LED overhead lighting

I have the overhead lighting installed.  I am pleased by the dimming range of the LED bulbs.

Embedding Video

Dear Steve,

May I suggest you embed your videos directly in the MRH post?

Here's how:

The code on youtube for embedding is located here:

Cheers!

Electrical, etc.

Steve:

My experience with electrical is only enough to get in trouble. That said, I wish I had asked the electrician to install more lighting circuits. Even if you don't know what you have in mind for later, some switched outlets both in the wall and ceiling will give you some flexibility later.

Your plan is a good one and I like the idea of being right next to my hobby space.

Neil

Video and lights

Bill, I will try to embed the video next time I have one.  Next step is insulation, then installing the PTAC unit.

Neil, I thought that with the outlets, you can't have enough.  I have 9 outlets in the room so I can plug in anywhere.  I'm going to see if the 6 LED lights will be enough light.  If the light is low I can still up the wattage to 100 watt dimmable LED bulbs.  I like the LED's, my 65 watt (incandescent rating) draw only 9 watts.  Thanks for comment on the room!

Insulation and LG PTAC A/C unit

Part 5 of my layout room project.  The room is insulated and the LG PTAC unit has arrived.

My only thoughts are

My only thoughts are concerning windows.  Most layout rooms cover up windows with walls painted with a backdrop of skyblue or some sort of scenery.  Are the windows being put in for future home value and salability?

The room is probably not an

What type of plan....

...do you have in mind? You saying the layout will be two feet from the walls indicates an island layout but I could be wrong and am just curious. Great job on the room so far!

Michael

You want thoughts?

You want thoughts, I got thoughts.  2' from the walls stinks on ice. How's that?   

Your room is perfect for around the walls with a center peninsula. Down both of the long walls and up a center peninsula should be just about right for decent-sized aisles. You can still have the windows. I had windows in my space. Some 2" foam insulation and running the backdrop over them took care of that. If you want 'em back later, they'll be there when you tear down the layout. I wouldn't build a purpose-built layout room with windows, though. 

Randy

Thanks Michael! Yes, it will

Randy, I appreciate your

Room plan

This is how I'm currently planning to set up the layout benchwork and where I plan to place the workbench.

Argh

How do I get the photo to fit in the space provided, or get it to open up when clicked?

Photo

When you upload your photo to the site, change the size before you hit OK. I usually change mine to 600 wide.

Randy

Try again @ 600 wide

Here is what I'm thinking of doing for my floor plan.   Thanks, Randy!!

First piece of track and scenery

I was planning to make this into a diorama, but it's too large so I'll use it as part of my layout.

Layout Room Windows

You can build an around-the room layout (at least up against the 3 outside walls) and keep the windows, too, both for good natural light and for future change in the room use, if ever. The benchwork can be immediately next to the windows-make it narrow (easy to do with a doughnut plan) and either "temporarily" cover the windows as others suggest or attach your backdrop (if any) only to the benchwork or forget the backdrop. The narrow benchwork (12"-24" ) will allow access to the windows. Casement windows would be the easiest to operate, probably, because you just have to access the locks and crank with one hand.

The doughnut plan, especially expanded to the outside walls, provides for larger radius curves, more track run and easier access for construction and operation.

Dante

Thanks for the input

Dante, thanks for the input.  With narrow benchwork am I going to be able to create depth with my scenery?  I'm planning my layout to be a fictional Southern Pacific branch line in Arizona. For operations I'm looking at small business, rural type industry and a minimum of it.  In the Winter 2014 Model Railroader "How to Build Small Model Railroads" there is a plan drawn by Ed Vondrak on page 60 and 61 that is a version of John Allen's Time Saver.  That to me would be the perfect amount of operation for my layout since I want mine to be scenery based.  I was thinking the deeper benchwork would let me focus more on scenery?

I want a continuous loop so I can let the trains run, so at some point on each end it has to be wide enough to turn the train around.  I don't want to use a duckunder or a folding piece of track at the door.  I'll be going in and out of that door often to use my patio and my grill.  I know a lot of you guys love the operations part of the hobby, but if I have to make a choice I'd rather have a continuous loop.

...

You could always put up removable boards over the windows while you have your layout in the room, simple sheets of thin plywood screwed up and then covered as necessary...when you move, it;s a cinch to remove them....

