This guy in the UK figured out a way

My Situation

Assuming this topic is valid for modelers outside the UK, here's my response:

• Whereabouts is your modelling work undertaken/layout placed and what’s the 'story' behind this location (if there is a discernable location for your modelling and layout, if there is not this is interesting in itself) ('story' in the sense of why/how and when this was set up as a space for your hobby whether this be a converted garage or purpose-built shed, negotiations with ‘domestic authorities’ as well as other activities that may take place there, ie home office)?

My modeling goes on in a dedicated room in the basement that was designed into the house when it was built.  My wife and I agreed on the future layout space before construction of the house.

• What kinds of adaptions did you undertake for spending time modelling and hosting the layout and collections and why (better insulation against damp, heating ect)?

Structural reinforcement of the upstairs portion of the house was provided for during initial construction to eliminate any load-bearing walls or posts within the layout space  (a steel beam was engineered to replace a load-bearing wall).  We made the builder relocate plumbing for the planned basement bathroom to avoid interference with the layout.  The layout room received the same consideration for lighting, insulation, vapor barriers, heat, finish painting, and so on as the rest of the house.

• To what extent do you have control of this space as opposed to the rest of the property?

I have essentially full control of the space

• If you have a dedicated space, to what extent is your hobby limited to this room?

I pursue the hobby almost entirely within the dedicated space, except for time spent on the computer in the home office upstairs.

• Have you had a go at decorating it, what's in there in beyond the layout in terms of stuff such as research files and do you display some of your models in it?

The layout and its access aisles occupy nearly the whole space.  There is no separate decoration aside from items used for operating the layout (e.g. the crew call board) and under layout storage shelving.

• Some modellers are not allowed by their partners to have any model trains or other kinds of model related stuff displayed around the house to what extent does this relate to you?

I don't care for hobby items being on display outside the layout room, so this issue doesn't affect me.

Hi Rob, cheers for this,

Hi Rob, cheers for this, topic of course open to US modelers.

Negotiation?

    There is no negotiating in our house. I am the boss and I do whatever she says! Come to think of it, it seems the dog is above me in the hierarchy of the family unit. Thanks for depressing me!

   There are some steam locomotives on shelves in our living room amongst the wife's angels and other trinkets. I had to wait 30 years for the kids to leave before I got a dedicated layout room. Now that the kids are out I have the whole second floor of our small home.  The basement is full size but all attempts to keep it dry and warm is not cost effective. Drylok sealer, dehumidifiers, and even a heater in the winter will not keep things from mildewing so the basement is out except for a workshop.

         Pete

The LK&O Railroad

• Whereabouts is your modelling work undertaken/layout placed and what’s the 'story' behind this location (if there is a discernable location for your modelling and layout, if there is not this is interesting in itself) ('story' in the sense of why/how and when this was set up as a space for your hobby whether this be a converted garage or purpose-built shed, negotiations with ‘domestic authorities’ as well as other activities that may take place there, ie home office)?

Layout and modeling in basement. Total basement is 185m². Train room is approximately 1/3 of the space (about 65m²). Wood shop another 1/3 and finally bathroom and house mechanicals the remaining 1/3.

• What kinds of adaptions did you undertake for spending time modelling and hosting the layout and collections and why (better insulation against damp, heating ect)?

Built train room as part of a larger basement finishing project undertaken on 5 year old home - sheetrock, insulation, paint, electrical. Basement is climate conditioned same as upper levels.

• To what extent do you have control of this space as opposed to the rest of the property?

100% control

• If you have a dedicated space, to what extent is your hobby limited to this room?

100% except woodworking tasks

• Have you had a go at decorating it, what's in there in beyond the layout in terms of stuff such as research files and do you display some of your models in it?

Room is dedicated to featuring the layout with the exception of a small workbench. There are no decorations. Models are not displayed. First floor office used to store files, magazines, etc.

• Some modellers are not allowed by their partners to have any model trains or other kinds of model related stuff displayed around the house to what extent does this relate to you?

Allowed, but choose not to display RR items around the house. Wife has a decorating motif for each main floor room. RR items would not work well.

I sent a PM to you with a link to further details if needed.

Layout space

I had the same situation as Rob Spangler. In 1997 I started building our house. We moved into the house in 2000. I designed it on Autcad. Then I had an architect do the refinement and draw up construction plans. I wanted a ranch house, wife didn't care what kind. We came to an agreement that I could have the basement and she could decorate anyway she wanted up stairs. The house is sort of handicap designed with door ways wider than normal doors and every thing is on one level. This is to be our retirement home. I'm still working on the house since I took over once the rough work was done. The house I had designed was 1800 square feet, by the time the architect got done the house was 2300 square feet. So I wound up with a 2300 square foot basement. I built a small model shop of about 9 X 16 feet. This area holds the workbench and my small machine tools. My larger wood working tools and metal working tools are in the rest of the basement. With all that I still have about 3/4 of the basement for a layout. If viewed from the top the house looks like a large cross.

Only one minor problem with this much area. It got filled quick with stuff the just had to follow me home. I have finally started on the layout also. Hope to have some pictures some day.

Bernd

Layout space

• Whereabouts is your modelling work undertaken/layout placed and what’s the 'story' behind this location (if there is a discernable location for your modelling and layout, if there is not this is interesting in itself) ('story' in the sense of why/how and when this was set up as a space for your hobby whether this be a converted garage or purpose-built shed, negotiations with ‘domestic authorities’ as well as other activities that may take place there, ie home office)?

Layout is in the basement in a dedicated room

• What kinds of adaptions did you undertake for spending time modelling and hosting the layout and collections and why (better insulation against damp, heating ect)?

