Don't blame it on the beer, `cause I don't drink, but while sitting at brunch this morning with the Misses, I started thinking about the ideal train room.... The layout would be at a pretty tall height. From the edge of the layout, there would extend a bar top of deeply stained wood, finished with a brass rail. The room would be dark, with accent lighting on the railroad. Instead of watching the TV or the bartender mixing drinks, we could sit around on bar stools, nursing our drinks, and watching the trains roll by, elbows firmly planted on the bartop. The coasters would feature the heralds of our favorite roads.... I could go on and on. What about you guys?
Years ago there was a resturaunt out in California called "The Roundhouse". It was round, looked like a roundhouse but had big picture windows all around the outside, which would have been the rear of the building. There was no turntable, or open space in the center, that was where the kitchen was. The unique thing was that each booth had phones you used to call in your order from posted menues. A Lionel type train came along and stopped at your booth when your meal was ready. Each car had a specially made boat shaped dish on a flat car that you could lift out, when your train was empty, you pushed a button and paid as you left.
Watash, Did you eat their???? I bet that was different and fun not to mention neat!!!! It would have been my favorite place to eat thats for sure!!!!!!!!!!
It would be a very large room with lots of train action. And dont forget the scantily clad women serving those drinks. >>>>Mike
Uhhhh Mike, I love your thinking, but 220 Volts mixed with Big Boys and martinellis might more then enough to put ALL of us six feet under!!!! We would all be five year old's waiting for that great summer vacation with the grandparents, and the grand parents are about an hour late...wound like a spring, excited like a lark, and obnoxious, spontaneous and annoying to the parents! [ 30 April 2001: Message edited by: Benny ]
Ed and Watash--I love the bar idea, and the roundhouse too. How about having the bar on the upper level as one of you said, but looking down on a real steam roundhouse? OK, I woke up now and have given up on this dream.
Never give up on your dreams. I dream designed a house, to be built back into the side of a hill, so that what would be the ground floor on the down hill side would be paved and become the garage, wash room, and basement with model shop and layout space. Above on the up hill side would be the front door to the house proper. I still have the dream, never got the money, but I did locate several pieces of property that would have good drainage, and were not right under a rock slide area. Since then I have become aware of several homes built just that way.
Watash I have never heard of that one but sure wished I had. The wife and I used to stop at a couple of resturants in Oregon on our trips to Washington. They had a train running around the wall just below the ceiling. It was quite a eye catcher.
I have a lionel NYC Hudson complete with railsounds running 11" below my living room ceiling. My wife happens to Love Kinkade paintings ( the paintings that look like the lights are on in the buildings). I found a wall boarder of Kinkade prints which I used as the background for the shelf layout and she loves it. I got my train and she got her wall boarder, Life is Good! I do like the Bar Idea also.
Morning; Here in Port Charlotte (SW FL) is a restaurant that has a G gauge, could be another size . It runs around the front area of the place. In a plexiglass channel. About a foot and a half below the tile ceiling. It sounds off every so often, chuffs along for a few minutes then sits for a a good while. Place is called Johnny's Be Good, great food, little pricey; but all good. It's actually done in a free for all style. Has a fifties air, and 50's , 60's music playing. But there are 'New' posters of NASCAR, Cars in general, and Signs for various brands of stuff. All-in-all a good place to get 'kindly ruckus' and 'chill out' at the same time. Hmmm.... An American Style Irish Pub
Well while were talking restaurants... The McDaoanlds here in Austin Texas on I-35 at 51st Street has a large scale running around the ceiling as well. Sometimes a Steam 4-4-0 "american" i think with a small passenger train. And sometimes a Sante Fe Diesel in Blue and yellow with a short freaight behind. Doesn't match the Mickey D's decor at all but I like it.lol Late all
The ideal train room is 14ft wide and 200 ft long , with an adjoining wet bar and lounge where myself and guests can kick back and enjoy a "Wet One" (navy slang for a cold beer or the like), watch railroad vidios and swap old railroad stories. The problem is trying find a house that has a basement which matches those dimensions, or failing that, designing and building same. BTW, My wife is very good at disguising her sense of humor and enthusiasm for this idea by giving me a long look with narrowed eyes, twitching movements, and long periods of silence. However, I will take whatever I can get for a train room and make it work. Happy modeling. Cheers! Terry
How 'bout an old heavyweght varnish car? Wide enough to have the layout, and maybe even the bar? A local club in Lancaster, CA has their layout in an ex Santa Fe (I think) lightweight pax car--works for them.
Since, my wife and I drew up the plans for our house, I have what I consider an ideal train room. But, I have not built a railroad in it yet! I always wanted an around the wall layout, like the Cyclorama in Atlanta. The room over the garage has a staircase coming up in the center of the room with a straight shot to an outside door to permit plywood and lumber to be brought in easily. Instead of windows, the side walls begin to slope at 5 ft., with three skylights on each side. So, not only are there no doors obstructing an around the wall layout, there are no windows either. The room is approximately 13 x 21.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Sir_Prize: Here in Port Charlotte<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Sir_Prize - first off, welcome to trainboard! Second - Port Charlotte?!?! My grandparents retired there around 1980 and my parents retired there in 1995! I don't know the resturaunt that you are refering to but I'm there about once a year (I usually enjoy my mom's home cookin' or there is this mexican joint along 41 that's really good) I'm hoping to be down (or up) there around new years - maybe you can show me this joint? Cheers!
K.V.Div, How about "All hands aft to splice the main brace!" (I am well aware of that withering look!) Gregg, sounds like the ideal layout room. When you starting the layout?
Gregg, shame you live so far east of Mobile, I'd like to help you get started. Never leave a room like that empty for long, it finds other uses real quick Hank
Yankinoz; Come on down...No wait... It's up and WAAAYYY over isn't . Let's see... Remember DAYS INN Motel/Hotel it's right in there. About 2mi down from where 776 (Vetern's Expry) crosses 41. Sure, No prob. I'll show ya' sights of Great Charlotte County . Only if, I come down yer parts an' ya do the same.
Watash, Splicing the Mainbrace sounds like a great Idea! Boatswains Mate! Pipe "Up Spirits", All Hands Lay Aft for Grog! BTW Watash, Do you prefer your "Pussers" (Rum) "Neet" (Straight Up) or "Cut" (Mixed)? Actually, My wife is in full support of me having a train room (Anything to get my model trains out of the living room and 2nd spare bedroom), and my current space measures 19ft down one side, 8ft across one end and 6ft across the other end. I have put all plans on hold for a perminant layout in this space, as we stand a better than even chance of moving into a new house (possibly our own design) within the next two years or so. Our new house will feature a large basement (Mine!) ,which my wife wants nothing to so with (Mine! Mine! It's ALL MINE! ) with the exception of a space for the furnice and a storage room. Until then, I will fill the current space with NTrak and oNeTrak modules which should hold me over untill the new space becomes available. Happy Modeling. Cheers! Terry
