I drew up the suggested changes real quick. I gave an additional 2' to the crew lounge, and the other 2'4 to the storage closet. The dispatcher desk does still fit in where I had originally planned for it. My only other concern with this configuration is not only does this put an exterior directly in the layout room, but it's also a north facing door. Anyone have experience/advice with an exterior door this close to the layout?
The dispatcher would not have to sit in the layout space as long as the crews can contact him either via radio or phone. He could sit at the work desk in the crew lounge. He would also serve as a crew caller. You also could consider a pocket door into the layout space.
Not a bad idea. I guess if the desk is on wheels, it could be moved to which ever location works the best. I had briefly thought about a pocket door there, but the framing of a pocket door would cause issues with the bench work since it eliminates the wall studs in that location. I'll have to think about framing design to see if I could accommodate that.On the other hand, I don't necessarily need a door there at all.
Hey Ethan, I am thinking about the main door size. Would you want a double door at the entry to move in materials and perhaps larger tools during construction? -Bob T.
I had considered up sizing from a 36" door to a 42" door for the main entrance. I put a 42" door coming in from the garage for the main house and it's already paid off. Larger appliances and furniture can fit through without having to disassemble stuff and or the door. As for the layout building, I'm not sure a 42" door helps me very much with materials since standard plywood is 48" wide. Double doors (or French Doors) can be an issue with insulation, especially in the winter. I definitely wouldn't want one on the north wall of the building right next to the layout. I did just think of a modification. The entry door can be moved over to the hallway. I should have been able to come up with that Friday night, but I'm dealing with mashed potatoes for brains right now. I dropped a 1' by 8' rectangle in to test fit getting lumber in to the layout room. The 2 doorways do line up to get lumber in. I'll to continue to think about it.
Good Call Ethan, We did something similar with our big optics benches when we designed the new labs. We cut out paper versions to scale to see if they would make corners and ended up adding several double doors where needed. Those are like moving around a 4X10 sheet of plywood, but not easily turned on their side. You might consider the same experiment on paper with any workbenches that you will roll around. -Bob T.
Glad you mentioned that. I can "roll" stuff around in the floor planning software. I had originally drawn the workbench as 5' x 2'6. That wont make the turn in to the storage closet. 5' x 2' would be tight, but it should make it.
This is kind of a specific issue, but how should I finish the walls in the layout room? I'm thinking just mud and tape the sheet rock, smooth it out as much as possible, then just primer and leave it at that for back drop. The untextured portions of the house actually look really good. I think I could get by without covering it with something else.
The time has come. I need to submit plans to my builders next week so they can start making their preparations for the building. This weekend will be the final couple of days that I have open for floor plan feedback. I think I like moving the door around to the vertical hallway the best. I finally added on a piece to show that I'll have a small covered landing for the outside of door. Other than that, I made the decision to remove some of the windows. I need to think/talk it some more before making a final decision on the window situation. As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Ethan, Strongly recommend eliminating the windows in the layout space. Instead, immerse folks in the railroad, its scenes, equipment and operations. Museum galleries, movie theatres, performing arts centers, indoor sporting venues and other spaces do not have windows. Ever noticed how courtrooms, air traffic control, railroad dispatching centers, shopping malls, big box stores, many manufacturing facilities do not have or very selectively place windows? They focus folk's attention on the event at hand, not looking at what is happening outside. Think about visitors, are they attending an operating event so they can participate or touring a layout to view the railroad, or do they come to look at what is happening outside? If folks must "see" outside, they can go to the crew lounge, step outside or, as suggested, video record anything worth viewing for playback later. Further, note how few, if any, published images of model railroads in magazines or online have a window in the scene. Also, check out the galleries of available track plans and think about your favorite published or visited model railroads. How many have windows in the layout space? As has been noted, windows are a distraction, unneeded expense, ruin the visual impact of the railroad scenery and backdrops, limit layout model building design and placement, restrict track placement, fade paint and scenery materials, etc. They also greatly limit photographic views and opportunities of the railroad. If you want to spend money on a window add one to the restroom. Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
As always, I greatly appreciate your input. You have very valid concerns with the windows in the layout, and those concerns have made me think about the issue off and on since this thread was first started. I did finally decide to cut back the total number of windows, but in the end this layout space is for me, and I HAVE to have those south windows. I'm not really sure how to best explain this, but being somewhere that I can hear the trains, but can't see them just drives me absolutely crazy. I don't want to derail the thread with my whole backstory that goes into that, but I know that if I build a layout where I can hear trains outside rumble past, but cant see them, I will regret it. It will bug me to the point where I will hate my layout space, and I can't let that happen. Like I've said previously, I plan on installing blackout roller shades on all the layout windows. This solves the UV light issue, and if the windows turn in to an issue for operating sessions, I can always leave the blinds closed when I have guests over. Additionally, I plan on making temporary backdrops that can be put up in the window gaps for taking photos, they could also be put up when I have guests over.
Ethan, I have two more recommendations after looking at your most recent rendering: 1) Make the exterior door swing outward to the right. That way the door seals on the threshold to the outside and against the door stops on the outside and will repel water better. Also by swinging to the right, you will still have straight-line access into the layout space from outside. 2) Make the stoop wider; maybe a foot both sides and have the overhang match. I do echo Mark's comments re: windows in the layout space. Save yourself the money in purchase costs, installation costs, maintenance costs and a lifetime of added heating/cooling costs due to energy transfer through those windows. It will add up.
Those are good ideas. I'll draw them up later tonight. I'm also thinking of upsizing to a 42" door for the entrance. I put one that size on the main house, it's gonna be pretty handy. I'm going to stand by what I said previously. I do value your guys input on these things, but I know I will regret not having windows.
Oh, I forgot to add while I was thinking about details; make certain that the concrete finish workers make that stoop drain away to one side or other of the entry by providing a proper slope to the finished surface.
Good catch I'll Double check that they do that, but they did slope all of my concrete work on the main house. Even the garage floor is sloped so wet cars always drain out.
I updated the plans to reflect the bigger door and bigger landing. I need to talk to my builders on the swing of the door and see what they think. We put an out swing door in one doorway on the house and still had some water issues with it.
I guess I didn't specify previously. Yes, the landing will include a portico over it to help with the elements.
I turned in designs to my builders today. We have about 4 weeks until we break ground on the building, so I've still got time for small tweaks, but the plan is settled for the most part. In the mean time, I'm working through track plan revisions again. After this round of revisions, I plan to go through a section at a time and outline how operations will work. I'm hoping that will open up discussion more on the layout plans so I can have that all lined out by the time the building is done. In the mean time, I've been thinking a bit about what to call my layout. Originally, I just slapped on the term "Northern Division" because that's all my plan included. I just stuck with it in my file names to identify which general concept I was working with. The plan I'm on now features major elements from the Northern, Eastern and Western Divisions. It's really just representative of the major main lines of the Frisco. Maybe I could just call it The Frisco System?
Ethan, This is going to be a great build! Thanks for showing me around this week....hopefully I'll make it by to see progress soon (and maybe help out). Not sure about a name... Ethan Lawrence's Frisco System sounds like a future magazine article title! -Bob T.
