08-09-2010, 02:57 PM
Most layouts that high I've seen aren't that deep...more like 6" to 18" max, under 12" the norm. My own layout is 24" deep (deeper at the corners, naturally) but the layout is just high enough that it rests right under my arm if I extend it straight out from my shoulder.
Like you, I need it to be high to clear obstacles in the room as it is a shared space. This has ramifications on the rest of the design that should be planned out in advance, like uncoupling and throwing turnouts. Neither is easy to do on a high layout without track magnets and turnout machines. I have not installed magnets on my layout yet (nor am I planning to) but I may have to after operating a while. In my case I can use a stool because what's beneath the layout isn't much deeper than the layout itself. If there's a wider obstacle like a desk or a bed you may have to stand on that.
hock:
None of what you're planning is impossible, but you may want to go narrower for comfort's sake. And it was the weather that brought me indoors from my garage layout plans. The garage was not heated and during the summer is open alot of the time for my kiddos to get their bikes & toys, creating alot of dust. Plus, spiders. Not widows, mind you, but even so they're not fun to deal with, whatever they may be. I had to really downsize my plans for a grand empire, but so far I'm very happy building a smaller layout and looking forward to getting trains running sooner (I don't count tooling back and forth in and out of staging 3' as 'running')
Good luck,
Galen
Like you, I need it to be high to clear obstacles in the room as it is a shared space. This has ramifications on the rest of the design that should be planned out in advance, like uncoupling and throwing turnouts. Neither is easy to do on a high layout without track magnets and turnout machines. I have not installed magnets on my layout yet (nor am I planning to) but I may have to after operating a while. In my case I can use a stool because what's beneath the layout isn't much deeper than the layout itself. If there's a wider obstacle like a desk or a bed you may have to stand on that.
hock: None of what you're planning is impossible, but you may want to go narrower for comfort's sake. And it was the weather that brought me indoors from my garage layout plans. The garage was not heated and during the summer is open alot of the time for my kiddos to get their bikes & toys, creating alot of dust. Plus, spiders. Not widows, mind you, but even so they're not fun to deal with, whatever they may be. I had to really downsize my plans for a grand empire, but so far I'm very happy building a smaller layout and looking forward to getting trains running sooner (I don't count tooling back and forth in and out of staging 3' as 'running')
Good luck,
Galen
I may not be a rivet counter, but I sure do like rivets!