We added 14 feet to the whole back of our house. This added 500 sq ft to the basement.

• To what extent do you have control of this space as opposed to the rest of the property?

100%

• If you have a dedicated space, to what extent is your hobby limited to this room?

mostly I make trees while watching TV with the boss.

• Have you had a go at decorating it, what's in there in beyond the layout in terms of stuff such as research files and do you display some of your models in it?

only the layout in there

Some modellers are not allowed by their partners to have any model trains or other kinds of model related stuff displayed around the house to what extent does this relate to you

I choose not to.

more of same

My case runs pretty well parallel to Rob's, Alan's, and Bernd's.  We moved to Saturna Island seven years ago with the intention of building.  The trackplan and house plans more or less grew together with the end result of a 14x28' train room in a roughly 1200 sq ft basement.  14x20' is dedicated to layout; the remaining 8x14' is my office/modelling bench/ham shack.  Railway stuff doesn't usually find its way out  of the dedicated room, but there's no rule to that effect.  There are no decorations in the room (but my very understanding wife was the one who painted the walls a light sky blue).  We have hydronic in-floor heating upstairs and down, so the room is comfortable year-round.

I do have a staging yard extending into my workshop in the adjoining room.  In the course of construction, our structural engineer informed me that we would need concrete buttresses to support one basement wall.  One of these buttresses would have blocked access to the planned staging yard.  Had me stumped for a while until the engineer mentioned the alternative of a shear wall - 3/4" plywood nailed every 4" on 2x6 studs - which is what was immediately adopted.  Didn't tell anyone about the 4" tunnel that eventually appeared.

I hope that is useful, statistically or otherwise.

David

Whereabouts is your modelling

• Whereabouts is your modelling work undertaken/layout placed and what’s the 'story' behind this location ?
• ANSWER - I have the "office" downstairs, which is a room off the dining room of our house.

• What kinds of adaptions did you undertake for spending time modelling and hosting the layout and collections and why (better insulation against damp, heating ect)?
• ANSWER - I just moved my stuff in and started benchwork.  I've added a couple of dedicated storage cabinets off Craigslist to the room, and I use my older daughter's old arts and crafts table for a workbench.

• To what extent do you have control of this space as opposed to the rest of the property?
• ANSWER - control . . . well I have managed to train everyone but my two year old to shut the door after themselves . . .

• If you have a dedicated space, to what extent is your hobby limited to this room?
• ANSWER - I have my airbrush and paint station set up in our basement, along with all my woodworking tools.

• Have you had a go at decorating it, what's in there in beyond the layout in terms of stuff such as research files and do you display some of your models in it?
• ANSWER - I have some framed pictures and metal signs on the walls.  Most of the decorating got taken down about 3 months ago so I could finish benchwork.

• Some modellers are not allowed by their partners to have any model trains or other kinds of model related stuff displayed around the house to what extent does this relate to you?
• ANSWER - I don't have any train stuff elsewhere. because my wife and I have worked together to assemble a fine collection of marine and ocean life art downstairs, and we have her collection of naked red headed mermaids in the bed room.

Contact Mr Confalone who has

Negotiator

Contact Jason Shron, of Rapido.  He has a 1:1 replica of a VIA passenger car in his basement.  Now that's negotiating!

Option 2

Start staying out late at night, call home to let the little woman know you will be late.  Wherever you are, find the loudest bar you can to place the call from.  Then go back to the coffee shop, theater, etc.

A week or so should do it.   Then slip into a conversation that IF you had room for a model railroad you would probably stay home more...

Kevin.   I tried that.

Kevin.

I tried that. Ended up without a house and wife. That is why I had to get a new one. Believe me it would be a lot less expensive modeling in the back yard in G scale or even 7 inch live steam! A better alternative is to invite all you model railroad buddies over 4 nights a week and hang around the kitchen and living room. Maybe even start puffing on some cigars and popping corks on wine. Then You will get your own room for modeling. In other words, Invade never retreat.

Pete

Just lucky

I am blessed to have the entire house to myself.  No kids, no dogs, no spouse.  The house is new, with a 15' X 75' basement.  I had the main floor designed with trusses that allowed me to put all the infrastructure above the basement ceiling, so nothing hangs down.  And there are no jackposts.  I could have put two lanes of bowling down there.  The wall-to-ceiling joint will have curved drywall so there are no seams in the sky.  

I built a replica of a brick depot on top of it all, next to a busy mainline that sees a couple dozen freight and passenger trains a day.  The baggage room is my workshop, and the operator's bay window is my dining area.  Railroad artifacts are limited to the bay and to the baggage room, lest my house become a museum.  Friends said no woman would ever want to live here, but my girlfriend seems to enjoy visiting.  This fall I will start work on the first permanent layout I've ever constructed (I've built about a dozen portable ones in my life).

Did I mention I'm blessed.  Not a day goes by that I don't remind myself.

Model Railroad Space

I was single for many years, and had a nice 12' x 24' modular/sectional layout around the walls of my living/dining room  in my apartment.  It was not hard for people to guess that I was single.  When I got married, the layout was taken down and  lived in storage for three years. My wife supports my hobby.

A  few years ago when she retired from teaching, we purchased some property and we built the home (Northern Georgian Colonial) that she had always wanted.  With my blessing she selected everything for the home.  With her blessing, I got the unfinished basement....OH yes the best part....the house payments too.

I have an operational layout, but far from completed, up and running and I am now having OPS sessions.

The easiest way to have layout space

1) Get/build/buy house. Make sure your name is the only one on the paperwork.

2) Build layout

3) Get significant other

4) Don't EVER hand over layout space. In case of conflict review #1.

5) in case of conflict remember that, while layout are expensive, they don't argue or fight and can be legally murdered.