What do you think of mushrooms?

[sparky]

No, I'm not talking about peyote.  I mean for layout design.  I've been looking at some layouts with a mushroom design, and I'm intrigued.  I like the fact that you have a multi-level layout, but only one level is visible when operating.  Joe Fugate's Siskyou Line is a great example. http://siskiyou-railfan.net/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.26With my pending move to my new house, I stand to acquire some substantial real estate for my next layout.  The area is about 16' X 27' with  9 foot ceilings, so the raised floor in the center of the mushroom is no problem.  I will probably only use a little over half of the space for my layout to leave room for a work area and a small HO layout for my son.  I will also be able to have hidden storage and room for the helix.  I'm definitely leaning toward the mushroom, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on pros and cons.  Has anyone here ever operated on a mushroom?  I'm just in the information gathering mode right now, but hopefully soon I can post some room dimensions and pics of my space.

[wm3798]

I like it.  The problem I have generally with multi-level layouts (aside from the fact that my train room is in the attic, so I can't do one ) is the crowded viewing angles.  The mushroom solves that.  While the running length may not equal a full double deck layout, the visual effect is not compromised.

I just hope John doesn't see this, or he'll start ripping out benchwork again!

Lee

[up1950s]

I like them with onions on top of a steak .

[justTRAINcRaZy]

When I first saw Fugate's Mushroom, I was very interested. I had just started thinking about a new layout building and wanted to avoid any sort of duckunder or liftgate. The Mushroom gave me an idea for a long hallway with steps up into the middle. The hallway gave me somewhere to hang memorabilia, and still be able to use the overhead space.

KB

[cv_acr]

My train club's layout is a sort of super-mushroom/multilevel design over not 2 but _6_ decks with 3 walkway levels. The 3rd level is literally the second floor, above the heads of the first level.

http://www.wrmrc.ca/divmap.html

Each walkway will be having 2 decks, so it still looks like a multi deck layout, but by using all the vertical space available the layout will eventually have an extremely long mainline (estimated at a full 20 scale miles. In HO).

It'll be another ten years before we get it all in! Right now we are trying to get the mainline extended from Flanagan to Stinson (see the map) plus the helix tracks up to the second floor where the North Bay and Cartier staging yards will be built. A temporary connection is planned from the helix to the staging yard once this is done. The Nickel sub. from Sudbury to Creighton is also currently being built.

justTRAINcRaZy: Interesting design. That's a good way to avoid a duckunder if you've got the headroom above to raise the floor like that. You could build a fair bit of storage space under the raised floors.

[TrainCat2]

Too damn difficult to model in N.

Let's see if Tom or Chris can model a mushroom in Z.

[justTRAINcRaZy]

justTRAINcRaZy: Interesting design. That's a good way to avoid a duckunder if you've got the headroom above to raise the floor like that. You could build a fair bit of storage space under the raised floors.

Since I was starting the building from scratch, I tried to start thinking with no constraints. Little by little, I gave in. First, by following the outline of the barn. That limited the headspace. What I did keep was the no duckunder. To enter the room, you go down several stairs, walking underneath the mainlines that cross overhead, then back up into the room. The hallway is just much shorter.

The outside.


The inside several weeks ago.


This is the hallway. You can just see the stairs in the pit. The track will cross the middle about where the panel joints are, 48" off floor level, but 7' above the floor of the pit.


KB
Sorry, Didn't mean to hijack the thread.

[sparky]

Sorry, Didn't mean to hijack the thread.

No problem.  I like your design, and seeing it being built is cool.  You should start a thread so we can all follow along with your progress.

[yucan2]

definitely