Room Lighting

When designing the room for the layout, lighting had to be considered.  All along the aisles of the layout, there are dimable LED lights installed in the ceiling.

These allow for adequate lighting when working on the layout, as well as to provide additional light to light the asiles.  They can be adjusted as needed and turned off completely when the layout lighting is on.

Upper Level Layout Tour: Strong to Bigelow

This video features engine #24 running the entire 364 feet of upper level of the layout.  The footage was captured using a Go Pro sitting on top of the cab.

Layout Tour: Elevator Ride

This video shows #24 with freight train backing out of the siding at Strong and headed up to Bigelow.

The elevator transfers trains the 24" between the lower and upper levels and will hold up to a 12 car train.  

The track is protected by several photo cells that will keep the elevator from moving if any rolling stock is not clear of the transition zone.

Lower Level Layout Tour: Farmington to Rangeley

This video features engine #10 running the entire 463 feet of lower level of the layout.  The footage was captured using a Go Pro sitting on top of the cab.

Layout Room

Here are some photos of the layout room.  Please ignore the clutter, some will be moved out of the layout room and some will go under the benchwork.

This is the separate "train room" door that leads upstairs to the layout.

Inside the door, the stairs leading up...

Stairs coming up from entry, located in middle of layout room.

Layout room looking North before starting on room finishes.

Another early view looking North.  By using roof trusses no support columns were needed.

Early view from middle of room looking South

After room finished, standing at Farmington looking North.  Blue tape on floor defines benchwork edges.

Looking North, headed towards Strong at the end of the room.  Here can see the interior walls I built to define the space.  Walls only go 7 feet high to allow air circulation space above.

A view of the early mockup for the level heights.  The top level is there to hold the layout lights illuminating the upper level.  Windows will be blocked off behind backdrop.

Interior shot of future home for Phillips

Shot of interior section of layout.  Good shot of overhead LED lights over aisles.  They dim for operating sessions.

View looking South headed for Rangeley on the lower level and Bigelow on the upper level.