Gerry's Japanese Layout

[gerryo]

Over the past month or so I have had to re-evaluate my building of my layout plan. I will still be hacking something together, but it will be a severly diminished plan.

 

I will be listing quite a few things for sale in the proper place.

 

My ability to post pictures to the net has also been curtailed because of problems with my computer.

One desktop has been destroyed, replaced with a laptop which is totally useless, bought another desktop and haven't been able to load pics. But we Irish never give up. Maybe tomorrow I'll figure it out.

 

My old brain is slowing down as well as my legs.

 

gerryo

[gerryo]

I will try again to load a plan drawing of my layout. This is a new computer with new software which I have never used before, so wish me luck.

 

gerryo

[gerryo]

WELL. That seems to have worked pretty good.

 

Next will be some pics of what is done already. But not tonight.

 

gerryo

[gerryo]

I have made a change already.

 

I have added a double crossover to the right of the double track connection to the single track in the lower center of the plan. This would give some access to the suburban station from the double track.

 

gerryo

[gerryo]

I have decided to change the height of my layout to 48 inches. to accommodate my lack of flexibility in my old age.  And along with this I am in the process of making some other changes.  I have found it very difficult to bend enough to do the wiring, hence the longer table legs.  Also, I have split the layout into two long 2 foot wide pieces connected at both ends by more table tops.

 

As you will see by the new layout plan it will be easier to work on the layout overall.  I have kept all of the track plans the same, and have added some more.  I'm thinking about putting my Viaduct back in along with the station.  I'll try this adding of my plan again and you will see what I mean

 

gerryo

 

 

[cteno4]

Gerryo

 

Ok looks good. Will you normally operate from the center area or will you have room around the outside to view in? Is the thin end on the right where you will duck into the center?

 

The 2' center space is just enouth to turn around in but it will be tight. A tall elevating chair might also be nice for the center area.

 

Before doing all the legs, I would set up a module at the 48" height and pop some track, both ground and viaduct, and some buildings and a train to get an idea of the view at the height to make sure it's good for you and also test fiddling under the module for wiring etc. just to make sure.

 

If too high for your viewing tastes you could do a small platform in the center to stand on.

 

Jeff

Edited August 2, 2015 by cteno4

[gerryo]

Hi Jeff.

 

I will be operating from the center walkway as the space to the "top" of the layout is narrower, and the space to the "bottom" is against a wall.

 

I will use the 1 foot wide table as a duck-under, and this might have to be widened if there are problems with the Viaduct.

 

I like your idea of a test module.  This might "make or break" the 4 foot idea.

 

Thanx for your suggestions, Jeff.

 

gerryo

[cteno4]

Gerryo

 

I'm a huge fan of doing simple tests before diving into larger projects like this! Amazing what you can learn with a crude mockup. So much can be learned to refine or prevent a disaster! Most always saves time, effort, and money!

 

What about putting the top edge out to the wall as well so you have a bigger operations pit and bit taller loops?

 

Jeff

[gerryo]

Hi Jeff.

 

That top edge has abt. 18 inches of space between it and my tool boxes, my storage cupboard, and my parts cabinet.

 

I've tried to convince my wife that I should move these things into our bedroom, but she just "WILL NOT AGREE". They're funny that way.

 

gerryo

[cteno4]

Gerryo,

 

If you do go up to 48" layout height what about doing all the storage under the layout? Could even do a workbench under there with a low chair. At 48" high by 48" deep that is a lot of storage space! Ringing the room with the layout would get you more operations space and a longer layout.

 

Jeff

[gerryo]

Hi again Jeff.

 

You are absolutely right.  In the 1/2 hour since my last post, you and I have been thinking alike.

 

If I move my long storage cupboard, and my toolbox, to be under that top edge of the layout would give me 8.5 feet of room width.  And it would give me a center working area of close to 4.5 feet.  This makes it more possible to have all of my control panel in the center as well.

 

I am going, now, to the lumber store to get some 4 foot sticks, to try.  If that's too high I'll just cut them off at 3.5 feet.  That's still high enough to let the cupboards under. 

 

gerryo

[cteno4]

Cool, you will have a nice little pit to play in! Your wife won't be able to pry you out of there! Put the control panel on a couple of drawer slides so you can push it back under the layout when you are not running trains.

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[gerryo]

I have, I think, the final draft for my layout. I know, I've said that before, but there is no more room in my train room so this is it.

 

The layout will be 8.5 feet wide by 11 feet long. It will be built at a height of 45 inches above the floor. To get the 8.5 feet of width, I will be using a long Ikea cupboard which was along the wall at the top (as in the pic.) and incorporating it into use as the main legs on that side. I also have a tool box that would have to be moved from that side to the left end, again, under the layout.

 

To the layout itself, I have added back in the double track viaduct with a double wide station to allow for parking for my Shinkansens. I have also put the single track viaduct from the viaduct station down to the ground level tracks. This is to be used to get a couple of my other trains up onto the viaduct. I know this is not Kosher but what the heck...

 

An adequate yard is to the right end over my duck under. There are tracks long enough to hold my short Shinkansens should I care to bring them down to ground level.

