What is a good height from floor to track level?

When I built my 12x12 layout I made my legs 33" so I could get 3 legs out of an 8 ft(96") piece of lumber. Very scientific.  A little low for a lot of people but I don't spend a lot of time underneath but my dog does.

First off, it is your layout, so you can choose whatever height you desire. however, there are a couple of things to consider:

1) Who will be viewing/operating the layout? If you have younger kids, you may want a lower height for their enjoyment - alternatively, as kids grow pretty quick, and selecting an "adult" height is not a no-no - just be sure to have plenty of stools around - I have even seen some people build a step all the way around the perimeter of the lay out.

2) Will you need to crawl under or ON the layout for construction, re-railing, or general servicing? If so, make sure to leave enough room for you to do so comfortably, and not necessarily just current spry and youthful you, but the dilapidated old fogie in your future. Of course, don't forget some access panels in the plans.

To answer your question, my layout is 41" from floor to the top of the plywood/homasote.

jim pastorius posted:

When I built my 12x12 layout I made my legs 33" so I could get 3 legs out of an 8 ft(96") piece of lumber. Very scientific.  A little low for a lot of people but I don't spend a lot of time underneath but my dog does.

Jim, you and I have the same style interests.  If you aren't under your layout all the time I assume you have an array of simple postwar accessories and an easy operating layout. Not 6000 switches, etc.

Got any pics?  I / we, would like to see them. I also plan for my layout to be something similar. Postwar everything (for the most part) ,  big but simple. Lots of tinplate lighted buildings, accessories, etc.  Some switches, but not a million. Not much in the way of realistic scenery either.  Want to celebrate the old toys.

Sorry this is off topic. Kinda like on Ghostbusters, "It just popped in there!"

My attic layout is 36" from floor on the lower level. The layout I am building in the basement is 42" from floor. Closer to the floor the harder to do wiring.................Paul

Mine are 42" high...... seems about right for me I'm 6' 2""... now I use a wheelchair, its about eye level a.pretty good guess when I started building tables 35 years ago...

I have posted a few pictures in the past, will try again. My layout is basically square with an open area in the middle for track access and light. 5 loops of new tubular track, no switches-just smooth running. The  buildings are mostly tinplate Marx, AF and a couple of Lionel  with some Lionel operating accessories.  33" is not a convenient height for wiring but I like to look down at my layout, not eye level. I could have my layout 6 ft. off the floor and still look down on it because my bedroom is a loft above the LR/DR area where the trains are. I also have a Standard gauge loop on the floor that I run my oldies on. Then I usually sit on the floor to watch. To get to the middle opening I crawl under the layout.  I will be 82 next month so I gotta stay limber.

bmoran4 posted:

First off, it is your layout, so you can choose whatever height you desire. however, there are a couple of things to consider:

1) Who will be viewing/operating the layout? If you have younger kids, you may want a lower height for their enjoyment - alternatively, as kids grow pretty quick, and selecting an "adult" height is not a no-no - just be sure to have plenty of stools around - I have even seen some people build a step all the way around the perimeter of the lay out.

2) Will you need to crawl under or ON the layout for construction, re-railing, or general servicing? If so, make sure to leave enough room for you to do so comfortably, and not necessarily just current spry and youthful you, but the dilapidated old fogie in your future. Of course, don't forget some access panels in the plans.

To answer your question, my layout is 41" from floor to the top of the plywood/homasote.

I went with Mianne and had 45" legs made.  So to top of plywood is 45 3/4"  I decided this after much reading on these very forums. I am a person that prefers looking across a layout rather than a helicopter view.  Then again no kids.  When first put together there was a bit of a shock factor but now months later I am very happy with that height.  My current layout is 6 X 10.

Secondly (as bmoran4 said) that height is a dream for doing anything under the layout.  The topside isn't bad using a step ladder and going to make one 2 X 2 access panel near the center. 

I am planning a layout at some point and have been thinking of what height to make it. I think I will ask Mianne what is the most popular height people generally order! They 'll be at York, so simple to stop by and ask, just to get an idea!

