Model Railroading > New house...large basement...now what?

Closed on a new house last week and have started moving in. Going from 1100sf 3 bedroom to 2200sf 5 bedroom with full unfinished basement. So now every time I go downstairs my mind starts thinkintg of all the possibilities.
I would like to hear some ideas that I can start to incorporate into a plan for the future. Just dreaming here so anything goes given the following details:
I would want a loop for continuous operation. HO scale.
The space is a rectangle (roughly 70'x30') with stairs/furnace/water heater in center. The space will also be used for storage and kids play area. Kids ages are 11, 6, and 18months so there will be children in the house for a long time to come.

Thanks
Derek

Posted from iPhone

Derek,
I assume the basement has stud walls. Take the larger or 2 largest room for your train room. Make another room your work shop/ lounge area.
Take the rest for household storage and HVAC equipment.
On your layout plan make sure all area are within arms link. Make sure you can reach any loops from both sides.

Hope this helps.

Paul B
Canton, GA

All depends how much money you have to spend.  Remember you can always add on.

Move the TV to the basement.  Build the layout in the living room where it will be more accesible.  Let me know how that works out!
Seriously, having never owned a home with a basement (always lived in the West) does the basement count in the square footage calculation?

Norm

Norman Orfall
Helendale, CA
TIOGA PASS, a private railcar

All concrete walls


Only counts in square footage if it is finished i.e. drywall and carpet
So basically I have 2200sf of living space on main floor and 2200sf of unfinished basement. Right now it is a bike and scooter race track for the kids.

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/16 13:34 by howeld.

Make the fifth bd the kid's playroom and keep the WHOLE basement for the trains.  ;)

Be sure to not overdo it in the basement - those kids will demand a lot if not most and frequently all of your leftover available time and attention, be sure to keep the layout manageable. I know firsthand that you can't buy that new model because infant formula, and later clothes and sports are so darn expensive. And it's hard to find the time to put those handrails on or glue that structure when the kids want to go to Chuck E. Cheese's. Gotta be a Daddy first, so try to keep the layout simple, and especially have fun twiddling your thumbs in all the assemblies at school for one thing or another that the parents are expected to attend and stay at the entire duration! === === = === JLH

Some thoughts:

1.  36" minimum radius

2.  Code 83 nickle silver track.  I used code 70 as code 83 was not available when I built my layout.

3.  DCC with block sections.  Use the system your friends use so you can help each other.  The block sections make troubleshooting so much easier.

4.  Lots of electrical outlets around the walls.  

5.  I like a single level with no helix.  

6.  Somewhere a double ended yard that can be your main staging.  

7.  Test as you go!

8.  Start simple.  Consider laying your main line first and then add yards and industries as you have time and can afford them.  This way you'll have trains running to keep your interest up!

9.  One or two master on-off wall switches to kill all power to the layout.  I have to light switches that kill all power to the wall outlets in my train room.

10.  Attend all the open houses you can make.  You'll get ideas and learn from even terrible layouts.

11.  Don't try to buy everything at once.  Try to match your purchases with what you can actually use at that time.  Mind, I don't follow this rule!

12.  Pay close attention to your trackwork.  Do the very best job you can to lay good track.  There is no substitute

13.  Layouts are in many ways like boats.  How big a boat (layout) can you afford and maintain?

14.  Manual switche machines save money!

Good luck and have fun!

Steve Barkley, MMR

. 
 

Lots of good suggestions, but one thing you need to do is take your time and plan out your layout.  Look at youtube see other layouts visit open houses get your plan and build it strong and slow.  I have similar size basement I was so excited to get things rolling that I rushed the layout.  I had finished all the benchwork done a continous run double track main and finshshed a large classification yard.  Then my planning errors came into play too narrow of an isle lots of hidden track.  I tried to fix things but it got too painful to enjoy so down that layout came, took my time planned another and rebuilt.  Its a painful and costly experience to re do a 50x25 foot space.  Take your time and do it right the first time. 

Congratulations on the new layout space.

If you don't have a copy already, get your hands on Kalmbach's "Track Planning for Realistic Operation" by John Armstrong.  The early chapters about thinkng about how prototype railroad track designs, figuring out your "Givens and Druthers", understanding what kind of layout you want (and one that will hold your interest over time) and how to calculate what will fit into what space are terrific for determinig what your overall layout footprint will look like.  I don't know what version of the book is the current one - I got mine back in the 1980's.  But the concepts still hold true today.

