Will’s made his own benchwork for his folded dogbone layout:
“Alastair,
Just checking in with a few pictures of a different take on base construction.
I have been studying all of your contributors and collecting ideas. I don’t have a basement and so my space is limited to my room over the garage.
I ended up with a folded dog bone layuut base that 25 feet long with a 5 ft loop on one end and a six foot loop on the other end.
I had to build it modularly because I was limited to a 32″ wide entry door. I built sections 30″ and 24″ wide to .
I also needed space for storage so I opted to build it as cabinets instead of on a wooden frame.
The cabinets are 26″ tall so as to not interfere with the pool table or block the window on the far end.
Here are some pictures showing how I built it in cases others are interested in a folding dogbone layout.
First 3 shots show one of the seven cabinet bases.
Will”
A big thanks to Will, it reminded me of Rob’s: Folded dog bone layout.
“Hi Al,
Thought you might be interested in my modelling skills, I started on my latest layout after my Daughter left us to go and live in Australia.
I already had layout 6’x2’ in a small room upstairs so I moved into her room which was some 18’ longer and decided to add to it.
So I bought two 6’x3’ boards and started to build.
The layout of old was called Meadow Falls and is a small end of line station and surrounding countryside.
I decide to join it to the larger layout I was building so that it would run to a small station at the other end of the layout with a small station and turntable, the gauge for both being N Gauge.
Then I when on to my main board which I am still working on but have at present got Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in my Right hand so it is making the job very difficult
The Mill is based on the one in Battlesbridge, Essex but the remainder of the layout is form my imagination and with the help of input from my Daughters, hence the riding stables.
I still have a lot of work to do as the far end at the left has scenery and a stone etc to build. But until I have had and operation on my wrist it will all have to wait a while.
I run mainly Graham Farish and Dapol on a DCC unit by GaugeMaster on the extension , but Meadow Falls is DC. The track and points are all Kato.
Hope you have enjoyed my pics if the want to see more please contact me.
Keep up the good work it really helps us to get so enthusiasm to continue with our work.
Yours Sincerely
Barry”
A big thanks to Will and Barry.
I know some of you will wonder why I post pics of benchwork. It’s because, if you get your bench / table / platform wrong, you’ll soon give up. Too high, too wobbly, too low, not level, too wide (access!), the list goes on and on… and they all drive you nuts.
That’s all for today folks.
Please do keep ’em coming.
Don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide is here -is today going to be the day you make your start?
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
Hi Will, Great job, very professional.
Barry. Great layout. More importantly how did you manage to get your daughter to move to Australia?. Seriously your layout look great. Lots of too scale scenery etc. Well done
Will ; you must be a master carpenter cause that model train layout looks more like furniture then a train table. I hope that Garage loft floor is reinforced for that slate bed pool table. I have one and it weighs a ton.
One last comment, Another triple rail train set ? 🙁
The Critic
Will,
Few things are as attractive to me as well done woodwork. Your cabinetry is awesome. Good job, if you attention to detail goes into the rest of the layout it will be also awesome!
John from Baltimore
Barry and Will… two great layouts, each working around existing realities.
Love it! I imagine most of us can only dream of being ‘limited’ to 25′ x 6′ round a pool table, happy days. Lovely cabinet work, well done.
Nice work Barry, especially with your troublesome hand and in N too.
Very nice!
Love your Vette, too!
Will, you made a great base while conforming to existing conditions.
Well done. I am a cabinetmaker, impressive.
TJK
Looks good so far. Want to see more.
Hello Al well i just got a email this morning. Guess your back on verizon.
GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN
MARKLIN ed
The idea of cabinets for benchowrk is an excellent one!
Will very nice way to use your space, cant wait to see your layout completed, Looks like O scale track you have, did you ever think of joining OGR Forum? Look into it very nice site. Nice looking layout Barry a job well done.
Hi Will,
Great looking cabinets.
Have you given thought to how you will work on the wiring of your track.
That will probably end up under your layout and above your cabinets.
You need some way to work underneath your layout.
Could I suggest modules so you can put them on their side so you can work on the underside without too many difficulties.
Good luck,
Jan
Thank you John, Robert. and John for the comments.
To follow up, yes, the garage ceiling joist were sized to hold that pool table. I have added another layer of 4mm Luan plywood to cover the rough plywood top in the pictures.
Also, Robert was spot on about the 3 rail tubular track. This enabled me to add track to what I had so I could get the layout up and running. I used Menards track for now until I can figure out which flex track I want to use. All of the sites I follow use different track and they all have their pros and cons. I’ll need about 175 feet of track with 2 loops and 2 internal sidings. This was just the quickest way to get up and running.
Regards
Will
Jan,
I plan to attach a tray or metal wire looms to the underside of the top crossmembers in the back. Because the cabinets had to be brought in piecemeal, I held off on doing that. Possibly a mistake. The cabinet doors are wide enough to get in so making a support for the wiring was on my mind. The other thing you highlight indirectly is where best to put the transformer. I have an old Lionel ZW that I really want to use…and I have to think that through.
Will
I would recommend keeping scenery low near the pool table. Wouldn’t want an accidental pool cue back stroke taking out a painstakingly built factory.
Tom.
Great point. I want to keep the buildings limited to the ends to avoid the pool table. Its also about 8 inches below the pool table so I’m hoping there’s no interference.
Thanks
Will
Will, great cabinet work!
Barry, good looking layout. also, have the surgery, you won’t regret it if you have a good doctor. I had to have both of mine done and never have a problem with them since.
Will I’m impressed with your layout , mostly loving that sweet garage . Keep up that level of detail and you’re sure to have a great display , keep us posted .
Barry , wonderful display , magnificent detail , relay line it a lot . Hope your hand allows you to progress . Looks great , always special to have our daughter’s excitement and input .
barry i cant put in words how great your platform looks other then great-i started mine in 1969 as a kid took a picture of it then last time i put it up again in 1986moved a few times i put all my stuff in tupperware trashs can all my ho stuff was gone someone helped themselfes still have all my house trees ect still havemy pre war -o- gague trains track everything -o-gague i,m going to start all over just cant remember how i made mountains,,love the back round you have looks like my side window must have taken you so many yearsyou have so many great ideas thanks joe…..from the ozarks……………………….
awesome on both accounts hell of a base with those cabinets
Great Craftmanship but I do have a stratigic question of the author…..
Unless your arms are 6 feet long, how are you going to gt to the corners of your layout with updates etc? Just curious because if you have a plan, I would love to hear about it… My arms are only 2 feet plus long….. So your layout would not work for me….
Thank you, Dr Jon
nice job. i wish i had this kind of room.
Alastair
I appreciate the re-post. As with most of us, I had to do a restart for the track. I initially went with tinplate O guage track to build it from materials I had. But the 3 rail tinplate just wouldn’t work with Ross Custom Switches. I decided to re-lay the track with Gargraves flex and straight track. It works very well but I believe my longer engines really need 100″ diameter switches (or wider) instead on 72’s. I also modified the layout to have a true siding until I can figure out a desired turntable. I have added basic block signals and signal lights along with a few buildings. Once I’m satisfied with what I have, I’ll start working on scenery and the back drop. I’m running my trains regularly to look for track weaknesses…and address those before moving on.
Great room and layout.
Regards,
Herman from Belgium.
excellent
SUPER job on the bench and a great layout with just enough detail. Many time less is better especially when you have such a great layout. I’d rather focus on the trains.