this...

Best of luck, and hope you liked them.

Jerry

JerryG posted:

I like upper levels.  It's all you can do when you run out of space, but would like to add more of these great trains.

A simple example, made of bass and balsa wood.  The uprights allow you to run a line underneath.

For upper levels, I've found it's best to have a good supply of materials.  The big box is 60 years old, purchased by my father.

As you go, you may change your mind.  Here's what happened with the middle room of my layout.  To paraphrase Eisenhower, "Plans rarely work, but I find planning to be essential."

When I started, I had no idea it would turn out to be this...

Best of luck, and hope you liked them.

Jerry

 

 

I’d love to see a sketch of your track plan Jerry.  Please include the well used ashtray from the fourth and fifth pictures...

Tom

Hi Leroof, You have received so much valuable advice and explanations of experience here, to date, that I hesitate to add my own approach to having upper levels. However, since I added a Second and a Third Level, right from the start, but only to the rear portion of the overall layout, I thought this variation on the approach to having multiple levels might be useful to you.

I wanted both upper levels to be easily approached by me, which they are, on foot or on my knees, by being up on the First Level itself. That is because the buildings on the First Level are all attached to baseplates, which can be lifted out of the way temporarily so that I can reach either upper level.

Tunnel derailments, if any, ever, are approached from underneath and inside the layout, by reaching upward into the "hills."

The Third Level contains a simple "dog-bone"  closed-loop track.

The Second Level has two dog-bones that are placed close together, sharing their "plateau."

And two tracks leave the Second Level area and come straight out toward the visitors in the viewing-aisle, which was my wife's idea.

The reason I did not want any ramp of track connecting the First Level to the Second was that I did not want to surrender the real-estate necessary for such a construction, along this left-wall area. To me, it was easier to have separate, self-contained upper levels at the rear of the layout.

I do hope this has been helpful and offers a perspective worth your notice and consideration.

FrankM

Moonson posted:

Hi Leroof, You have received so much valuable advice and explanations of experience here, to date, that I hesitate to add my own approach to having upper levels. However, since I added a Second and a Third Level, right from the start, but only to the rear portion of the overall layout, I thought this variation on the approach to having multiple levels might be useful to you.

I wanted both upper levels to be easily approached by me, which they are, on foot or on my knees, by being up on the First Level itself. That is because the buildings on the First Level are all attached to baseplates, which can be lifted out of the way temporarily so that I can reach either upper level.

Tunnel derailments, if any, ever, are approached from underneath and inside the layout, by reaching upward into the "hills."

The Third Level contains a simple "dog-bone"  closed-loop track.

The Second Level has two dog-bones that are placed close together, sharing their "plateau."

And two tracks leave the Second Level area and come straight out toward the visitors in the viewing-aisle, which was my wife's idea.

The reason I did not want any ramp of track connecting the First Level to the Second was that I did not want to surrender the real-estate necessary for such a construction, along this left-wall area. To me, it was easier to have separate, self-contained upper levels at the rear of the layout.

I do hope this has been helpful and offers a perspective worth your notice and consideration.

FrankM

 

 

Frank, your post is helpful to many of us who have ever considered multiple levels, interconnecting loops of track, etc. 

I totally relate to what you say about opting not to have ramps interconnecting your levels because doing so would mean you would lose real estate for your structures. That kind of decision is one that all of us with layouts need to make. There is no one right answer, it's as matter of deciding what is most important to the layout builder.

You have thoughtfully set your priorities and masterfully executed them in your layout design, construction, scenery, etc., which is what many of us aspire to do. Arnold

One more thing. Frank has carefully considered retaining access to every spot on his layout, which is critical. It also makes perfect sense to have the higher levels further away from, and low level closer to, the viewer, though there may be effective ways to do it differently. Arnold

Jerry G, looks like a great deal of fun to run on your layout's multi  levels! Very postwar ish, I like the traditional approach too.

MOONSON!  WOW, so much time and effort in each level and each square inch! Realism that O scale (2 railers ) would be thrilled to portray! What a layout! Fantastic photos. Thanks much for sharing. 

If ever I go back to O scale I would like a slice of that! Lol.

leroof.