Consider checking out the NMRA Layout Design SIG, which has a ton of info regarding what track plans work and common errors to avoid.

With the space you have, I'd really try to have the discipline to adhere to the idea of "more track, not more track COMPLEXITY".  Stretch towns out, but don't add any more tracks.   Just make them longer.  Not only will the layout look better, but every turnout you add will require it's pound of maintenance over the years.  Search for CNW's postings on TrainOrders for an outstanding example of this approach.  Here's his most recent congtribution from a few days ago, but use the Search function to find more photos of this well-executed layout.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,4167343

Go for a generous mainline minimum radius - 36" or more if you can swing it.   And make your aisles 50% wider than you think you'll need.  It just makes operating so much more comfortable.

And keep us posted on what you come up with.

Good Luck!

- Norm



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/16 16:18 by NCA1022.

My philosophy on your choice is a general statement:  Less is "more".

You have alot of space but, depending on what you like to do (switching v. open mainline running), I would take up most of the space if your choice is the latter but go smaller if the former is your preference.  Saves on wiring headaches when you have alot of blocks or points to wire.  Note that even if you are doing DCC, block wiring is still advisable as it will help you isolate shorts.

Rick

Yes, do a lot of studing, planning, looking at train shows for sizes and on line also. That is a nice big area but other things will need to go down there also so start small and you can also add on to it. Draw that up in your planning down the road and you can always add to it. upkpfan

What ever you decide to do " FINISH THE ROOM FIRST ",   it's Hell trying to finish a room round a layout.

Malcolm
New Zealand.

howeld Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> All concrete walls
>
>
> Only counts in square footage if it is finished
> i.e. drywall and carpet
> So basically I have 2200sf of living space on main
> floor and 2200sf of unfinished basement. Right now
> it is a bike and scooter race track for the kids.
>
>
> Posted from iPhone

In order for it to count, from a property tax perspective, it has to be finished, which includes flooring, paint and temperature controlled, i.e. HVAC system.

Dont forget to make room for a work shop.

FINISH THE CELING!

NSTopHat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> howeld Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > All concrete walls
> >
> >
> > Only counts in square footage if it is finished
> > i.e. drywall and carpet
> > So basically I have 2200sf of living space on
> main
> > floor and 2200sf of unfinished basement. Right
> now
> > it is a bike and scooter race track for the
> kids.
> >
> >
> > Posted from iPhone
>
> In order for it to count, from a property tax
> perspective, it has to be finished, which includes
> flooring, paint and temperature controlled, i.e.
> HVAC system.

Here in Georgia, I believe the portion of the basement, if any, above grade is valued more per square foot than the below grade portion. Sounds strange that part of a basement can be above grade, but that is what one gets with rolling land and daylight basements.

Jay 

In order to keep the most open space available for other uses. I will likely do some type of around the wall shelf layout. The wife (dream squasher) isn't too hot on the idea of going around the entire basement along the walls so I will have to do a couple of return loops at each end.

Posted from iPhone

Check the laws and interpretations in your area. If you finish a room and don't hang a door on it that square footage may not be taxed as finished space. Only build doors on bathrooms and a mother in law bedroom and save yourself a lot of money perhaps.

I am presently building one that is near to your available space - mine is 61' x 28' .... from my experience....

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING : Get all the supporting infrastructure done BEFORE you cut a single piece of wood....this includes:

1. A track plan - preferably in CAD....including the benchwork layout....decide on how you are going to support the trackwork...switch machines, etc...etc...and design the layout to be build-friendly...and think Life-Safety.... espacially escape routes....

2. Finish the room off....including walls and floors if needed...but ESPECIALLY CEILINGS,  ELECTRICAL and HVAC....make sure you have enough outlets.....make sure the layout electrical can all be shut down from outside the room...if possible.

3. Obtain the tools that you will need to do the benchwork -particularly power tools - table saw, radial arm saw, handheld power circular saw, and jig saw....work tables, sawhorses, and power drill and power screwdriver. If you plan on using a lot of glue in tubes, do yourself a huge favor and buy a poewered caulking gun...you hands will thank you .

4. Think LifeSafety ...Obtain and place fire extinguishers in the layout space before you start work.

Doing the due-diligence in preparation before starting work  is often the difference between success and failure....in any contruction work.  

And above all....enjoy the build :)

Bob