Running on the floor

[Kabutoni]

I've stepped up from a floor-bound layout to a more semi-permanent layout on my windowsill and a few improvised planks and beams.

 

I can still play a bit around with station layouts and still have a few fiddle-yards.

 

Photo #1: the right-fiddle yard. Currently home for a fiddle-yard to store 4/5-car trains, but can also be changed to a 2nd station layout.

 

Photo #2: Another picture of the right-hand fiddle-yard with a view on the left stereo-box and my awesome table-top lamp.

 

Photo #3: A view from above the storage tracks on the station towards the right fiddle-yard. The tracks can hold up to 4-car passenger trains, though only used for express services. In the far-back on the left the fiddle-yard for the local line is situated.

 

Photo #4: A view from the right side of the station towards the right-hand fiddle-yard. This is a very small fiddle-yard which can only hold two 3-car trains at a maximum.

 

The extra image is a small impression on the trackwork that exists until today, as I'm intend to rebuilt the whole thing again, though I'm quite satisfied with this layout. *F= Fiddle-yard/connection of the tracks to bigger network.

 

P.s. the reason of the change from floor-based to windowsill-based was the destructive nature of my gf and the bed-sheets.

[bc6]

Hey Toni thats a nice setup you have there. Im currently setup up on a window sill and youve given me some good ideals, thanks for posting your pics.

[bill937ca]

Cool little set up, Toni.

[Kabutoni]

Thanks guys. I've been fiddling around a bit now for a better plan, but the layout I've posted above seems to be one of the best.

[NozomiFan]

Thanks again for your suggestions! I went to my LHS to see if the had a Kato power pack, but they were sold out,

so I can only run 1 train at once. Can the 4-car starters run on the inside loop of the Kato V11?

[EWS60008]

I like the layout Toni, top innovation there buddy!

 

cheers

[cteno4]

toni,

 

great, now you just need an L that rests on some temporary supports (music stand or mic stand bases can be found cheap at times) with some board with track fastened on it or viaduct to make a loop around the room when you feel like running trains around! then just take off the train boards and fold the stands up in the closet the rest of the time!

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[Mudkip Orange]

the destructive nature of my gf and the bed-sheets.

 

Which means what, exactly?

[Kabutoni]

@cteno4: I actually have a keyboard stand, but it's a bit too big for the room. I'm going to experiment today on some other forms, like extending a part behind my desk, but I have no intend to make a circle layout. IMO poinyt-to-point operations are far more interesting then running around in circles.

 

@Mudkip Orange: the sheets of my bed, which is on the floor,  roled over the floor-based layout, so that wasn't really a good setup. My gf isn't capable of handling the trains (derailing seems to be more of a talent then a goal) and shows not much interest (strange from someone who comes from a town with regular steam operated trains ). However leaves me be with my hobby, despite she calling me an otaku and stuff. But hey, as long as there is fire in a relationship, it's fine by me :3

[cteno4]

toni,

 

totally understand ptp can be very interesting! just need to get your points separated some!

 

check out the thread on the ru21 controller. nice little unit to do ptp and even have some stops. only requires small light sensors mounted in your track and is a very flexible little system to throw something together w/o a lot of hassle. simple and cheap automation that makes things interesting.

 

i have noticed some fold up racks and light shelves in some of the bed/bath stores that always struck me as something to support small track boards for an easy reconfig/moving layout that would fold up small and light and be reasonably cheap. could roll your own, but that requires more of a shop/tools...

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Kabutoni]

I've taken the keyboard stand advice to heart and built a new semi-permanent layout. Now I can almost use all of my newly bought tracks intensively! Included are some pictures that speak for themselves. The operation isn't focussed on 4-car EMU any more, but 2-car DMU operation and the occasional freight train from the terminus to the middle station and back.

 

When I eventually have a decent amount of 2/3-car EMU from one company (say, Nagaden or Chichibu) I'll switch to a EMU full-operation, but until then I'll stick with diesel. Reason for this switch is the order of teh 101 Series controller from Tomytec :3

 

1. A rare view form behind my computer on the passenger platform and my collection from yesterday evening. Also included is a flash-light in case of a power-out.

 

2. My desk with the obligatory stuff as studying material, the internet, esoteric readings and a model train controller.

 

3. into the corner section where the line is split between the terminus and the middle station (currently only freight operated).

 

4. And as a bonus, a horrible panorama photo of what I see when I turn around when sitting at my desk.

[Mudkip Orange]

LOVE the duct tape.

[Kabutoni]

LOVE the duct tape.

 

The solution to anything! ANYTHING!

[disturbman]

Even couples problems? 

[Guest ___]

With T-scale, you don't have to worry about eating up the precious little floor space as you can run them on the ceiling.

[bill937ca]

With T-scale, you don't have to worry about eating up the precious little floor space as you can run them on the ceiling.

 

With T scale you can run an empire on top of the refrigerator.

[EWS60008]

In T-gauge, I bet its possible to model a prefecture of Japan on an 8 foot by 4 foot baseboard although its unlikely that I will try it though!

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Not sure about the floor or a refrigerator, but you can cram quite a lot of T Gauge on a toilet seat....a new one obviously!

[NozomiFan]

So, if I went and got a v13 elevated set, would I be able to put it right on top of a V11 standard oval?

Then I could run a commuter train on the bottom, and shinkansens on the top!

[David]

In T-gauge, I bet its possible to model a prefecture of Japan on an 8 foot by 4 foot baseboard although its unlikely that I will try it though!

 

I had thought of that a while ago - specifically you'd need a 14 foot bench to make a 1:1 model of the Hanshin Mukogawa line here (the tracks running along side the river).

[Mudkip Orange]

Even couples problems? 

 

Absolutely.

[Mudkip Orange]

Here's my current setup: four drawers from an Ikea clothing rack. They keep the track elevated above the dust tumbleweeds.

 

This is about as close to the floor as you can get without actually being on the floor.

[to2leo]

Not sure if you seen my layout but Mudkip just gave me an idea of how to add another level for my train or an airy train terminal. Thanks!

[FrictionShifter]

 

check out the thread on the ru21 controller.

 

I did a search for this, but came up empty. What is this thing? Where do I find it? Lacking real estate myself, it sounds promising.

[disturbman]

The thread about it is here:  http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,1255.0.html