My Home Layout

May 19, 2012 by     8,379 Comments    Posted under: Home Layout, Roads & Rails Blog

Roads and Rails has one of the largest 3-Rail O-Scale layouts in the world, but apparently that isn’t enough for me, because I had to have an HO Scale layout in my basement too! I started it before we had a final location for Roads and Rails; In fact I was still working in software full-time when I began it.

The home layout is a different flavor of model railroading: one that concentrates on greater realism and a lesser emphasis on animations and amusement. Model railroading split along these lines in the 1950s, when men who ‘played with trains’ sought to justify their hobby as an adult pursuit. Out of this came new approaches like realistic, scheduled operations to simulate real railroad business, and increased attention to detail in the models themselves. The center rail of Lionel-style layouts was the first thing to go.

 

Of course, in an era that condones a wider range of activities for adults (for example, video games) these concerns probably seem excessive, and many toy-train layouts have been built across the United States to showcase the golden age of tinplate trains and accessories. My own layout is also not quite as serious as it looks, with a few carefully disguised Tyco accessories like my electric log loader and automatic car dump station.

 

Overview

 

My layout occupies a small basement in an 1880s built house in Historic Frederick MD. I had to have the basement floored and the stone walls re-pointed (new mortar) before beginning the layout.

 

I wanted my layout to be moveable. It is not a mobile layout; it will not be truck-ready in a day to be moved to a train show or other public venue. I did plan for the layout to be moved to a new house should that be necessary. I believe even retired persons should prepare their layout for this eventuality and save some heartbreak later.

 

With this “movability” in mind, the basic design was modular: each section 4 feet or less is independent and bolted to adjoining pieces. I decided to use plastic shelving units from the hardware store as the basis for an even platform. Each is built as two units rather than one, at a height of X inches.

 

Each is topped with two 2×4 boards with dowels to sit in the vertical plastic supports and prevent slippage, while still allowing some leeway. Each module sits on top of these boards, without being glued or nailed on. The modules are topped with 1/8” plywood and an inch of cheap Styrofoam insulation.

 

Initially there were 3 large modules, each 40×48”, and an additional 13×48” to provide a valley for bridges. Together these formed one large table in the center of the basement. This concept unfortunately did not fit my basement, which had hanging ductwork precisely where the walkway was!

 

I quickly chose to convert my modules to an around-the-walls layout, which also keeps me from brushing against the walls. I cut one of my large modules into 2 smaller pieces and built other small modules, turning what would have been a simple two loop layout into a long, curved dog-bone with numerous sidings for train parking and industries for the railroad to service.

 

Next Time: Choice of Rail

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