Mistake #1- 36" deep around the walls. Mistake #2- It feels like it is a lot more than 36" when one gets to a corner, no matter how rounded it might have gone up. Arm length is 33" Waist is 42" Non nimble body is 65. Even with standing on a box and reaching over, it ain't a happy feeling. Plan ahead and read Trainboard prior threads on this matter BEFORE going forward (or over or through).
Another reason I dont advocate layouts at 48-56 inches high. Mine is at 36 inches off the floor. My non-nimble old body say its more comfy leaning over then it is climbing UP ! JMO...YMMV
All the above duly noted and agreed with. One of the reasons I chose to try and stay with 30 inch width and the lower layout heigths. Even there though I have at least two areas, even with the branchline staying off the back wall by 3 to 6 inches, that are straining the 36 inches. But the nice thing about putting all on graph paper to scale is I get to see what I have before I commit to benchwork. Have already redesigned two areas and I can look at the trackwork and see further areas where I can tighten up the spacing especially in my Lyle yard area. And I am in absolutely no hurry to get the design done. One of the things I have done is to measure off 36 inches from the wall, place an obstacle like a chair back at that point out and try reaching toward the wall just to see where I can reach and how comfortable I am doing it. You could say I am designing a layout for a Old Geezer, which I am rapidly getting there, and I am doing same. The ovals at the end of my layout are at or slightly over 36 inches. But there I have at least 180 degree access which negates that issue. The corners continue to be my problem areas but there will be no crawl under the layout pop-up hatches. Those are not Geezer friendly. That why I have plenty of erasers and graph paper. And depending on the verdict from the eye specialist in a little more than two weeks I could end up redesigning to another scale in the same space and maybe eliminating some stuff but still trying for that 30 inches width or gasp even less.
My 2 levels are 56 inches and 66 inches, I am 74 inches tall and 35 inches around - at least that is what my pants say. However, my shelves are 12 inches deep lower level, 10 inches deep upper level and the South Lima yards are a triangular depth fro 12 inches to 24 inches. All o the layout is running but fastened temporarily with straight pins (sewing kind) on 2 inch foam. It has been great for me to test out concepts while being able to run trains on the lifetime project
Wait a minute! I am confused. Is somebody here talking about a shelf layout @ 36" deep? ?QUE? I think you should reconsider. That is awful deep - even if the thing sits on the ground! 30"? Well, as long as you are modeling flat country. Anything vertical will get hit and maybe broken.
Going back to when I first got started the model railroad wig wags of the time stated, "No further then you can reach and table height at belt height". I went and built a crawl hole so I could pop up in the middle of the layout to fix, re-rail, install or whatever is needed... as access to the "hard to get to" areas of the layout. No one told me I was going to put on additional pounds and now I have to squeeze up and through it. Never mind my joints complain evertime I exercise or bend them. Grin! Just some fodder for discussion.
Little did I know that my own 'rotundness' would be a handicap even when enjoying a non-contact activity such as model railroading! I've been aware of the hazards involved in making a layout too deep... after all... my arms are only about 27" long (armpit to fingertip). I'm only 5-10" tall and way too wide for my height . I knew that the maximum depth to 'reach' something at the back of the layout was at best 24"... and that would have to be reduced in the curves... they tend to cause a slightly greater reach depth. I had NOT considered the height of the layout as an added obstacle... my layout's base height is 54" with a max elevation of 62". The majority of my 'shelf' area is only 16" deep but the height from 54"-62" effectively reduces my reach. Knowing how this affects my ability to reach over the layout would have call for a lowered layout to about 48" base to 56" max height. Of course if I could just grow another 12" and increase my reach by 6" I'll be okay .
Mr. Moore: "...And depending on the verdict from the eye specialist in a little more than two weeks I could end up redesigning to another scale...." Say it ain't so !!!! Losing you to the HO forum will be wrong on so many levels.
I have seen some beautiful HO layouts done which had deep benchwork. It was pretty much a necessity in HO or larger scales in order to turn trains with 20+ inch radii. Having to crawl up (onto) the layout to re-rail or work on scenery is enough to make one reconsider the scale to model in. As Rick mentioned, a pop-up access can be used but still is not an easy adaptation... I wouldn't fit through most comfortably... and probably would destroy scenery anyway.
What's wrong with having bench work at 27" off the floor and 42" for the upper deck? I can set in my chair and reach everything, the grand-kids love it, and I don't have to stand up all the time. I bought an office chair that has wheels so I can "roll" along with my trains.It sure makes it easy to reach all the areas up aganist the walls and even the corners are not that hard to reach . I just stand up. think about it. Kids love it. No more pain between the shoulders or sore legs.
I am 6'3" and ahem, large. I am just not really duck-under compliant, but I do have a long reach which is not taxed by a 24" reach at all. I don't like to have much that I have to reach beyond that just because it's a pain.
HOn30 will probably be where I go if forced by the ravages of Nature and Time. Still be able to use my N scale track and some of my mechanisms plus the same track plan with the track spacing re-adjusted for larger structures and wider locos. Now back to the regularly scheduled program. Folks take your tape measure into the kitchen and you will find that your counter from wall to front is about 26 inches. Back up about four inches to thirty inches and reach to the back of the counter. Its a comfortable reach with just a slight bit of lean in. Heigth is a nice level to work at on it. Probably the reason the most counters in kitchens are designed to these dimensions. Comfort. So my mainline level is basically going to be a model of this. The upper level branch is from 3 to 6 inches out from the wall that puts me with a 24 to 27 inch reach to the back track which will be right about level with my arm held out straight. Nice height for the Grands, the Missus, and I can set in my chair and just watch trains run if so inclined. Did some redesign work on the Lyle area and the corners and have worked in mainline curves of 17 and 18 inches and on both corners I now have the branchline track within 30 inches so I can charge onward.
I think a maximum depth of 24" is a good rule to design a layout by. Pop-ups? Might as well call them "Back-outs", because that's what's going to happen to your back when you try to use them.
I'm working with 30" HCDs, so the depth is set. But with the height at 49", that 30" is a MAXIMUM reach. During construction I have access to both sides of the tables, but they're designed to be pushed up against a wall eventually. I can't imagine trying to lay track at more than a 24" reach. 18" would be even better. Jim
On about the 6th revision of the layout plans I think I finally have what I want. Reach to the branchline track in red in the corners is 30 inches or under. Kept the mainline curvature to 17 to 19 inches shown in green. Used actual structure dimensions in the plan for structures I have on hand. The wye at the east end on the branch will handle my largest loco to be used on the branch but the option is open for a 60 foot wood turntable I built some time back. The tender type locos will be the only ones turned. Most of the switches are short radius switches except for the mainline crossovers since the 4-8-4s and larger will not tread on that trackage only 2-8-0 or smaller. And aisle width is 7 feet deciding to go with a roll out workbench from under the layout. Heigth separation between the lower level and the branch is at least 2 foot and not less than 1.5 feet. The climbing run of the branch will be 12 feet to gain a 1.5 foot elevation. Lower level main will stay at kitchen counter heigth and there will be no grades on it. The open area at the left or west side will stay that way for now. Originally going to be the 2nd sawmill but I will rethink that later based on what structures and kits I have. Mainline run has stayed the same at close to 56 to 57 feet of continous mainline run. Depending on the room door location a short spur may run on a narrow ledge shown on the right to accomodate some of the mine ore cars. Unfortunately my home scanner only accomodates a section of the layout plan at a time so until I finally finish and get it sized down there will be just bits and pieces