As people mentioned, there are several things to consider:

1. Will this layout be viewed primarily by children or adults?
   
   
2. What is your personal mobility like?  Can you crawl beneath a lower height table to do your wiring?
   
   
3. What is the maximum distance you need to reach across the layout to pick up a derailed train?  It's harder to reach across a higher layout, or even one that's taller than your belt-line (which, of course, depends on your height).
   
   
4. How many tiers will your layout have?  If you have 3 tiers at 7.5" of elevation each, and your table top starts at 42", you may well end up looking up at the top tier of your layout.  Maybe that's ok, but you want to take it into account.
   
   
5. How tall is the ceiling in your layout room?  Your final table height might be different depending on the answer.

Personally, I went to the kitchen and measured the distance from the floor to the counter.  My reasoning was that a) counter height must be a standard of a sort, and b) it has always been comfortable for me when cooking.  I thought that standing and using my hands to do some intricate work like slicing with a sharp knife is analogous to standing and using my hands to do something intricate like soldering.  Our kitchen counter was 36" exactly, so that's what I went with.  That height also happens to be a nice compromise for bending over the layout to grab things ... like the flippin' tape measure I'm always leaving somewhere I'm not...

That's my reasoning.  YMMV.

Steven J. Serenska

The track on my 9' X 14' layout is 48" from the floor. I don't have any kids viewing the layout and the height helps with wiring. I also had to incorporate a duck-under, so the extra height is a big benefit.

This height also helps mitigate the "helicopter view" and gets you down closer to eye-level viewing.

44" to the main level than 11" higher for the second.

I've had 48" and 36" height layouts, both are a PITA to get under to do any wiring, cause no matter what you're still looking up.

My present layout is 36" , my drivers license says I'm 5'-10" but due to age, gravity, disc damage I think I'm closer to 5'-8" these days (I really should check).

The higher the layout the more you'll have to stretch across it to reach stuff.  I have a couple of areas on the layout that are 36" wide and even at 36" tall it's a "reach" to get to everything (for maintenance or cleaning).  The higher it is the less field of depth you have (not as good of a bird's eye view), which may be bad or good depending on what you want.

Higher can give you the sensation of being trackside and viewing it like you would a real train.

Height and depth are often considered when purchasing lumber in order to cut down on waste.

Depends on how you want it!

40 - 42 inches

Dennis

Dennis posted:

40 - 42 inches

Dennis

I'll second this. Plus, you have room to work under the layout using an automotive creeper to roll around on.

Hot Water posted:

Dennis posted:

40 - 42 inches

Dennis

I'll second this. Plus, you have room to work under the layout using an automotive creeper to roll around on.

or 1016 - 1067 mm for the rest of the world.
so glad the US has stuck with imperial measurements.

HRSPLA,

   This all depends on the height of your ceilings and whether you plan on a Christmas Tree as part of your Christmas layout.  I use the new type plastic Saw Horses with 3/4 ply which comes out to right around 34" at 1st track level.  Then the 2nd and 3rd levels & the Bear Christmas Tree.  This also gives me room for my roll away power station, under the platform.  If my home had higher ceilings, I would raise the platform up another 5 or 6 Inches just for work convince.  I take my layout up & down starting at Thanksgiving time and ending around mid March.  The New Plastic Saw Horse height works out well in my home.

PCRR/Dave

overlandflyer posted:

Hot Water posted:

Dennis posted:

40 - 42 inches

Dennis

I'll second this. Plus, you have room to work under the layout using an automotive creeper to roll around on.

or 1016 - 1067 mm for the rest of the world.
so glad the US has stuck with imperial measurements.

Funny thing about that "metric" stuff; have you ever used European/British hand tools like sockets with ratcheting drivers? Ever notice that all those metric sockets fit onto 1/4" or 1/2" square drives, i.e. the square drives are .250" and .500"? 

Here's some pics if they can help you make a decision.  The top side pic was taken with the camera lens at my eye level to try and give perspective. 

