Bill, don't you just love it when everybody takes a stab at designing
your layout? Actually I wish I would have had more help when I started
on mine. What Andy says is correct and if I'm following his description
correctly, we used his little module for the cover of a past Dispatch
Membership directory.
You folks with basements have a big financial advantage over us
basemently challenged areas. The second story trainroom above my garage
was "scratchbuilt" at a decent price and at a time when I was young
enough to build it. Try lifting a 20' 2 x 12 into position by your
lonesome! I would estimate having a contractor build that addition
would be in the 40+K region today.
I have done some basement work on my family home and know about some of
the problems with walls that leak and start getting the middle age
belly! I might suggest that a false wall from the ceiling about half
way down to the floor might be a way of keeping access to the walls. I
would insist however on finishing the ceiling. If not dust, will foul
the layout surface forever. Also you'll never be happy with large steam
rounding the corners on a 'inside' style layout. Around the wall will
hide the loco-tender connection area better.
As I recall Jack Sudimack's layout wasn't that large but did a lot with
multi levels. A couple of Sn3 layouts in the Denver area were also
built fairly vertical because of limited square footage. These guys
think in cubic feet!
Bob Werre
BobWphoto.com
>
>
> Bill,
>
> I somewhat understand your dilemna. Before I got involved in the S Scale
> Workshop, trains with no scenery were alright with me. In fact, I thought
> scenery was a distraction.
>
> I was wrong and my opinions have changed.
>
> My first module was only a 2 foot by 4 foot endevour with a single track
> going down the middle on a 'Tee' beam with nothing on either side. I used
> the famous Simon Parent code 83 tie plates which took their share of
> time.
> At any rate, I was under the gun to get it ready for a show the next
> day and
> had no time to add anything else. So to make sure there would be no locos
> on the floor, we simply stapled some plastic garbage bags between the
> sides
> of the module and the edge of the beam that the track was on. At least
> half
> of the modules were at some state of incompleteness but mine stood out.
> When someone asked what the garbage bags represented, I quipped "It's a
> swamp!"
>
> It kind of stuck and I eventually built up swamp scenery with a stone
> causeway. It was an eye opener for me. When I placed my locos on it, they
> came alive especially when a backdrop was placed behind. This completely
> changed my outlook. Any RR I do will have to have scenery on it to
> provide
> a good stage for my equiment.
>
> I have four other modules that I connect together that form the
> Brewery, its
> lea
> cheers, eh?
>
>
> Andy Malette
>
>
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