Tips For Making Your Layout More Comfortable
Ergonomics deals with issues related to human comfort. In our zeal to get started on layout construction, it's all too easy to give room preparation less attention than it deserves, only to regret it later. Model railroads that are uncomfortable to run, work on, and clean slowly and subtly drain our enthusiasm.
-
Ceiling: If at all possible try to get a finished ceiling over the layout. If your basement has exposed rafters, just getting a suspended ceiling over the areas with the model railroad will greatly reduce the amount of dirt that falls from above. If you install a suspended ceiling, consider using 'clean' tiles as opposed to the more common pulp fiber variety.
-
Lighting: I can't emphasize this enough. The layout should be bathed in enough light that you don't have to squint to see the layout details. Don't put this off as installing lighting after the layout is in place makes the job more difficult.
-
Layout Height: The most comfortable layout height is somewhere between belly button and armpit level. Lower heights result in a lot of bending over and unrealistic viewing angles. Eye level layouts, while fine for viewing passing trains, are difficult to work on during the construction phase.
-
Reaching Distances: All track should be within reaching distance when standing at the front of the layout. You should be ably to comfortably re-rail cars, clean track, and work on the layout without standing on a ladder or your tip toes. For most people this means no track should be further than 24" to 27" from the fascia.
-
Aisles: Make sure your aisle widths take into account how many people will be operating on the layout. For a solo operator 30 inch wide aisles are fine. If you will have multiple operators strive for 42 inches or more. Narrower pinch points are fine as long as they open up to wider aisles beyond.
-
Car Storage: Having too many cars on the layout reduces the fun of running trains. The cause of this congestion is an inadequate or inconvenient rolling stock storage system. A well designed storage system (shelves or drawers) is typically beneath or beside the layout and set up in such a way that it is quick and easy to grab cars and cycle them on and off the layout. Rummaging through hundreds of neatly stacked freight car boxes on a shelf trying to find the right one is not convenient!
-
Access: A single duck under to enter the layout room pays for itself many times over in terms of an improved design. More than one duck under gets old very quickly.
-
Presentation: A clean and neatly presented layout impacts how you and others feel about it. Paint your table legs semi-gloss black or conceal the legs with black skirting. Take care to neatly and cleanly install your fascia and paint it a dark Pullman green.
-
Outlets: If you have the option, try to have one switched electrical outlet that powers off with the room lights. This allows you to know that your layout power and perhaps soldering iron are off when you leave the room.
-
Tunnel Length: If your design calls for tunnels, strive for several shorter tunnels as opposed to one long one. Cleaning rail or reaching a de-railed car four feet inside a tunnel is challenging!
-
Staging Access: Every effort should be made to have your staging yards open as opposed to hidden.