small-layout-design@groups.io

[email protected]

Hi all,
I've recently started a small layout using an interesting storage idea. 
Check out my layout at:

It's a shelf layout made with 3 sections 2 being stored above when the 
layout is not in use. It's early on in the building planning and 
running of trains. Yes I said planning. While I have planned some 
elements, I am leaving other things open because either I don't have 
the info I need yet or I have no idea what I want. The main revelation 
for me was just starting.
It seems that layout design is a whole bunch of compromises that make 
up some sort of whole.
Ken

[email protected]

#50

Hello Ken --

Thanks for the link to your site.

Some interesting work you're doing there -- I hope to see more on 
what you come up with.

Your notes on getting started and keeping the momentum going are very 
telling.  With all these layout design discussion groups -- and even 
with my own recent posts about fire insurance maps and research-
related stuff -- it seems like a lot of us, me included, are spending 
a lot of time planning and perhaps not as much time actually doing 
stuff.  At least I feel that way from time to time about my own 
projects.

I'd be interested in hearing more about your benchwork.  How's it 
holding up?  About how much does each section weigh right now, and 
are you finding them harder to handle as you get more and more stuff 
(scenery and structures) on them?

I'm also interested to hear how your approach to tracks crossing the 
gaps is working out.  I'm going to be running into the same issue on 
my own layout and I thought of using the same approach -- careful 
track laying and fine cuts to separate the rails at the section 
joints.  I was thinking, though, that you'd need more physical 
support for the rails at this point, particularly for a small layout 
or small sections that may travel around a bit.

I saw some time ago in a British magazine a system for supporting and 
adjusting rails at such gaps.  If I recall correctly, the author 
soldered small threaded rods to the bottom of the rails.  The rods 
were fed through holes in the roadbed and small nuts were threaded 
onto the rods.  The nuts could then be used to adjust and set the 
vertical alignment of the rails.  Apparently this was needed as the 
modules the author was working with travelled quite a bit and such 
fine-tuning was needed at each setup.  Seemed a bit like overkill to 
me, though.

Thanks again for posting your site to the list -- keep us updated on 
your progress!

Thanks -- Jon
jonp@...


--- In small-layout-design@y..., kensipel@y... wrote:
Hi all,
I've recently started a small layout using an interesting storage idea. 
Check out my layout at:

It's a shelf layout made with 3 sections 2 being stored above when the 
layout is not in use. It's early on in the building planning and 
running of trains. Yes I said planning. While I have planned some 
elements, I am leaving other things open because either I don't have 
the info I need yet or I have no idea what I want. The main revelation 
for me was just starting.
It seems that layout design is a whole bunch of compromises that make 
up some sort of whole.
Ken

[email protected]

#51

Jon,
A variation on the 'threaded rods to the bottom of the rails' trick is 
to screw a tiny brass screw underneath the end of the rail then solder 
the rail to it (leaving enough room for rail joiners if your using 
them). All these ideas take care of side to side movement, but not back 
and forth. The gap between the rails seems to have gotten bigger 
between my modules.
The modules are holding up just fine. I would love to know how much 
each module weighs, I'll look into that. 
Ken

Show quoted text

--- In small-layout-design@y..., jonp@b... wrote:
Hello Ken --

Thanks for the link to your site.

Some interesting work you're doing there -- I hope to see more on 
what you come up with.

Your notes on getting started and keeping the momentum going are very 
telling.  With all these layout design discussion groups -- and even 
with my own recent posts about fire insurance maps and research-
related stuff -- it seems like a lot of us, me included, are spending 
a lot of time planning and perhaps not as much time actually doing 
stuff.  At least I feel that way from time to time about my own 
projects.

I'd be interested in hearing more about your benchwork.  How's it 
holding up?  About how much does each section weigh right now, and 
are you finding them harder to handle as you get more and more stuff 
(scenery and structures) on them?

I'm also interested to hear how your approach to tracks crossing the 
gaps is working out.  I'm going to be running into the same issue on 
my own layout and I thought of using the same approach -- careful 
track laying and fine cuts to separate the rails at the section 
joints.  I was thinking, though, that you'd need more physical 
support for the rails at this point, particularly for a small layout 
or small sections that may travel around a bit.

I saw some time ago in a British magazine a system for supporting and 
adjusting rails at such gaps.  If I recall correctly, the author 
soldered small threaded rods to the bottom of the rails.  The rods 
were fed through holes in the roadbed and small nuts were threaded 
onto the rods.  The nuts could then be used to adjust and set the 
vertical alignment of the rails.  Apparently this was needed as the 
modules the author was working with travelled quite a bit and such 
fine-tuning was needed at each setup.  Seemed a bit like overkill to 
me, though.

Thanks again for posting your site to the list -- keep us updated on 
your progress!

Thanks -- Jon
jonp@b...


--- In small-layout-design@y..., kensipel@y... wrote:
Hi all,
I've recently started a small layout using an interesting storage idea. 
Check out my layout at:

It's a shelf layout made with 3 sections 2 being stored above when the 
layout is not in use. It's early on in the building planning and 
running of trains. Yes I said planning. While I have planned some 
elements, I am leaving other things open because either I don't have 
the info I need yet or I have no idea what I want. The main revelation 
for me was just starting.
It seems that layout design is a whole bunch of compromises that make 
up some sort of whole.
Ken

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