George, I am so sorry this has happened. But as you know, I've been through it, and the Sub came back better than ever. But now, because of our house's stairs and our advancing age, it looks like the end. I'm on the layout tours of the national convention in Nashville - assuming that happens now - and plan to dismantle the Sub soon after that. Take your time, and do your best.
Sorry to hear ya have to dismantle your layout Jim. Old age sure puts a crimp in our modeling. Stairs are our enemiies for sure !!! I have enjoyed watching you build yours...it has been an inspiration for mine. I am going to have to see how much work mine will take to revive. I am hoping for at least 5 more years of enjoyment from it. If that doesnt pan out...I will dig out my 'Hanging HCD Layout' and put it back on my bedroom wall. Model trains are too much fun and relaxation to just not have any IMHO
That is why I stated the this layout was the last and why it was built at the height it is. Age, eyesight, and other issues will make this the last layout unless I go up in scale. And I am lucky in this layout is on the ground floor and built so I can roll myself in a chair up to it. By the way George I ran across an article that suggested a tar paper roof. Might be the cheapest and easiest way to go if the roof is not sagging.
Its on an RV John. I dont think a tar paper roof will hold up when driving down the road. THE RV has a fiberglass roof believe it or not. It is a 1985 Pace Arrow. There have been so many repairs with so many different products It has actually made a dam at the front edge of the roof ! Even the side edges are built up a bit. I think thats one of the biggest problems with water NOT draining off. I wish I could hire a couple of Day Laborers to scrap all that old crap off and then reseal all the edges the right way *sigh*
I think the tar paper was for a stationary permanently parked RV but I do think you may have ID ed where the problem is.
Mopped up the floor best as I could for now. Found some 5 gallon plastic buckets in the shed. Poked holes in the ceiling panels to drain the water out from up there. Wiped up as much water as I could for now on the layout itself. Turned the AC unit on high fan only. Put a box fan at the far end on top of the layout...to circulate air up towards the front. Turned the BIG vent fan on the ceiling up front on. Opened the door. Left the screen door closed so the dogs dont get up in there. Came in for coffee and to warm my freezing hands !!!
And now time to "hurry up and wait!" The only good thing good about the cold is that it will dry a bit quicker.
Well....3 days of 3 fans running sunrise to sunset and evrything is close to being dry. Had to bring in my small tools that where on the workbench and my small tools storage cabinet that was on the desk. The drawers where full of water and we all know what water does to tools... The water got under the cutting mat and 'lifted' the wood grain on the desk. Have a sander and will take care of that. I WILL seal the workbench this time. The soldering station should be ok...the main unit is on a shelf UNDER the desk. The desklamp should be ok. It was full of water but seems to have dried out ok. I turned the light on today and it didnt short out or blow up our areas electrical subsatation. The floor dried...BUT..it did curl the edges of the hardwood. I have 3 more boxes of the flooring and will probably replace it this summer when its warmer out there. The unfinished cabinets seem to have dried without warping. They are water stained though ....'sigh'
All this and the next major winter storm is due to roll in here Wednesday afternoon through Friday morning. Supposed to start as rain Wednesday then turn to snow overnight. They are predicting 10+ inches of snow. Hopefully all the clean up so far wasnt in vain.
Possibly could...If I had one...or could afford one. That and it would have to be a 10' x30' yikes !!!
If the RV runs try backing it up, that is the back end on some boards to give it a slope to help water run off.
Kinda...sorta...did that. I lowered the front left corner again. That was the low spot BEFORE releveling. It didnt have any leaks when the water ran off the front left corner. I am hoping things settle back to the way they where...
You better think about your mental health and get yourself a Stair Lift! I would hate to do without a thing of beauty like that if I had worked so hard on.
My wife helped me build my layout so a layout will always be in our house. I feel for George. I had some award winning modules get soaked and destroyed when a pipe burst while they were still in my exwife's basement. Such is life.
I can relate to a single level house. We gave up on multilevel dwellings 15 years ago when i became disabled. Our RV has just 3 steps. Depends on where you live. HOA ? City Ordinaces? etc. How about a smaller outbuilding? A 20 or 40' cargo container? Hey....a converted RV? Downsizing our dream layouts is not a shame. As we get older its damn near inevitable. I started with a HCD. A simple double main loop. It grew into my dream layout. It now has size and a few of the things I always wanted. Lucky Penny Yard being #1. Heck.....it takes up half the layout area. I'm not planning on scrapping THERR RV. BUT...if it comes to that...I will have something...even if its just that old HCD with a 2 track yard . Where there is a will....there is a way. Just sayin
Welll...the layout itself seems to have weathered the "Great Flood of 2020" ok. I have moved everything not glued down to a safer location. I will see how THERR RV does this next storm. Its coming in this afternoon as rain that will turn to snow this evening. I will go out there Friday and hold my breath until then.