Temporary

Hi Benny, I plan on having the layout in the room for as long as I'm in the hobby, which I hope is a long time.  This is the only room in my house where I can have a layout, and is the reason I'm building the room.  I've spent a lot of money and effort on this project, so I hope it's not just "here and gone" interest.

I kind of look at it like this: I'm a car guy. I've been in the car hobby all of my adult life (I'm 58).  I was a hard core drag racer for many years.  My thought was, I needed the baddest most hard core drag car I could build or I wouldn't be happy.  There came a point where all the licensing, and safety inspections and medical physicals and the fact that the only thing I could use the car for was racing caught up to me and I'd had enough and sold my operation.  I found I could live with a compromise car, one I could drive on the street and race on occasion albeit much slower and actually be happier.  To make that analogy fit here, I'm OK if my layout isn't a hard core model railroad.  I'll listen to everyone's advice, and I'll take the ideas that I like and apply them. I truly appreciate everyone taking time to state your opinions.  The most important thing is for me to enjoy it and have fun with it.  In my mind I see myself being more interested in scenery than operations, and I think I will like detailing and weathering locomotives and rolling stock to make my layout look realistic.  I think those things will be most important to me.

Shelves, shelves, shelves

Steve, take Dante's advice, with a shelf layout you will have more running room, more available space in that room to be used for something else and more enjoyment out of your layout. With 18 inches wide you will be surprise how much room you will have to operate with your HO scale. You can take a look at this shelf layout for a perfect example: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/blog/jfmcnab

His layout came out on the Great Model Railroads of 2015. If I am not mistaken according to the article his entire layout is only 8 "wide, except his two peninsulas. Yes I would recommend a shelf layout.

Whatever you decide, keep up the great work ! And most of all keep us posted.

John Allen's TimeSaver

John Allen designed his TimeSaver as a puzzle.  It was his way of challenging other model railroaders to solve a "puzzle" in the least amount of moves and time.  It was never intended to be for operations.  He never incorporated it into his home layout.  It was just his way of having fun at the hobby shows.

Here are some links that might enlighten you more about the Time Saver.

http://www.housatonicrr.com/timesaver.htm

http://themodelrailwayshow.com/LayoutDesign/?p=2833

I hope you will reconsider your current thoughts on incorporating a TimeSaver into your layout.  Interestingly enough there is a model railroad puzzle website that features the TimeSaver.

May I recommend that you take another course?  Post the plan of your room without the current proposed layout.  Challenge the members here to design you a layout based on your givens and druthers.  There are a lot of experienced members here who do enjoy a challenge of designing a layout.  Others that can critic.  Some of these guys are real railroaders.  Don't jump on the first design you like.  Let it go for a few months because the design will evolve.  You may end up with the layout of your dreams at less cost to yourself.

The size of your room, number and size of the windows and door is part of your "givens."  You mentioned SP in Arizona.  What era?  You mentioned spectacular scenery.  Elaborate more on that.  More questions will come from the membership to narrow down your givens.

Now on a separate, list what things would you like to include, but could live without?  Those are your "druthers."

Another piece of advice.  Don't buy everything and anything you like.  Just because it looks cool doesn't mean it fits your era.  You can save yourself a lot more money by avoiding that trap.

lets talk this out more.

Den

Thanks

Thanks, Nick, for the advise and the support. I will think over your suggestions even though I have little interest in operations. A narrow shelf layout says operations to me.  I have a couple months or more to think about it before making a decision.  Once again, thanks for your input. Who knows maybe I'll see things differently?

WOW!

What an awesome post!!  Thanks!  I only likes the Timesaver because it looked compact and had a minimal number of industries with some switching opportunities.  I am as green a newbie as it gets.

I have 20 SP 1st generation locomotives.  My YouTube page has a video of them, even though I admit the video is horrible, it shows what I currently have.  My timeframe of interest is 1954 - 1969.  I will attempt to model the landscape of north-central Arizona.  Even though that is Santa Fe territory, I like the scenery.  A good way to get an idea of the terrain I wish to model is to Google Sedona Arizona or Verde Canyon Rail Road.  I am actually going up to that area next weekend to ride the Verde Canyon Railroad as well as take photos and scoop up a nice supply of red rock dirt for my layout.

I will edit the drawing and post it. Thanks, Den!