I've been mulling this one over for a bit, but I'm not sure I have a satisfactory plan yet. Perhaps you can help! There is only one exit from the basement, the staircase. In case of emergency, it's always been assumed that we'd exit through a particular pair of windows - windows which happen to be 4" above the track level of my upper deck. Now, I've actually made these more accessible because the lower deck has a lake and the upper deck has a floodplain, creating a sort of staircase on the way up, but I want to make sure this works aesthetically! I need a backdrop that's easily removable in case of emergency. My idea is that you can lift it up and then pull it out, but it needs to not be obvious when you're looking at it. So far, the only good idea I've had is to have a lip on the bottom that it slides into. How should I secure the top so that it's flush with the rest of the backdrop? The window isn't very large, so I can't build very much inside of it at all without impeding egress. Thoughts?
Just thinking out loud here but ... If it's an emergancy exit, wouldn't you want it to be somewhat obvious? I mean, if you should ever (God forbid) need to get out in a hurry, the last thing you want is to have to search for the exit. Right?
I have a bit different situation but you might adapt something I used for your needs. I have built my layout at 5 foot elevation, partly because that was how I wanted to look at it, and partly so it would be high enough to be an easy duck under when the rollaway bridge section was in place for operation. One other consideration for the height was that the layout would go just OVER the lower pane of my room windows, so that they could be opened for ventilation and possibly for emergency egress. I installed a background around the room on 16 inch high pieces of styrene, with removable pieces over the windows. The background did not cover the top of the windows, and I discovered especially when taking pictures that the daylight from the outside created a glare. So I wanted removable pieces to go over the three windows in the room. They are NOT the same height as the rest of the background and obviously. My brother, a sheet metal fabricator, made me some special hangers for the window cover BGs, to fit over the top of the window molding. He made them for me as a Christmas present, and I have had a ball playing with them and going forward on the layout.
Hi, you are thinking on the right way because safety is in our hand and one small mistake can create a big problem. So make your windows size large that will be good for you in emergency cases.
Many areas require an egress window in confined spaces like basements. It's much bigger than most basement windows and has a well outside with stairs to exit quickly and the area in front of it can't be blocked. If your area does and you get inspected you will be required to install one. Just something for thought.
In most single family residential basements, one legitimate egress from a basement is legal. I am a contractor who gets basements inspected all the time. I have an inspection scheduled for a basement on Monday actually! The assumption is: if a permit was pulled to build the house, then it was inspected and was code then to have one set of stairs as an egress. "Most" things in existing buildings are grandfathered in if codes have become more stringent since construction. Having a window blocked with a train table (to an inspector) would be no different than having a decorative buffet server in front of your living room window. Now there are two caveats to saying this: 1) not only will codes be different state by state....but how the town officials interpret the codes and/or enforce them will vary greatly. I have been told that I "had" to do something in one town, then 6 months later asked about it in another town and that inspector thought that the first one was nuts! 2) even if code does not require a second egress, preparing for the worst and hoping for the best is a policy that I live by every day. So....to that course of action....a few of ideas on securing a backdrop that is easily removable. Thin plywood (luan) with french cleats secured to the back and the wall on either side of the window. This would be about 1/2 an inch thick. It also requires a bit of strength since there will be a reach over the train table to lift it. Foam board with industrial velcro on either side of the window. This would be 1-2 inches thick depending on foam board. Realistically probably the best option since, in the event of an emergency, the last thing you would be worried about is a backdrop getting broken. 3/4" plywood with 2X4 cleats screwed into the back of it. Hinges (Heavy duty) at the bottom and magnetic latches at the back of the top. In the event of emergency, pulling that down would also act as a ladder to get to the window. This would take a bit of engineering to secure the hinges in the right place such that the plywood functions properly as a ramp up to and over the train table. This would be 2.25" thick. The biggest question to you is how you plan on making this egress visible in low light/smoke situations? The idea with modeling is to disguise things and make them look real. The idea with emergency exits is to have them very visible when people can't see or are panicking. Both ideas are very contrary to each other. The funny visions that I have is of a beautiful mountain scene with an exit sign in the clouds! LOL I know, a power failure light angled towards the window exit mounted up in the ceiling. They sell lights (quite industrial looking) which have batteries inside the base of the light. They are hardwired into the house 110. When they loose power, the battery turns the light on, illuminating the window egress. Just trying to throw some ideas out there. Stew
