I don't want to over analyze this issue before construction of the Interim P&A Layout, but I am reconsidering the location of the Staging Yard Deck that "feeds" the Upper Deck. The initial Layou Design has the Deck on the very bottom (15" above the floor) and the Upper Deck begins at 69". I addressed this issue before in a different thread, but the more I thought about it, and the closer I get to starting actual construction, the more I am starting to question whether this is a good idea or not.
The "Curernt" design has 12" Deck Seperation (Measured from top surface of a lower deck to the bottom surface of the deck above) for all the decks (with a couple exceptions by the Floor Joist Beam) and begins at 39". I have had experience with this layout height as the Old P&A Layout had this at its minimum deck height. Because the Upper Deck would be located at 69", and the bottom of the floor joist beam is 75", there is no room to have a Staging Yard Deck above the Upper Deck. This requires then a Helix to go from the Upper Deck to the Staging Yard Deck on the very bottom, The Lower Deck Staging Yard Helix has to be on the outside of the Helix for the Upper Deck Staging because otherwise it would require the two helices to cross one another.
I am VERY uncomfortable with having such a long helix that is needed to traverse 54" in height. Because of the limited space in the basement, the helix though accessible, would be hidden from the operators aisle. Having a "mole" do the job wouldn't be fun at all to bring the trains from the staging deck to the upper deck. And because I am using steam, and want 12-15' long trains the idea of computer throttle control isn't exactly pleasing because of the tendency for steam to stall in a helix of that size.
The ALTERNATIVE Design, that I want to decide very quickly on because the helix (with it's location inside the one blob) will need to be constructed first, is to start the first deck at 33", and the Upper Deck having only 7" of Deck Seperation, This would allow an Upper Deck staging yard deck at 72". It would be quite difficult to know by mock up if this arrangement would work in terms of actual operation. Is 33" too low from a STANDING postiion (using chairs would clutter the aisle too much)? And is only having 7" of vertical seperation for the upper deck sufficient for operation. The GOOD news is the Upper Deck would be no deeper than 18", and with the benchwork design I am using, the deck is removable as it is being built in sections/modules and will be built at the workbench. So access for construction and maintenance won't be an issue, but access for Crews during an op session MIGHT BE. So, I am looking for feedback for those who might have similar designs (i.e. a "low" lower deck and having deck seperation of only 7" for one of the decks sufficient?
And then I would like to ask everyone, in a POLL LIKE manner, which situaiton if the two choices were 1) A VERY Long Helix to reach Staging, or 2) Lower the Lower Deck to 33"/and reduce the deck seperation for the Upper Deck to 7". Which one would you choose from an Operations point of view. Both have pluses and minuses. Using a bookcase, the scenes can be seen without difficulty, but a static mock up up is much different than actually running trains in a scene.
Thanks.
Ken L.
