Running on the floor

[CaptOblivious]

I keep my trains in bookshelf cases too (most of them, anyway). I actually rather enjoy the process of selecting a couple of cases and pulling them down and the business of pulling out each car and coupling them etc. For whatever reason, I find it more enjoyable than tedious. But then, I don't have enough track or space for more than two trains at a time ;)

[to2leo]

Thinking of the alternatives of taking trains out of flimsy cardboard boxes or Styrofoam, I will pick Japanese's book like train cases any day.  Easier retrieval and less toy like.

[EWS60008]

I am surprised that Dapol and Farish have not adopted the "book" style cases for their train packs also I get some of the Kato "book" train cases for my Minitrix SNCF stock as the individual perspex cases are quite cumbersome and just clutter up my space in the cellar where they are stored! .

[qwertyaardvark]

I don't think that taking each car individually out of the bookcases feels tedious, if only because i feel like it is a necessity to keep my trains pristine and protected. All but one of my roster are shinkansen/700T/eurostar trains, so i know it feels almost like an eternity setting them up, but I will admit i have Collectors Disease, wanting to keep everything perfect (i pains me to know exactly where on most of my models where the scratches are); fortunately, the inner child that just wants to watch trains go about keeps me from just sticking the models in a glass case forever, and the models get their timely healthy stretch and exercise.  

 

P.S. - A friend bought a shirt for me that read "I was rich, and then I discovered Anime" (my previous collecting focus... thankfully i stuck with only manga and didnt go down the slippery slope of PVC figurines...) I may just have to get changed to "I was rich, and then I discovered Japanese Model Railroading" :P

[David]

Thinking of the alternatives of taking trains out of flimsy cardboard boxes or Styrofoam, I will pick Japanese's book like train cases any day.  Easier retrieval and less toy like.

 

Who is still selling their stuff in cardboard/foam boxes (apart from some Japanese trains?) At least in North America everything now seems to come in various plastic jewel boxes with clip on lids - which means it takes a very long time to setup a train and you end up with a table covered in plastic boxes unless you want to replace the lid on every single one in order to stack them.

[IST]

I am surprised that Dapol and Farish have not adopted the "book" style cases for their train packs

 

Dapol released its 4 cars Class 220 Voyager set in book style.

[EWS60008]

They did indeed mate as I have the Wrexham & Shropshire Class 67 set, but the book style box from Dapol is basically cardboard with a thin layer of pvc plastic for the window which to me. It feels kind of flimsy compared to those from Tomix and Kato which in turn seem more sturdy and durable .

 

Without hijacking the topic. I am thinking of getting a Dapol Voyager sometime this year, so just out of curiosity. What is the Dapol Class 220 Voyager like for performance?

 

Thanks In Advance.

[Bernard]

When I setup my layout on the floor usually run a viaduct and ground level track and do not leave it up for more than a day or two because of the unknown when Im not home.

 

We built this layout in 30 minutes, played on them a few hours and pack all of the track into the boxes. When I build a layout for myself, it is always on the floor for 3-4 days. Have no kids, so only my wife can cause any trouble, but she keeps enough distance from my trains.

 

I would like to expand this topic with one question:

How do you store your model? It takes a lot of time to take out models from boxes always when you would like to play on the temporary floor build layout. How do you handle this?

IST, has come up with an new interesting topic, how about starting a new thread?

(Where I store my trains and where my layout is one of my problems.)

[Mudkip Orange]

Who is still selling their stuff in cardboard/foam boxes (apart from some Japanese trains?)

Well, a decent chunk of the HO stuff - for starters.

 

I keep everything in the box, from Kato in bookshelf cases to Rivarossi HO smoothsides in cardboard and styrofoam.

[bc6]

Moved to other thread

[IST]

Without hijacking the topic. I am thinking of getting a Dapol Voyager sometime this year, so just out of curiosity. What is the Dapol Class 220 Voyager like for performance?

 

Performance? No problem with my Voyager, it run well in 5 car formation also. But - maybe because it was in the first release - it is quite loud, you would surprise how much, so I won't put a sound decoder in it, because I do not hear anything. No mine is the only one, as I read on different forums, there are a lot of people who suffered this.

Here is some small picture about my Class 220 from 2007:

http://www.vonatmagazin.hu/?p=251

And sorry for the OFF-topic comment.

[NozomiFan]

I am looking for a table that will fit the Kato V11 track set, like from ikea or someplace? (not too expensive, but fairly good sized)

Help would be great.

[Mudkip Orange]

I am looking for a table that will fit the Kato V11 track set, like from ikea or someplace? (not too expensive, but fairly good sized)

Help would be great.

 

The V11 will mostly fit on a 36"x80" hollow core door slab, with a couple straight tracks left over.

 

The entire set (with no tracks left over) will fit on a 4'x8' sheet of plywood.

 

The only think Ikea makes that comes close are their dining tables, which are fairly spendy compared to other Ikea stuff (desks etc). But you can take a hollow core door and lay it across a couple of smaller tables, if you don't feel like making a trip to the hardware store.

[bill937ca]

I am looking for a table that will fit the Kato V11 track set, like from ikea or someplace? (not too expensive, but fairly good sized)

Help would be great.

 

I've recently noticed that Kato Japan uses several computer desks pushed together in setting up layouts.  Perhaps you could check out a second hand office furniture dealer.

 

 

Another commercial alternative are these tables offered for train layouts in 4' x 2' sections, adjustable to various heights and with the option of extruded foam top.

 

http://www.martinjohnsonmfg.com/trackplan.php

 

http://www.martinjohnsonmfg.com/domino-benchwork.html

[Bernard]

NFan - Bill & Mudkip have offered you very good suggestions. To add on to the hollow core door idea, you can purchase folding legs that you put on the bottom side of the door for easy storage:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgk/R-100048820/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

And the doors are about $30.00:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgk/R-100058629/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

[NozomiFan]

Thanks Everybody! Now.. I just need to get to Home Depot....

[Bernard]

Thanks Everybody! Now.. I just need to get to Home Depot....

any Big Hardware store or if there is a Lowes near you.

[NozomiFan]

Well, I went to Lowes and got a hollow core door, which  is now sitting happily on top of a folding table.

Pics below.

[Guest ___]

I'd set my Pro-Z setup on the carpeted floor in front of the TV in my room, but haven't done so in ages as I really have lost interest in the Pro-Z stuff.(I may some day go back to my Pro-Z, but the C and D diorama's really put me off)

 

I do not run N on the floor in the traditional J-model train manner..

[EWS60008]

Nice work there pal! I hope that this will evolve into a full sized layout and I like the JR N700 as well .

[cteno4]

I found a nice little table option if you are tight on space. they are 2' x 4' fold up tables that fold into a 2'x2' form for storage or transport. very sturdy plastic topped and metal fold out legs that adjust to low, medium and high settings. very nice for standard spaced ttrak or you could pop a number together like the system bill mentioned to make a larger layout. they are like $35 at sams club. very sturdy.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[EWS60008]

I may consider getting a table or something when I get round to building my second layout .

[Mudkip Orange]

I suppose I'd consider running on the floor if I had an entirely elevated/viaduct setup.

[to2leo]

I suppose I'd consider running on the floor if I had an entirely elevated/viaduct setup.

 

Exactly how I feel and suggested too.  Besides, the Viaduct system is easy to set up and easier to look at train in a close distance.

[Bernard]

Well, I went to Lowes and got a hollow core door, which  is now sitting happily on top of a folding table.

Pics below.

Congratulations! One major advantage of having a layout on a table is that there will be less stress on your back and knees.