I have noticed that there are several layouts that are on 2 or more levels against the wall. What is the typical height, off the floor, for the first level, then the second level ? Also, what is the typical width of each level. I have 2 walls of a 14'x10' room. How are your levels connected ? Thanks for your input. MOPHEAD
Anybody ever done an N scale layout on one level and then say an HO scale switching layout above or below it? I love both scales and have been thinking about doing just that in the 2' by 7 1/2' closet I use for my N scale layout.
MOPHEAD, height of a layout is usually affected by a couple of factors. The first obvious one is your own height. I'm 5 ft 10in and my bottom deck is 38 and the top one is 58 inches. The second factor is how much clearance do you want or need between decks. I'm in N scale and have reversing loops, in the same location on each deck. Because I didn't want a "tunnel" affect I opted for a 20 in spread between decks. Some guys have quite narrow spreads between decks; it depends on your needs and wants list. Thirdly, are there any obstacles you must take into consideration? For example in my case there was a small window, so I kept the top deck just beneath it. Others will have the deck cross the window area with the area maybe, maybe not, blocked out by foam or plywood or hardboard. You might have some needs for a small desk to go into the room which would dictate a high first deck and less space between decks. How many decks are you going to have. The most decks I have seen in person is five; so in this regard some decks will be too low, and guaranteed one deck will be too high, but some guys like multiple decks beyound the number two.
Thanks Rick; I'm 5'-4" short. I'm building in N scale and plan on doing 2 levels. How do you connect your levels at one end ? I would like to have 2 yards, one on top (Frisco) and the other (Missouri Pacific). Kind of an out and back for both lines. There are no obstacles I have to contend with on the two walls. Thanks again MOPHEAD
Mophead, There are a few common ways to connect levels. The first one is a helix, which is simply running the trains round and round on a spiral until you get to the elevation you want. Not very pretty and requires a fair amount of space. It is however capable of going to whatever elevation you want. The second option is to simply travel up mountains and then up the wall to another level. This works good if you have plenty of wall space and you like mountains. You can combine the two ideas, where you travel through mountains up the wall and then climb the last bit up a small helix. A third idea I've heard about is to build an elevator to raise a section of track from one level to another with the entire train on it. Obviously accurate alignment is required there. Good luck! Mark in Utah
JMAN, the dual-level mixed-scale idea is a good one if you plan on dramatic scenery because it's a great way to take advantage of forced perspective. By setting the N scale track farther back against the wall, and above the HO trackage- on a mountain, for example- you can 'force' the observer to perceive greater distance. Kind of like an optical illusion. The illusion works best if the modeler uses N scale scenery, buildings, and accessories around the trackage. I've seen this done with a mountain scene, and the effect was very dramatic.
