biggrin: Well said, Videobruce... If your pleasure is for complex operations with plenty of vizible and usable rolling stock, you got it as planned. Best meaning of prior remark is that if your pleasure would be for drop-dead scenery with mainliners running at speed, well, its a bit heavy on track. As it is, I see interest in the intertwined mainlines and complex yards. How you'd do your scenery will be interesting. Your trains, your plans, your shot. cool: I'd look at Paulus' useful comments and see what you can do with them.
The response that I gave Paulus still stands. Minimum radius is 15", I have no 86' cars except passenger. I don't see 'staging' a issue. I did think about where I could put one, but it only adds more to the equation. I do have three sidings (one is a partial yard lead) for storage. As far as the hump, prototype railroads do 'pull' over the hill, so I don't see that as a problem. I would loose to much room in those tracks for a bypass that I can't really see as an advantage. And I'm aware hump yards are a problem. Unlike last time I will design it so I can easily change grade past the 'hill'. My current problem is the passenger facilities or lack of, I don't see a solution since it affects where I cut the plywood for the 2nd level.
That's all the remark means. Those who frequent the model railroad 'Net talk areas have all seen it used before.
Your bracing for the outside of the layout seems a little small/too far apart. I would have used legs made from pressure treated lumber; just my thoughts. The actual layout is really track heavy but if you like to do a lot of switching it should work well for you.
The 'L' beams running the length of the table are able to support my weight (190 lbs) with little issue when I lifted my whole body up on one between the wall brackets, so I doubt there is any issue there. BTW, most all of those brackets are pressure teated wood. I was going to use them as legs, but found this was a better idea. I also am going to remove one siding (in the middle of the layout), swap (move) the extended lead for the passenger siding from one end to the other to solve the switching issue and swap (move) that siding along the wall from the inside to the outside so it won't block the main from view.
I have a updated plan I will attach later Regarding the environment issue, I came across this thread that makes my situation a climate controlled room; http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine...treme-temperature-layouts&p=848409#post848409
Why would you use pressure treated wood? It's extremely wet and can take months, years to dry and during that time the wood will shrink excessively. No doubt warping your bench work. The ACQ chemical in it will eat regular nails and screws pretty fast. It will form a rust on them with in a few months then your joints will just start to loosen over time. Is the layout going to be outside exposed to elements and bugs......I'm puzzled using pressure treated.
1. Half the PT I already had from my 1st layout 15 years ago, 2. I wanted something stronger than pine and wanted the size & shape of the stock I used, 3. I had the new wood a couple of months before I cut and installed it, 4. I used exterior screws, 5. Actually, a couple of others recommended this, 6. New wood was not wet a all unlike other PT that I have seen or even regular pine 2x4's, 7. The PT was only used for the angle wall bracing, 8. It's not "warping" anything! Why on earth would you think this???? Puzzle over.
If you used new PT wood right from the lumber yard it would be wet to the touch as it has been saturated with ACQ. Ever seen a outdoor deck built or made one yourself. The wood shrinks significantly as it drys, gaps widen, boards shorten with drying. Most PT is Southern Yellow Pine. The older recycled wood would obviously be fine. Just don't see the need for PT even in a "damp" basement. imho
The #1 reasons were size, shape & appearance. Slight cost difference, but no issue. I would agree if they entire framework was PT, but this was just the base wall bracket supports. They did support my weight when I used the outward L girder to lift myself up to confirm support. If something fails, it surely won't be that.
Resurrecting a older thread, after a three year hiatus from this project, I finally got myself back in gear to pickup where I left off now that I am retired from one of the absolutely worst companies (Carriers) to work for. Regarding any of the 'dampness' or humidity issues, the vast majority have been solved, with only one location a problem and that is only in the spring after the winter thaw and during rainy weather. This is not in the same area as this room, it happens to be near a floor drain, but the seepage is very little. Most of the 'seepage' has been dealt with using hydraulic cement. The only other annoyance is spider webs.
One huge mistake was removing one of the receiving/departure tracks based on suggestions. I should of stuck with my original plan. Actually six tracks would of been better, but that would of been pushing it due to lack of room. The other long standing concern from day one was the tight radius on those two 180 degree turns that I really didn't have a choice if I wanted to maintain a reachable distance to the wall. I will have to rethink the use of my 85' passenger cars.
Just to save us all some time, the original question was posted 5 years ago. I think Bruce has progressed a ways since then.