Ramps to upper levels in postwar Lionel or Marx layouts are part of the charm of that eras layout possibility.  The graded toy trestle is not for everyone. I found that smaller to medium layouts with short trains behind magnatraction engines are part of postwar toy enjoyment. My childhood living room floor layout with 027 track(note Lionel tressle not screwed down!) was a bendable track near off the cliff on edge kind of thing! Too sharp a curve, too steep, but fun when it worked, not when it didn't... 

As an adult,  I did have a gradual elevation climb on the first House basement 3rail layout I had.  It was 20 feet of gradual wooden elevators, max elevations at 10 inches to a platform. All engines with or  without magnatraction would glide up the hill with a 10 car load, make the return loop of 054 curve and glide down the hill to the level. Still it was steep!  I miss that fun! Toy train operating near impossible climbs were about play and play I did.  Speed control comes with age!

This has been a very vigorous elevating topic with all kinds of generous posts, usable info and photos. Many thanks.

leroof.

Here's my 042 curve upper level from my old layout. The supports are cat treat and dishwasher additive bottles filled with concrete. Also a couple of tree branches for a nature look. I ran small screws into the plastic caps of the bottles. With some Styrofoam support along the back it tied together and didn't move at all. Not for everyone but severed the purpose for me.  Azgary

Hi Azgary, your old layout had some cool elevation support! Alternative support engagement! Great.  Btw, I like this former layout with the Lionel graduated tressle as well as  plasticville town.  Slotcars too! Are those HO or 1/32 scale ? You even have a lap counter too. i did get some Carrera 1/32 scale slot cars (crossed over into the dark Side! Lol). But I can play with trains on my own any time. Need at least two people to race. Looks like you have a grouping of 4 maybe six racers! Is that digital racetrack?  My analog slot cars are still in a box, but dangerously near by the layout. One of these days they may share the train space.

thanks for sharing your elevation experience.

leroof

Leroof posted:...

MOONSON!  WOW, so much time and effort in each level and each square inch! Realism that O scale (2 railers ) would be thrilled to portray! What a layout! Fantastic photos. Thanks much for sharing. 

If ever I go back to O scale I would like a slice of that! Lol.

leroof.

Thanks, very much. Leroof, for such kind enthusiasm! I appreciate the approval.

And I Thank these voices for their Likes, in your thread, for my posting here: Laramie Joe; John H; MasterBlasterNash; RSJB18; Arnold D. Cribari (and thanks, Arnold, for your replies, too) ; Mooner; PRRronbh; Rescued Trains; Jerry G; briansilvefrmustang.

It's all fun.

FrankM

You're more than welcome, Frank.  Everything on your layout is beyond belief great.  I've seen your posts many times.  My favorite in this batch is the first one with all those gorgeous bridges.

Jerry

JerryG posted:

You're more than welcome, Frank.  Everything on your layout is beyond belief great.  I've seen your posts many times.  My favorite in this batch is the first one with all those gorgeous bridges.

Jerry

Thanks, very much, JerryG. I guess I got a bit freaky with all the bridges I felt I just has to have. Oh well, I have been at-play, after all, and I am originally from Pittsburgh, so I guess I can blame it all on so many bridges having been major features of my early life there.

In these shots, you can see that I deliberately used an antique Lionel bridge from my childhood, a plastic Lionel bridge from more contemporary times, and that I had a realistic bridge custom built for that emplacement by Stainless Unlimited bridges. I wanted the contrast among them to be apparent, and even featured an antique American Flyer bridge on the real-estate behind them, for an historical note. Not realistic, of course, but the layout is a place to play with our hobby, for me, so I allowed myself this bridge indulgence, for sure.

And I am very glad you like their presence so much!

FrankM

MOONSON, one can't possible have enough bridges if from the Burg... but I have about a dozen  toy layout bridges I really like. It seems that I can't pass affordable one's by at shows, just think they are fun to watch toy trains roam through. Lionel, Marx, American Flyer, others...

Then I scratchbuilt the floatbridge in scale too (different topic).

I think that custom Stainless Unlimited bridge you had built is spectacular! Just like your layout. Beautiful! 

If you like the dowel Idea from RSJB18 on the 1st page of the thread, you can use dual thread screws inthe bottom of the dowel and just screw it to your platform from above.  Lowes and the Depot have them in stock as do most mom and pop hardware stores.

Here's what they look like.  Dual Head Headless Screw

Tim