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Yet another sad day for the Sunset and North Eastern Dream and design
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Regular poster 482 posts David Pennington Long Haired David Regular poster 482 posts
David Pennington Long Haired David

I have been posting news of the S&NE over the last year and felt that I was finally getting somewhere with a permanent HO layout. If you remember, I had written some software to do the scheduling and was getting on wth the scenery and the structures. However, physically, things have been getting worse - rheumatoid arthritis in the lower back is the issue here. I set the level of the layout to be the same as kitchen units - mainly so that I could get an under the counter freezer in the room. However, this is just the height to give my back its worst possible outing and I am now at the point where I cannot work at the railroad for more than about 10 minutes at a time.

The only way forward it to revert to a much smaller layout that I can put on the dining room table to build and hook up with some staging to run. So, all of the existing stuff has come down. I have, fortunately, recovered all of the code 80 Peco track so I have a good start. I am planning a foam board based pike that will be up to a max of about 4' x 1' 3" to 1' 6" with about 6' of staging hanging off it. 

I thought that Kalmbach had a book available for small switching roads like this but I can't find anything. One of the problems I have found over the years is that I am not very good at track design and, no matter how hard I try, the final layout always has problems that ruin the fun. This last one had just that - some of the spurs were too short and the caboose track was in the wrong place making yard switching quite difficult and not much fun.

So, how do I go about making sure that what gets built here has  a lot of fun available. I realise that I will have short spurs and a tight runaround. Using John Armstrong's ideas, the givens are just the size of the layout. The druthers are that I can spend 30 minutes or so switching back and forth and that I have a small raised platform somewhere so that I can run my New Haven Budd RDC in and out to get in the way. I have at least 10 yards of track and 13 points so track isn't a limiter. I have three steam locos - 2 moguls and an 0-6-0 switcher but these are probably too big for this. I also have a B&M RS-3 but again size is an issue. I can probably justify a Broadway Limited SW-7 or SW1500 for the switcher. I do like DCC and sound so either of these would fit fine. I have over 20 1950s era freight cars and 3 cabooses.

Right, so how do I go forward - any ideas would be welcome. I am retired so I have all the time in the world - smile.

David
Hi from the UK
Main man on the Sunset North Eastern and now the Great Western
My Blog: http://www.gmrblog.co.uk
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kstiles2177 Regular poster 112 posts
kstiles2177

Sorry to hear it is catching

Sorry to hear it is catching up with you, hang in there!

Have you considered a modular layout?  If you already had a spot for a permanent, you can build a modular in sections using that area. It makes it easier to adjust height for comfort and to accomodate your favorite supporting bar stool, put one section on the kitchen table to work on, etc.  You could start with two 4 ft modules creating one industry and the staging yard, then as your energy and pain levels allow add another piece or two between them or on the side representing another town, etc.

If nothing else the construction techniques use in modular layouts lend themselves to be easily moved around and stored when not in use, making it more likely to actually have a table to eat on AND more likely to be able to get the layout setup for an evening's use.

kevin
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Ken Glover kfglover Super User 1,505 posts
Ken Glover kfglover

Lance Mindheim's books...

They are probably what you are looking for.  http://lancemindheim.com/?page_id=31

Ken Glover,

HO, Digitrax, Soundtraxx PTB-100, JMRI (LocoBuffer-USB), ProtoThrottle (WiThrottle server)

View My Blog

20Pic(1).jpg
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MikeM Frequent poster 672 posts
MikeM

If you are a Model Railroader subscriber

there are also a number of small layout plans in their online trackplan database you may find useful.

MikeM
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Virginian and Lake Erie Super User 9,238 posts
Virginian and Lake Erie

Have you considered doing

Have you considered doing your layout at a different height and narrower shelves. If you find a height that does not aggravate your back you might be able to use a rolling office chair or work around it standing up. I have a disk issue in my back and can really identify with your back pain. I have found in my case raising the work surface eliminates the pain as it removes the strain from the affected joint in my back. You might try putting some things on the counter to change the height, like books for example and see if you can find a height either sitting or standing that will allow you to procede.

By going narrow reach in distances that will also help not straining your back. Best of luck with how ever the layout goes. The other thing you could do if any in your area is join a club and run trains build models and do things that you enjoy and let other guys work on stuff you find bothersome, if there are any near by.

Rob in Texas

MRH Blog / Prep for an Operating Session / Delving Into the Past / The Club Blog / Youtube / etmrc.org
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Bremner Prolific poster 1,217 posts
Bremner

or get a...

Or get a cheap table that you can set the layout on and they you can sit down and work on it at the same time. I have done this due to me breaking seven vertebrae

am I the only N Scale Pacific Electric Freight modeler in the world?

https://sopacincg.com 
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Eric Bergh Eric Bergh Regular poster 115 posts
Eric Bergh Eric Bergh

A possible suggestion for access under the new layout

Perhaps you could try an alternative method of supporting the layout...

Let's suppose you were to build a "module" style layout, one that was from 18-24" wide and 4'-8' in length, using the typical lightweight construction techniques shown on this site by module builders, BUT, instead of using the usual style of detachable legs, you tried something a bit different...

What if instead, you attached a support panel at each end that allowed the "module" to pivot along it's long axis.. These panels could be of a height to allow you to sit in a comfortable pneumatic desk chair on wheels, and of a height similar to a desk or countertop. This height would allow you to easily reach and work anywhere on the surface of the module... OR, you could PIVOT the module on it axis and rotate it over to work on the wiring/switch machines that normally would be underneath, all while still sitting upright in the chair. The module could be locked into position with removable pins in the end panels.

Here's a sketch. Mind you, this is not a new idea, but one that I have borrowed from old magazine articles and modified somewhat:

0rack(1).jpg The braces across the back that link the ends together are reinforced with corner brackets... but they are set back out of the way so you can sit up close to the module in a chair and work, even if the module is locked in a vertical position.

I hope this gives you some useful ideas... Take care,

-Eric

Learn by Doing!
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David Pennington Long Haired David Regular poster 482 posts
David Pennington Long Haired David

Thanks to everyone. I will go

Thanks to everyone. I will go for the Lance Mindheim books. I think that I will probably build it as a modular railroad so that I could build boards 3' x 1'6". Then I can work on either one of them on the dining room table and then, when I wanted, put them both together with the staging across the room.

I am still bothered by the layout as apart from this book, I can't seem to see any other resources that will help me.  I will get the books and then have a go at a layout. I will put it up for comments and ideas from you lot.

Once again, thanks to everyone.

David
Hi from the UK
Main man on the Sunset North Eastern and now the Great Western
My Blog: http://www.gmrblog.co.uk
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