This is all a matter of the way you want to view your layout when complete. The size of my layout is 18 x 20. I set the height of my layout at 32 inches to the first level which is O scale. The second and third levels are HO and the fourth level is N scale. The fourth level is set to a height of 49 inches. My layout is set to be a forced prospective looking back to the right side. Knowing the finished height allows you to do your wall scenery before starting the construction of the tables. This makes it much easier than trying to go back later to accomplish. Your size and type of layout makes a big difference on the height you select. For an around the room layout I would set the height higher as there is not much depth to deal with. A square layout like I have a higher height does not allow for viewing of what is out in the center of the layout. Take time and if possible look at as many other layouts as you can before building.

The one thing I did that helped immensely was to draw out a starting track plan first. This allowed me to pull most of the wire around the layout from the top before putting the top surface on the frame. Knowing the area where your switches and buildings will most likely go lets you pull 90% of the wire from the top. I used colored electrical tape and marked both ends of the cable to identify them and listing them on a cable chart for install. When you use up the 6 basic colors of tape (which you will) start using them as a pair of 2 different colors at each end. You will be shocked at the amount of wire you are going to use. My layout has over 3000 feet of wire under it. Most being 6 and 8 conductor cable.

Good luck with your project.

 Here is a picture progression of mine which started in 2010.

I also have Mianne benchwork and used their standard height of 40" to top of benchwork. This is a pretty good height, but if I had a do over I would probably go to to 42" or maybe even 45" like Sparky74 did above. I got a mechanics stool from Harbor Freight for use getting under the layout, but I still have to duck to clear the cross braces. A little more height would have been nice to have and made things a little more comfortable. I can no longer crawl around under anything due to some physical problems (getting old), but the mechanic's stool is useable for a short periods.

One reason I did not go any higher was my grandson. He was 8 when we started the layout. At almost 11 now, he's getting a little taller. He could see everything ok when we first started, but he had trouble reaching things on the layout that were more than a few inches in from the edge. I got him a couple of small step stools at Harbor Freight and he uses those when he wants to get to something. He doesn't seem to mind using the stools at all.

I highly recommend you test for yourself before building so you can decide what height you like.  Get a wide board, a 2 foot by 4 foot piece of plywood "handy panel" from Home Depot or something else that can substitute for your layout surface.  Using saw horses or other temporary supports, put your "layout" at different heights.  Put a few pieces of track, a couple of freight cars and a building or accessory on it and see how you like the look.  Choose the best for you.  If I had to pick a single height, it would be 52 inches.

I sort of wish that I made my layout higher than it is. However, since I have varying heights on the track on kind of two levels at times I don't know how much that really matters.

Do a Search for the exact phrase "layout height", and you will see lots of additional information that has been posted over the last several years on this topic. Mine is 48" to the lower level.

Alex

I did a test as explained above, first I used a mechanics stool with wheels which came out to 40" to the top of the LEG which I could slide under.   Using the 40" I assembled the 2 x 4' frame on TOP of the legs, there by having  room to slide under the layout. The top of the layout is then 4.5" above the legs or 44.5 ", 40" legs, 3 1/2  " 2 x4  outside frame, 1/2" plywood,& 1/2 homasote.  Using 1 x 4's between the frame I drilled holes to allow for rope lighting, and wiring.  The rope lighting really comes in handy to light the under side without having to drag a light around with all your other tools.  Hope this helps.  I used the leg design made by Alex "Ingeniero 1" check out his Hidden Pass Layout, for some great tips.

Jack 

don't ask what everyone does, decide what fits you.

I like mine about mid-chest level.    It is a nice viewing height, but not too high to work on.    You can reach over stuff to get to the back.     This is based on my height of about 5' 7" and is about 38-44 inches.    If you are taller, maybe higher, if shorter, maybe lower.     What do you like?

I try to keep my benchwork at 30 inches wide.   That is how far I can reach standing next to it.    So I can fix a derailment at that distance.    Any wider, and it requires a ladder or stool and requires me to climb on the bench work.     I like making it 30 inches wide around the walls with access in the middle.   And with 18 feet, you have room for a pennisula in the middle that could be as much as 60 inches wide since you access both sides.   

In my opinon 16 or 18 feet, is too wide for access and convenient operation.   

My layout is 38 feet by 11 feet and the track elevations varies from 40 inches to 53 inches off the floor.  When I need to access the track or scenery within the 53 inch high areas from opening within the layout I use a 15 inch stool.