 

Enough for now. Let's see what you all think of it,

 

gerryo

[cteno4]

Gerryo,

 

Hey great, looks a lot less cramped and more room for scenery and also yards! Sure you can also use some other rolla round carts under the layout for storage of trains and stuff. Maybe a little roll around computer table for a workbench that can roll under the layout as well. Your operating pit looks quite comfortable now and will be easy to move around to play with and watch trains!

 

One concern is those two up and overs there, looks like 4%+ grades, which can be tough. the shinkansen grade looks better at about 3% which is usually the steepest you want to go.

 

One way to make legs that can easily be change in lenght is to use pvc pipe. You can glue a coupler into a hunk of 2x4 to mount into your framework,mthen have like a 3' section of pipe come down, then a T with a cross piece between front and back legs,mthen a short piece to the floor. If you want to change heights just change the short bit out around the bottom. 1.5 or 2" pvc is pretty sturdy stuff and pretty cheap. Since you are built up against your walls it won't get much lateral force at all (issue usually with this kind of legs in free standing situations.)

 

Jeff

[gerryo]

Hi Jeff.

 

I have tried the shinkansens on the 4% grade when I had them set up before, and they would go up abt. half way and stall out. I think I can stretch the 2 up and overs a little by continuing the slope thru the curves. Not that it really matters as I wont be running the shinkansens on ground level anyway. I have tried my 2 Odakyu 11 car consists on these slopes and there is no problems. The Odakyu have much shorter coaches.

 

Neat Idea for the legs. I'll give this a try.

 

I will also use your idea for the control panel drawers. I may have more than 1 so that will make it easier.

 

Thanx Jeff

gerryo

[cteno4]

Gerryo,

 

Yes get the grade as small as possible as its easier on the trains in the long run.

 

I've seen pvc end caps that have a flat end with 3 screw pads around the edge to mount it with. But I've had good luck with drilling a hole in some 2x4 and either mounting a cap with some epoxy or just the pipe right into the hole. You can drill a hole thru the side of the 2x4 and thru the pile and put in a machine screw to firmly attach the pipe in place. Nice thing about pvc pipe is its super easy to tinker toy than wood is. Build all sorts of odd contraptions with it from underwater camera stands and sleds to chicken coops!

 

I think you will enjoy being surrounded by trains. Nice elevating swivel chair in the center and you can just spin around watching trains! Nice longer runs now with the bigger oval.

 

Control panel drawers are great. I made my first when I was a kid on my first layout as the layout board was just across from my bed and I made the layout as big as I could to fit, but w.o the drawer for the control panel it would be hard to get into the bed! But was nice to sit on the bed and just pull out the control panel like a keyboard tray over my lap. I built them on two table layouts and a coffe table layout of club member's here in the last few years. Just leave extra wire.

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[gerryo]

This pic is of the new module height.  The height to the top of the styrofoam is 46 inches.  This turns out to be a comfortable height for me to work at.  The height of the backboards are 16 inches which will give a fairly good picture behind the tracks.  That is if I decide to put one there.

 

The space between the bottom of the module and the top of the cupboard will be used for my control panel, track controls, and wiring.

 

The cupboard under will be used for storage, as it is now.  There will still be space under the rest of the layout for my junk.

 

gerryo

 

 

[gerryo]

This should be attached to the previous post.  Sorry

[cteno4]

Cool, glad thsi is working out for you Gerry!

 

Jeff

[gerryo]

This picture actually illustrates the height as being suitable for me.

 

This heat wave we are into is keeping me indoors, so can't get to the lumber store for more leg material.  Next week is PROMISED to be better.

 

 

[cteno4]

Gerryo,

 

Cool, glad it's working! Will be fun to see the new circle become alive!

 

Jeff

[gerryo]

Well it seems that it will take a long time to come alive at this rate.

 

I have made a large number of changes, both deletions and additions.  As for deletions, I guess that the most dominant one is the Viaduct and station.  They took up way too much space for something that could handle only 2 trains at a time, and then at such a high speed they were not hardly visible to the naked eye.  Anyway, it's gone again.

 

By way of additions, I have placed my Overhead Station and Expansion as the main station, will still have my Suburban Station on the other side of the layout, along with a town site with commuter lines back to the main station.  I have given up on using any Kato Unitram stuff and have started to use Kato Diotown pieces along both long sides of the layout.

 

The other major addition will be a tram circuit around the inner sides of the layout.  I know NOTHING about the tram circuits, and will be asking lots of questions.  I have also toyed with the idea of a Moving Bus System from Tomix.  And yes, there will be many more questions about that.  The first question is, can the bus road be run along side of the tram wide track pieces and will all the curves fit together?

 

Anyhow, I better get busy because the first thing I have to do is cut three inches off all the module legs, as 45 inches is too high to work on.

 

gerry   

[railsquid]

The Tomix bus system is compatible with the Tomix tram system if that's what you mean.

[gerryo]

Thank you.

[inobu]

Gerry,

 

Don't cut the legs........build a platform to walk on for the time being.

 

There is a modeling height and working/building height.

 

Inobu