09-05-2016, 10:03 AM
It is not that easy.
I had a very robust bridge. It was made of one piece and had a wide hinge base at the right side. It worked great but is covered a lot of the end of the layout. I had to lower the hatch to do switching (0-5-0 access) and to view the full layout.
- I do therefor not want to have a hatch that folds up anymore.
- I do also not want a bridge element that has to be totally removed and stored somewhere. The is no "somewhere" in my small room.
- A swing gate sounds good but there is not enough space to swing it out of the way.
- Swing down in one piece sounds great but the gap is wider than the layout is elevated over the floor. No trenches in the condos permitted!
That were the reasons why I tried a divided hatch to fold down. I did not find any examples of a divided fold down hatch. By good reason. It does not work
This is the pure minimum just to get the tracks on the other side. The hinges must not be under the tracks but must be at least at top rail level. That requirement enlarges the triangle to the front significantly and covers more layout are when the hatch is in up position.
![[Image: 29443281696_db28a0d716_c.jpg]](https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8524/29443281696_db28a0d716_c.jpg)
IMG_5090 by faraway52, on Flickr
A space safer alternative would be to have no hinge right to the tracks. I am not sure if that will result in a stable construction. The pencil line would be the hatch size. In any case must the hinges be elevated up to top of track level.
![[Image: 28853629984_deb6e72199_c.jpg]](https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8272/28853629984_deb6e72199_c.jpg)
IMG_5091 by faraway52, on Flickr
I had a very robust bridge. It was made of one piece and had a wide hinge base at the right side. It worked great but is covered a lot of the end of the layout. I had to lower the hatch to do switching (0-5-0 access) and to view the full layout.
- I do therefor not want to have a hatch that folds up anymore.
- I do also not want a bridge element that has to be totally removed and stored somewhere. The is no "somewhere" in my small room.
- A swing gate sounds good but there is not enough space to swing it out of the way.
- Swing down in one piece sounds great but the gap is wider than the layout is elevated over the floor. No trenches in the condos permitted!
That were the reasons why I tried a divided hatch to fold down. I did not find any examples of a divided fold down hatch. By good reason. It does not work
This is the pure minimum just to get the tracks on the other side. The hinges must not be under the tracks but must be at least at top rail level. That requirement enlarges the triangle to the front significantly and covers more layout are when the hatch is in up position.
IMG_5090 by faraway52, on FlickrA space safer alternative would be to have no hinge right to the tracks. I am not sure if that will result in a stable construction. The pencil line would be the hatch size. In any case must the hinges be elevated up to top of track level.
IMG_5091 by faraway52, on Flickr
Reinhard