My Japanese N Scale Diorama - NEW Dinning Table Layout

[railsquid]

 

Thank you guys for the kind remarks and encouragement!

 

The plan is nice, but there is a height restriction to the layout... about 250mm height. This is because it is a dinning table layout hence it cannot be too high, something like this: 

 

 

But a much higher table. The legs should be able to fit in comfortably for regular dinning, and also hope to have drawer for the controllers... It might be too high even at 250mm, but I try to make it 250 so that it can at least have an elevated track above the ground track and that requires approximately 250mm.

 

Oh I see, the layout is embedded in the table, with a glass top? Looks like a cool idea. But 250mm is plenty of vertical height, the Tomix elevated track is 60~70mm high IIRC. I've got track on 3 levels and it would fit comfortable in 250mm vertically. I'm pretty sure the Kato layout would too, even including that "mountain".

[JR 500系]

aahhh yes squid. I was playing with trains last night (it was Odakyu Romance car night, video to be published very soon) and I took measurements of the height. The overhead track is around 70-80mm from the ground, add another 70-80mm so that a stee; bridge can be installed, so that makes around 150-160mm height. Add in around 40mm clearance and for the buildings a 200mm should be quite good.

 

I was messing around with the design of the dinning table itself and trying to see how to come up with a compromising design for both the dinning usage and the train layout usage. As it is a table by itself, it can then be mobile enough to transport around, just moving the table like you would any other table. The layout is totally enclosed in the table, with either a drawer roll out type to work on or a glass top to remove; with the later being more 'difficult' while cheaper solution.

 

I will also need to add another 150mm or so as a drawer to slide in below the layout for the controllers, so that would set around 350mm down from the regular table top, further eating into the space for your legs to comfortably stretch... This might pose an issue...

[Pauljag900]

Hi Jr 500

This is something I looked at a couple of years ago,I assume you use kato controllers? Which are pretty compact.Could you extend the width of the table slightly or the length and fit the side glass slightly recessed in from the front of the table thus creating a shelf for the controllers ? Would significantly reduce the height and may solve the leg room issue.

Just a thought mate,

Paul

[katoftw]

Why not just build a layout that can be placed on top of a dining table and removed when not in use?

[JR 500系]

Hi Paul!

 

Thanks for the input! I have just double-checked the height requirement for the table as follows:

 

Usual Height of dinning table for comfortable dinning = 750mm or so

Height requirement for a double decked layout (one track on top of the other with some allowance for thickness of glass) = 150mm

Height requirement for controllers below layout = 130mm (based on the large Tomix controller)

Height requirement for leg room under table for comfortable resting on legs - minimum 600mm  

Height of dinning chair - usually 450mm

 

Adding up, it seems like 600 + 130 + 150 = 880mm, a little over the comfortable 750mm... I think 800 is the maximum, so there needs to be some changes to either the height of the layout, or the height of the controllers; i.e. not placing them below the table. Do note I have yet to add in the sliding mechanism of the drawers for the controllers which may be a further 50mm down...

 

I think the controllers might be hard to be placed below the layout... so they might need to be off the table totally, like only joining them up when running...

 

 

 

Why not just build a layout that can be placed on top of a dining table and removed when not in use?

 

The thing is, I wouldn't have a place to store that layout when it is off the dinning table  :P   The new place is REALLY small.... Almost everything needs to be compressed now...

 

Also, the layout might be too heavy to move around too by myself, making it rather... inconvenient.  Also, having a permanent layout means at the point new visitors arrive we can straight away on the power and run the trains for viewing, instead of 'hang on let me get me train layout' thingy....   :)  

 

 

Because of the smaller size and height restriction, I have thought of making a country side layout instead, which a folded dog bone and a station. Maybe just a town ship with many shops near the station but no more high skyscrapers like now...   :(

[Pauljag900]

There s plenty of interesting buildings out there for that Sammy,and also some not so tall office type buildings,I m sure there s plenty that you can still make a good looking layout mate,

Paul

[kvp]

I would place the electronics and the control surfaces into the side of the layout box. That means there is a glass topped table with 4 legs and the layout base plate with 4 solid or transparent side panels. The controls can be mounted in a recessed box on one side or as a fold down side panel, that can be flipped up to hide everything.

 

For height: 750-150=600, so you have to cram everything into the baseplate. Electronics and controls could go under the wooden frame around the glass. I would add storage for the mains cable and the transformer (and run all controllers from this single supply).

[cteno4]

Kvp makes a good point. One of our club members built a layout on top of his dining room table. I made him 2'x4' modules that sat on top of the table to make a 4'x10' layout but since if rested on the dining room table there was no place to hang a control shelf off of it, so he had one of those little roll around drawer units that just slipped under the table and the 4 controllers were in the top drawer. Worked well, you could use auto connectors to disconnect the roll around controller table and move it somewhere else.

 

Jeff

[railsquid]

An off-the-wall (or off-the-floor) idea: how about a higher dining table, and use barstool-type chairs? Maybe a bit hard to relax on them though.

