Layout height

[Brakie]

I'm 5'7" and I like my switching layout neck level when seated-that's 38" from the floor..This gives a up close view and gives the layout "distance" when looking down the track..

[DKS]

Sometime in the early 90s I had a layout that was suspended from the ceiling. The room was 10 x 11, and the layout was 9 feet in diameter--yes, it was round--with an opening in the center. The layout was perfectly counterbalanced so that it would remain at whatever height I set it. Unfortunately, from a technical standpoint I'd painted myself into a corner, and I had to abandon it. But I always liked the concept, and today I would have no trouble overcoming the issues I'd faced back then. It was capable of being set to any height from 30" to 80", so I could have eye-level views while sitting in a chair, or give a visitor of any height the perfect view. And since you stood in an opening in the center, you had a 360-degree panoramic view, with no corners. There's a little more information on this crazy contraption here: http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/chapter_5.htm

Incidentally, it was replaced by a conventional L-shaped shelf layout with 57-60" track height (and I'm 6 feet even). The height made it convenient to locate my workshop under the layout.

[Ken G Price]

Mine is the perfect height of 48 inches. I can stand and see every thing or I can sit on a stool. Which I almost never do as all switches are Caboose Ground Throws.The fun is moving with the engine as it moves about the layout.

[robert3985]

When I was developing my own, new modular N-scale layout standards, time came to make the integral folding legs, so my son and I messed around with a module whose railhead to floor height was 46".  After we'd shimmed it a few times to get the "feel" of different height, as well as put cars on the track, looked at the super-detailed ones and uncoupled them with a pick, we decided that 52" was the "perfect" height for us.

I am 6' even, and he is 5' 10"...it seemed to be the best for both of us.

So, I raised all eight of my modules to that height, and the first scenicked one I did and got set up was a total revelation to me.  The viewing angle was MUCH better than the previous 46" height, and I didn't have to use my Optivisors to put cars on the track!  Actually, when I got 'em all raised and buckled together, it almost seemed like a new layout.

The added height made some of my trackwork's flaws more evident (which I have since fixed), and it made working on some of the deep modules more difficult from the top, and made working on them all much easier from the bottom.  I have a step-stool which takes care of the new difficulty of working on my deep modules, and I sit on it when working on wiring and Tortoises underneath.

Nice thing too is the 14" tall skyboards are now at 66" and make backdrops much easier to do and much better looking since they really are at eyeball height now.

52" railhead to floor height for a single-decked layout is ideal for me!

Cheers!
Bob Gilmore

[Flatrat]

Thanks for all the input. I've laid some things out on the floor to determine reach to the corners since I will not have access from anywhere but the front. I think if I pinch the 4x8 down to about 2 feet right in the middle, kind of like a deep 'V' cut in the center of the layout, that I will be able to access the areas I want to reach. It will kind of be a pinched, rounded v shape layout but I think still give me the reasonably large radius track curves I would like.
Still working on how high that will work out. At least 32" off the floor maybe as high as 38" will still allow me to bend at waist height and reach back to the corners comfortably. The track won't be all the way in the back corners as I plan larger radiuses in the back.

[Flatrat]

Hooray for 4x8 foam sheets!

I scrounged around for storage boxes that were several different heights and set the 3/4" foam 4x8 [actually 4' x 7',11"] on top of it and tried to reach the back wall and corners. At 34" high I found I could comfortably reach 3' to the back wall.
I then cut a 1' x 2' rectangle from the front center. Still too far of a reach to where I wanted to be in the corners. I took six more inches off of each side and put the foam back in place and voila'.
This will now be the template for my subframe and 1/4" underlayment bench that the foam will sit on top of.
Gives me a 3' deep center section with 2.5' x 4' deep sides to work with that I can bend at the waist comfortably and reach almost to the very back corners.
Experimenting with the foam board made the layout planning easy and only took about 30 minutes of cutting and repositioning to get the feel of the final product. I may lower it an inch to compensate for the thickness of the foam scenery I plan to build up. The layout is modelling a rolling foothills area of Maryland so no mountains or extreme elevation changes.

http://s1065.photobucket.com/albums/u395/flatrat1962/WM%20N%20scale%20project/

[randgust]

Looking at what you've got there in the photo, I'd make one more suggestion.  Don't mount it to the wall; make it freestanding on end legs, with X-braces, and put casters on it.   If you could pull it out from the wall pocket when necessary, you could get in behind it for construction and maintenance.   

You don't need much for legs or framing, 1x2's will do nicely on light construction if sufficiently braced.   Usually its more of a problem finding quality 1x2's, and when you find yourself ripping your own out of better lumber, then adjust it up to 1x3 and you're good.

[Flatrat]

Thanks Randy. Still mulling over mounting it to the wall or modules or being able to slide it out from the wall in some fashion but I think I solved my original quandry of layout height. I appreciate all the good suggestions and advice.

Scott