After some heated negotiations with management (aka: THE WIFE), it has been determined that the only place for me and my trains is the garage. I'm going to start with something simple, a published plan on a hollow core door. I guess you could say this is an experiment to iron some bugs out before building a larger, more permanent layout. For some background, I model in n scale. Also, I live in upstate South Carolina, which to me poses some challenges due to enviroment. Winters are typically in the 40s with lows in the 30s to 20s, summer can be in the 90s with the humidity up there also. I wanted to use Atlas code 55 track, but may stick with Peco code 55 simply because to me it is a bit more bullet proof with the rail embedded in the ties like it is. I was also planning on using foam core as a road bed material since it is dimensionally stable. I hope by doing this I can minimize expansion/contraction due to temperature/humidity changes. Any thoughts?
I had the JJJ&E in my third garage in South Florida for nine years. The third garage was partitioned off from the main garage and was air conditioned and heated. If it wasn't air-conditioned running trains would have been unbearable due to 90+ degree temperatures and very high humidity for nine months out of the year. A temperature of 77 degrees was maintained all the time. I used Unitrack on the JJJ&E and because of the air conditioning, heating , constant temperature and the use of Unitrack, I never experienced any expansion/contraction problems in nine years.
I seem to be following Bob around today..... I don't think you can over state what Bob said about climate control. You may think you have a high toleance to the heat and cold and if you're a young buck that may be true. Get a bit longer in the tooth and you'll find out you're not as hearty as you used to be, don't kid yourself, if you are having a hard time with the layout environment you can be sure your trains will be too. My 2 cents 2slim
Our club layout is in an old building with nearly no insulation, no central heat, and no A/C. We have a bunch of fans for summer and a bunch of space heaters for winter. We have some alignment problems here and there on the particularly hot days in the summer (the ones where it hits 95 F or higher) and we're using mostly Atlas code 80. If you are going to be using the garage, I suggest you get a wall unit for the summer at the very least. Since your hobby got "banished" to the garage I think you've got a good bargaining position.:tb-wink:
I had an N-gauge layout in my garage in St.Pete, Fla. The dirt problem was so bad I finally switched to HO. Even then, my HO Southern SW-1 derailed once when it ran over a dead cockroach. I kid you not. It was also very hot. Now I am back indoors in Virginia and back in N again. I would recommend some kind of cover to keep on it whenever you're not using it.
My N layout is in my finished garage, but it gets really cold in winter and hot in summer. What I recommend first is to paint every bit of bare wood that you can - make sure it's sealed. Second, use T-nuts and carriage bolts on the legs - makes it easier to adjust and re-level as needed. This also keeps the legs off the concrete where and when humidity gets to be a problem. Third - heat, cool, ventilate - in the summer I open the back door where I have a huge nail to hang a box fan on. I can pump air in or out. When the heat and humidity get bad, I close the back door and open the door to the house and hang the box fan there - then I push cool air from the house into the garage. Consider a dehumidifier - I have one that I run from time to time. I also installed a two element electric heater that hangs from the ceiling, and during the winter months I generally keep one of the quartz elements on (500 watts). When it gets down in the single digit temp range, I have a small kerosene heater that can bring the temp up to 70 degrees with no problem. I will probably do an upgrade to the furnace/central air conditioner to install a two speed fan - once I get this done I'll look at adding a vent in the garage (the way my system is now, I can't spare any more cool air from the system in summer until I get the faster blower fan). I'm also looking at just cutting an opening for a window in the garage and installing a cheap window air conditioner. My brother-in-law finished the upper level of his barn for his layout, and we both are experiencing the "challenge" of expansion and contraction. I'm getting better at it, but still haven't completed scenery until I get better control of the situation. I've been working on my layout since 2002, and it's not really that big...
The best solution from my experience. Ask the management(wife) that she do what ever it is she likes to do, read, sew, whatever, and do it in the garage to. This was successful for me as when its 110+ she won't even go in the garage, and neither will I. Although my current layout is still in the garage she knows when the first kid leaves for school I am inside for good. I'll buy a bed in a couch if she wants to visit. I like your start up layout in that it is a manageable size. Be sure to paint the door before you put the foam on, and plan on some kind of dust protection. One thing that will destroy your interest is having to clean all the track EVERY TIME you go to run trains. It gets old, ask me how how know. Keep it simple so you have a real chance of getting to the point where you can complete some scenery and do some detailing. Happy Railroading.
Thanks for all the input guys. Admitedly this is not the best place for a layout, especially n scale. Unfortunately my garage is detached, so I can't run a vent out there. I do have heat out there, but no air. Since the garage has no windows its not a simple matter of dropping in a window unit. I've threatened to go buy a 12'x24' storage building. Have it built 16" on center so I can insulate it and put in a combination heat/cool unit. What to do, what to do??:tb-wacky:
Good idea about the storage unit. Those can be insulated/ finished/ heated/ cooled just like a garage or basement. And that's a good size to start with.... Just make sure you stipulate to management that the building is your area, not for storage.
Having your own "Workshop-garage-trainroom]" would be the way to go!! Do you and her use the garage? How big is it? Now if you use it for nothing else, You might simply put your workshop in there, as it is nice to be able to cut lumber in a dirty place, and then build an addition to the garage for the train room. Take that opportunity to put AC and such on the garage!! Mind you, it might be good to just build on the door right now and store it in the garage - build on it when you need something to do and leave it at that. I smell a really REALLY bad economy in the near future, and the last thing you want is to be on rocky finances because of a stupid garage addition that has nothing to do with preserving financial security!!!
Xtra, I wish I could refer you to the article I researched, wrote and photo'd last summer on managing track expansion/contraction in the garage. The publisher evidently didn't like it - I never heard a thank you or a word back. Oh well, maybe I can help you. I called the article "Float Your Track" because I was inspired by Scottish engineers who laid track across miles of bog (swamp). The idea in N-scale is to use the right track nails, positioned to allow the ties ('sleepers' in Scotland) to move a little in any direction. This allows a section of curved track to expand and contract. If you're starting small - on a door - your track may not move much. My test layout developed 1/4-inch gaps in spots. Test modules that I alternated between August direct sunlight and the freezer (90-degree variations) showed less movement, but it was definitely measurable and troublesome. I took a lot of photos demonstrating the problem and the fix. I agree that climate control is the very best solution for managing expansion and contraction. But some - like the gent who asked me to rebuild his benchwork and trackwork - can't use an HVAC solution. Your post suggests there's value - at least to some - in discussing track expansion. I don't want to ramble on and bore anyone, here - if you're interested in my idea, xtra, PM me, and I'll get more details to you. Scott
Thanks again guys. Scott I sent you a pm. I am not going to do anything drastic right now. In my own twisted way I hope that the trackwork on the door layout will fail. That gives me more ammunition!! I've got enough track, material, etc. to build the door layout. I can't afford to do a garage addition or building right now, as I'm a victim of our failing economy. In real life I'm a conductor for CSuX. Since the first of December over half of the Train and Engine service employees on the Florence Div. have been furloughed. Hopefully things will get better soon.