[Pauljag900]

An off-the-wall (or off-the-floor) idea: how about a higher dining table, and use barstool-type chairs? Maybe a bit hard to relax on them though.

It's not that off the wall buddy,but I looked into a table before I decided on a shed layout,and I had the same thoughts,the problem is you can make the table slightly higher but it only increases the height of the layout but the leg room height remains the same so in effect a higher chair only reduces the leg room,it s a nightmare to plan.either you reduce the height of the layout or eat your dinner from under your chin!I really wanted high rise on mine but gave up in the end coz I just could nt get it to add up,

Paul

[JR 500系]

Thanks guys for the ideas! I'm still messing around with the whole concept to see if it really works, cause the best option of having enough space for a layout in the new home will only be the dinning table. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a layout at all which is sad...

 

I need to get the sizes and dimensions right so that the dinning table remains, well, as a dinning table to serve its function. The only thing different is a glass table top with my layout inside instead of a regular glass table top. Henceforth the dimensions are important so that legs will not get cramped while eating...

 

The controllers can be fitted in a different box and only connected with wires, so the roll out drawer for them is not so compulsory... The layout itself can be further reduced, but I would really like a 2 tier layout otherwise the dog bone diagram couldn't be fit in...

 

 

An off-the-wall (or off-the-floor) idea: how about a higher dining table, and use barstool-type chairs? Maybe a bit hard to relax on them though.

 

It's not that off the wall buddy,but I looked into a table before I decided on a shed layout,and I had the same thoughts,the problem is you can make the table slightly higher but it only increases the height of the layout but the leg room height remains the same so in effect a higher chair only reduces the leg room,it s a nightmare to plan.either you reduce the height of the layout or eat your dinner from under your chin!I really wanted high rise on mine but gave up in the end coz I just could nt get it to add up,
Paul

 

 

Thanks Paul! You are right about it ~ The height will only increase further, and the bar stool will be harder to sit comfortably on, especially when kids or elderly folks arrive. The regular table & chair would be the most ideal..

 

 

Moving further, are there any web page whereby there is an extensive range of layouts that we can see and get ideas from?   :P

[Kiha66]

Moving further, are there any web page whereby there is an extensive range of layouts that we can see and get ideas from?   :P

 

I've found that Kato's unitrack plans are a great source of inspiration for what you can fit into a given space.  http://www.katomodels.com/unitrackplan/

[JR 500系]

I've found that Kato's unitrack plans are a great source of inspiration for what you can fit into a given space.  http://www.katomodels.com/unitrackplan/

 

Beautiful site! Bookmarked! Thank you!

[railsquid]

Ah well, I guess the barstool would only work if you have your abdomens surgically extended ;)

 

Anyway another idea:

 

 

But more seriously, have you searched online for examples of similar projects, like this?

[Pauljag900]

Wow!how cool Is that squid ? Be brilliant if someone down the other end needed the salt and pepper! Just wait for the train and pop it on a flatbed wagon,

Seriously tho, that is so cool and really well done,I guess all you d really need is a router and sink the tracks in,good find that mate,

Paul

[cteno4]

Brilliant just take a router to the dining room table!

 

Jeff

[marknewton]

And then the missus will take to you with a big stick!

 

Well, mine would. :)

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Pauljag900]

Yeah,mine too!

[cteno4]

I think that would be a universal!

 

Jeff

[kvp]

For the controller, it's possible to find handheld walkaround throttles and they usually come with panel mountable sockets. There are panel mounted throttles too. These can be added to the side panels of the table. This would allow running the trains while being seated or even eating. The space requirements for the sockets and controls are almost zero and they would be above the legroom and won't extend beyond the edge of the glass.

 

The basic design of a table like this is 4 legs, 4 side panels between the legs for holding the legs together and an added bottom plate between the 4 side plates. Some of the electronics can be hidden in the side panels by adding a strip of wood under the glass to make them look thicker or by adding a mountainside. I would put everything in the table except the high voltage transformer.

 

The turnout controls can be added through connectors too or even as a fold down or inset panel. The latter would make the table fully self contained.

 

ps: for the height, i would keep the 150 mm thickness usual for tables and keep the legroom/height standards

[Eurostar25]

http://www.diorama.co.jp/owr_rail_p.html

 

This one has quite a few layout ideas

[railsquid]

http://www.diorama.co.jp/owr_rail_p.html

 

This one has quite a few layout ideas

 

Hah, I've seen this one before:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miK1kqYUGtA

 

I must admit it's kind of a relief to learn that someone's awesome-looking layout has actually been built professionally, makes me feel better about my own efforts. It's still an awesome layout though.

[JR 500系]

http://www.diorama.co.jp/owr_rail_p.html

 

This one has quite a few layout ideas

 

That's a nice one! Thanks! I especially like this one:

 

 

It kinda looks like my current one, with the cover and all, just that his cover is so much nicer... That cabinet looks like a custom made one ~

 

I will study these plans carefully and make a drawing pretty soon ~

 

Thanks for the help guys!

[malcoJOJO]

Looking great!

[katoftw]

Hey, very late to the party but I stumbled on these today:-