Increasing number of door-sized layouts

A passing question that has probably been answered before, but didn't register with me at the time. When using Unitrak on hollow core doors and foam, how do people deal with the Kato wiring? My first thought is to hole-saw 2 or 3 2" holes in the door and surface trench wiring to the appropriate area and then down. Any users care to comment?

David

 

Wiring of kato track:
Drill a hole through to the bottom
Run the wires to your control panel.

 

My first nscale railroad was not HCD, but it was about that size and that was the perfect size for getting started. That railroad is the only one I've built that was something approaching finished. I've moved back to HO, but on reflection, even my current benchwork could have been simplified via the use of HCDs.
The one issue I imagine with HCDs is the undertable switch machine. It's a problem with deep foam too. Of course, maybe with a layout that size, you just use ground throws, but personally, I've found that I need a few under table ones and the thickness of the door presents a problem.

Having said all that, I think if I were to start a layout again either in N-scale or HO, I wouldn't use a door, but would go with wall bracketed shelves. The more I contemplate things, the more I wonder if the best layouts wouldn't be maybe 12" wide for HO and 6" for N with only the occasional widening for a deeper scene or for multiple tracks. Sure, the benchwork, even with wall brackets is more work, but I think the intrusion in a small space is less and it forces liniarity.

 

I certainly recognize I could do that, but I'm not that thrilled with drilling tons of half inch holes through two inches of foam and one and a half inches of door - particularly if it happens to one of the solid portions of the door. That's why I was inquiring.

David

 

David - I firmly believe "there is no such thing as a dumb question". I did not mean to denigrate yours.

Has anyone here run into issues he's referring to?

 

I use a combination of around the walls shelf style bench work and HCDs. I could only attach shelving to three walls of my train room, so I used HCDs to create the 4th "side". I'm also planning to use HCDs for an interior peninsula. Finally, although I model mainly in HO, I'm planning a 3' x 13'-4" S scale switching layout using two HCDs.

 

David,
I'm not familiar with Kato track, but I have a pair of feeders from each and every piece of track or turnout on my doors. I just drilled a 1/8" hole all the way through and jabbed the wires through. I think drilling many many holes is easier, at least for me, than "trenching" to some central locations. I did have to buy a longer-than-normal bit.

 

Steve, I have built many layouts over the years, and only recently adopted Unitrack for an interim temporary layout. Similarly, I have never used hollow core doors before, but they seem ideal for my purpose. The problem with the Kato wiring is that it is kind of modular in nature and uses plug and socket connectors. 1/2" is pretty much the minimum these things will go through. I guess I'll just have to experiment a bit and see what works best.

David

 

As referenced in my thread in the pit, Spackle is your friend.

 

If concealing the wire trenches is easier for you than drilling more holes, then go for it. But I'd not use a 2" hole. You are not going to be passing a bunch of those plugs through that hole at once...you just need room for one plug at a time, and a number of the relatively small wires...I'd start out with 3/4" or even less.

I'm planning on using a bit different approach. I've used a door. but fastened a 1x4 perimeter that is several inches wider than my door...kind of an outrigger configuration. My wiring will drop through the foam in the 2 strips along the long edges with no door under them. All my turnouts and feeder tracks are over or within a couple inches of those areas. for the turnouts and power feeds that are away from the edges, where possible I'll cut my trenches under the route of the track, so that the track hides the trenches. the "bays" along the edge between the door and my perimeter will hold all my plug connections, so they do not protrude below the bottom surface of the door.

 

Unfortunately, I can't use the perimeter idea effectively as this is a shelf layout and the wiring points are across the face of the two foot surface. You're quite right about the size of the hole, though. 3/4" is probably ample.

David

 

Hello all,

It has been some time time since I have worked on my layout and even longer since I have posted... Two new boys in 20 months have kept both the wife and I quite busy. >grin<

As for drilling the holes for Unitrack I have a couple sugestions;

1/2" should be more then adequate. I used 3/8" with some 'wobble-widening' for a slightly oblong shape to the holes. One plug should just fit through 3/8" but once a wire is in there it will get a little tight to pull another through without 'widening'.

I would also suggest not two big holes, or a bunch of little holes, but a comprimise. Gang up two or three connectors through each hole. This should limit doubling back on the wires and requiring joiners.

I used construction scraps for my foam-board base. It was a glued on collection of smaller, and sometimes irregular pieces instead of one fullsized piece. Channels (trenches) where a natural by-product of the assembly process. Once I added risers and plastercloth they dissapeared compleatly.

I hope these ideas can help,
Shane

 

I am pretty new to scale trains. After reading some on this site and in the post I have decided to go with the 36x80 hollow door approach. It seems like this is a smart way to go from someone building in an apartment. I plan on moving again in a few years and want the moving of the train to go smoothly.

Last year I built a nice 4' x 4' one piece layout trimmed in stained birch. I used a lot of the sprinkle style ground covering on this layout. When I moved to my new place I had to tilt the setup on its side to get it through the doorway. After the move the layout was trashed.

I think this door method makes for a great cure for some of the problems I have had in the past.

:tb-biggrin:

 

Did you secure the ground foam with glue? Make sure all of your scenery is secured and then when you move a layout, you can tilt it or flip it over to your hearts content and nothing will move out of place.

 

I did have the ground cover glued down, but it still did not like being turned on its side. At the time of building I was a total novice and really went in head first without much though of ever moving the thing.

Off topic, but are there any good write ups on laying down ground cover properly?

 

Friscobob,
Isn't it interesting that the hobby mags have not noticed this (with a few exceptions ). They are still stuck on the private club layouts!
Ernie C

 

Skimming as usual so maybe I missed something in there.

I was at a train show and saw a ho scale Layout on a door panel with 15" curves. For a kids layout 15" is ok. Come to think of it On30 would be fine on a door panel. Seems like something even HO scalers would like.

Is there such a thing as modu-door? Made up the name, he he he. I have three spurs coming off my mains on the outside of my layout. Someday when I feel the need...

Please sir, may I have another?

 

Guilty. My first layout, the Elizabeth & Austin Divisions of the PRR, took most of a single car garage. Then came a heart attack, retirement and a move. A smaller layout was the only option with limited space and a fixed income, so a hollow-core door layout was born. It has worked well and the layout is now in second level scenery. Jim