[FlightRisk]

Hi all. I started in trains when my Uncle built a Lionel HO set in the late 1950s into the 60s. I still have the trains. A giraffe that ducks under a pole, a milk train that unloads the milk. A helicopter train, a log train, etc. It seems so advanced for that era. He spent months making the setup with all of the roads, grass, trees and a mountain tunnel. I played with it more than he did and he gave me the trains. But now I wanted to get into collecting and building something on a ceiling track. Maybe better to use 0 Scale. So glad to join you all!

 

[FlightRisk]

Lonely

I think I am the only new user to not get a single reply to my greeting message... <sniff>

 

[Tom_C]

Sorry FlightRisk. Must have slipped through. For a ceiling track do you mean like a shelf? Depending on the space you have it might be good to us HO, or On30 (narrow gauge O scale). I'd love the see your old stuff though, sounds fun.

 

[traction fan]

Welcome aboard!

Hi all. I started in trains when my Uncle built a Lionel HO set in the late 1950s into the 60s. I still have the trains. A giraffe that ducks under a pole, a milk train that unloads the milk. A helicopter train, a log train, etc. It seems so advanced for that era. He spent months making the setup with all of the roads, grass, trees and a mountain tunnel. I played with it more than he did and he gave me the trains. But now I wanted to get into collecting and building something on a ceiling track. Maybe better to use 0 Scale. So glad to join you all!

FlightRisk;

Welcome to the forum!

If you want to do a layout on a shelf suspended just below the ceiling, bigger is better, in terms of train scale. Many use G-scale, some others O-scale. The viewing angle, and distance, are such that smaller scales simply don't show up as well. Many such suspended layouts use clear plexiglass as the shelf. This helps people see the train better too.
There have been several threads on this forum, about building such suspended layouts, or ceiling layouts. Look in the "General Model Train Discussion" section. In the upper right corner is a box labeled "Search this thread." Type in "suspended layout" and hit enter on your keyboard. The search engine should find the posts for you. Repeat the procedure with "ceiling layout" as the subject. Some "Suspended Layouts" will be the type that is hoisted up near the ceiling of a garage for storage, and lowered to operate. You can try the same search technique on the G-scale and O-scale sections. You should find posts by people who have built the same type of layout that you have in mind.

Good luck, Have fun;

Traction Fan :smilie_daumenpos:

 

[FlightRisk]

suspended layout

Thanks to you both. I am researching and hope to come to a design decision. I had been thinking of a shelf and am glad you commented on visibility, I was wondering about that myself. The closer to the ceiling and smaller the room, the angle of view could be such that if you were seated, you wouldn't even see the train from some angles! I wanted 2 parallel tracks, but thought I might not be able to see the inside train at all from some angles.

My first idea was wood suspended by metal rods, but that now seems too much trouble. I will probably use a ledger board and brackets. The shelf will be about a foot from the ceiling and run in a large oval running through openings between my kitchen and the formal living room. The kitchen has a breakfast nook with a bay window, so that will be the focal point. But as it runs through the dividing wall with a large opening to the living room, there is nice seating there too and it is where we put the christmas tree every year.

 

[traction fan]

Avoid the kitchen

Thanks to you both. I am researching and hope to come to a design decision. I had been thinking of a shelf and am glad you commented on visibility, I was wondering about that myself. The closer to the ceiling and smaller the room, the angle of view could be such that if you were seated, you wouldn't even see the train from some angles! I wanted 2 parallel tracks, but thought I might not be able to see the inside train at all from some angles.

My first idea was wood suspended by metal rods, but that now seems too much trouble. I will probably use a ledger board and brackets. The shelf will be about a foot from the ceiling and run in a large oval running through openings between my kitchen and the formal living room. The kitchen has a breakfast nook with a bay window, so that will be the focal point. But as it runs through the dividing wall with a large opening to the living room, there is nice seating there too and it is where we put the christmas tree every year.

FlightRisk;

Unless you want to change your screen name from FlightRisk to FireRisk, I suggest you do not run your railroad through the kitchen. Poking holes through the kitchen walls, up near the ceiling, creates a perfect path for a kitchen fire to spread very quickly to the other rooms of your house. The kitchen is where most house fires start. The wood, or plexiglass shelf will burn, and the plexiglass will also generate large quantities of very toxic fumes! Your local fire codes may well forbid poking holes through kitchen walls too. christmas trees are another common "point of origin' for house fires. Having holes high in the walls means a tree of fire could spread through the house equally rapidly. I strongly recommend keeping your railroad out of the kitchen, and setting up the christmas tree away across the living room from the tree. Also check your wall-piercing plan with the real experts, your local fire department. They can advise you on any fire hazards involved. Please be safe, not homeless, or dead.

Even if, (as we all hope), you never have a fire, the normal kitchen cooking grease, and dust will rise up and get on your track. This will quickly be spread along the rails until your train won't run, because it can't get power from the rails. That will mean getting up there and cleaning the track, which will get very old, very fast. I don't know your age, but the older you get the less fun climbing up on something to clean the track will become. I do assume you are a bachelor, since you speak freely about cutting holes through the walls. As a long-married man, I know that wives tend to frown severely on such behavior!

Have safe fun;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:

 

[traction fan]

Avoid the kitchen

Thanks to you both. I am researching and hope to come to a design decision. I had been thinking of a shelf and am glad you commented on visibility, I was wondering about that myself. The closer to the ceiling and smaller the room, the angle of view could be such that if you were seated, you wouldn't even see the train from some angles! I wanted 2 parallel tracks, but thought I might not be able to see the inside train at all from some angles.

My first idea was wood suspended by metal rods, but that now seems too much trouble. I will probably use a ledger board and brackets. The shelf will be about a foot from the ceiling and run in a large oval running through openings between my kitchen and the formal living room. The kitchen has a breakfast nook with a bay window, so that will be the focal point. But as it runs through the dividing wall with a large opening to the living room, there is nice seating there too and it is where we put the christmas tree every year.

FlightRisk;

Unless you want to change your screen name from FlightRisk to FireRisk, I suggest you do not run your railroad through the kitchen. Poking holes through the kitchen walls, up near the ceiling, creates a perfect path for a kitchen fire to spread very quickly to the other rooms of your house. The kitchen is where most house fires start. The wood, or plexiglass shelf will burn, and the plexiglass will also generate large quantities of very toxic fumes! I don't know what "ledger board is, but I'm guessing it's some form of cardboard, which also burns, and lights off at a lower temperature too. Your local fire codes may well forbid poking holes through kitchen walls. Christmas trees are another common "point of origin' for house fires. Having holes high in the walls means a tree of fire could spread through the house equally rapidly. I strongly recommend keeping your railroad out of the kitchen, and setting up the christmas tree away across the living room from the railroad. I also suggest you check your wall-piercing plan with the real experts, your local fire department. They can advise you on any fire hazards involved. Please be safe, not homeless, or dead.

Even if, (as we all hope), you never have a fire, the normal kitchen cooking grease, and dust will rise up and get on your track. This will quickly be spread along the rails until your train won't run, because it can't get power from the rails. That will mean getting up there, and cleaning the track, which will get very old, very fast. I don't know your age, but the older you get the less fun climbing up on something to clean the track will become. I do assume you are a bachelor, since you speak freely about cutting holes through the walls. As a long-married man, I know that wives tend to frown severely on such behavior!

Have safe fun;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos: