I do not know much about sound supression but I am thinking that acoustic ceiling tiles uner the roadbed and maybe against the wall would absorb just about all of the sound.
Woodland Scenics markets foam roadbed that comes in rolls. It's pretty easy to work with and it does a good job with sound deadening.
It's just for display so I will be looking at a couple of short trains with a variety of rolling stock; a boxcar, flatcar, tank car, hopper, caboose, etc. As far as your second question, I defer to your father who has it figured out correctly.
Charlie, Based on the proximity of the track to where the wall meets the ceiling, I would think you will need more sound absorbtion then foam roadbed will provide. You might want to test the sound levels before you permanently set the track.
I had a layout in the roof space several years ago, where I used foam track bed made by Peco to fit their track I used. Allowed the track to float quite well and certainly deadened the sound a lot. But I was running quite long trains and fairly fast at times. Whereas your trains will be shorter and no doubt slower so should not generate excessive noise. Only problem with foam underlay is that it does deteriorate in time and becomes crumbly dust!
That's one aspect I haven't considered - or had to deal with anyway, as all the foam underlay I have used has been sealed/ballasted over.
These measurements are not right because I am just experimenting with AnyRail but I am learning the software. Once I get the measurements right, it should look about like this I guess. Charlie
Would you also want a crossover between the two loops, so trains could be shifted from one track to the other?
I would not get too complex with this type of layout, I would want to keep wiring and switch controls to be as simple as possible. Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk 2
One common wire to the two tracks and one feed per track, two controllers. Simple Sent from my Samsung Galaxy II using Tapatalk 2
I hate to rain on your parade but whatever sort of shelf you put up there it will need to be about 6" wide minimum and also in order to be continuous around the room, above door height. Even if you were to be standing all the time, what you would see of the trains, especially the ones nearest the walls would be dissapointing if not neglible. For a start the baseboard will need to be above the top of the door. Track height will be whatever thickness your base/sub bed is. You need to try a piece of board etc at that height with a couple of wagons on top to actually see if this is a practical idea from a visual satisfaction viewpoint.
As has been suggested previously, the outer track could be at a higher level than the inner track, giving better visibility. I see no problem in that. Should be a fun addition to the room. Go for it Charlie.
As I said earlier, this room will be a small den. Right now, it is a bedroom but it will be changed into a den. The ceilings in our house are low as our house is really a lakefront cabin type of house. All of the walls and ceilings are cedar. We have no sheetrock type walls and ceilings. When this room is converted into a den, depending on where a person is seated, they will have good visibility of a certain part of the "layout." Other times, you would not see the train(s) at all as they would be above or behind where you were. It's intended solely as a novelty for the room, not as a model train layout. I am going to build my N Scale layout in the basement in the future and that's where I will be serious about what I am doing. This is just to add ambience to the den. Charlie
If it were me, I'd do these things: Add a pair of crossovers on the left and right sides of the layout. Then, add another passing siding on the opposite (bottom) side of the layout. OR... In lieu of the above, add a second passing siding to the existing one to make it a "mini-staging yard", not so much for staging but to store more trains, in case you pick up more goodies on a whim someday. I think the chances may be pretty high! Regardless of whether or not you did anything recommended so far, I'd still do one thing: Move the switches for the passing siding all the way out to the curves. This will smooth the transition from the curves into the passing siding.
Yes, I am already getting myself in trouble. I will play with that when I get a chance. I may not get to tonight but soon, and I will post another track plan for review. Thanks David. Charlie
Personally I think this is getting away from the original concept of just running trains around the room. I would forget about switches, unless you particularly need that siding loop. Treat them as running tracks, not as a layout. Save that for your N scale empire Sent from my Samsung Galaxy II using Tapatalk 2
Well, a simple pair of switches is hardly complexity. It would allow the movement of a train from one loop, to the other. This gives opportunity for variety- And after a while of watching the same train, looping, looping, looping, looping, desire to alter the scene will come into mind. But I suppose one can stand on their toes or a step stool, and go through that manual task of moving a car at a time, when the decision to change has been made. And it will happen...
