Loft Layout Assets?

Vern

Trainz Maverick
Was wondering if we have any assets to simulate a model railway situated in a loft (attic)?

I've been looking at this lovely layout https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/yorkshire-dales-model-railway-oo-gauge and if you watch one of the several YT clips the owner has uploaded, e.g.


you can see how the route wanders through the rafters and beams with the inside of the sloped roof apparent too.

Anyhow I'm going to attempt building it, even though it's a simple plan (I might add an off stage fiddle yard) I could foresee hours of fun running some of our excellent UK outline steam stuff on it.
 
That's pretty darn impressive Vern. I suppose the rafters and beams could be done, but then I'm no 3D modeller.

Did you see their other video?

 
Wondeful Vern!!!

I like the water tower what is seen in the minute 3:75. :hehe:

Seriously, I really like it

Regards

Manuel
 
Fascinating! A wonderful route and creative use of space, but I am left with two questions. Access and viewing? I could creatively imagine some type of library-like ladder on rails to get up there and work on the layout, but who can see it other than with the camera riding the train, or placed somewhere in the route? Also thinking of the cathedral roof in our kitchen and living room. Nah, my wife would kill me! :eek:
 
Nice one Graham.

Fascinating! A wonderful route and creative use of space, but I am left with two questions. Access and viewing? I could creatively imagine some type of library-like ladder on rails to get up there and work on the layout, but who can see it other than with the camera riding the train, or placed somewhere in the route? Also thinking of the cathedral roof in our kitchen and living room. Nah, my wife would kill me!

Not to mention many UK lofts are not actually load bearing, i.e. they will take the weight of a few boxes of junk but not much else. Too hot in summer, too cold in winter. Ours also has two large water tanks smack in the middle.
 
One of our neighbours (about 3 "new neighbours" ago) had a loft layout - that's about 15m x 10 m - assuming you miss out the very low eaves, but you'll need to skirt around the water tanks and plumbing! (for non UK readers, we have a fairly standard system of cold water tank for low pressure cold water to sinks, toilets etc, and a small header tank for the central heating.)
I never saw the layout being removed, but I was tempted to put in a bid for it (our house is the same design).

Then I looked up the cost of OO, HO, and N guage track! I can't afford that! - let alone the rolling stock, so I'm back with Trainz.

Colin
 
Isn't that the truth, Colin. I sold off all my OO model stuff dead cheap a few years ago. Now when the starting price can be £100 or more for a RTR loco and £20 odd for a single passenger coach, I'm tempted to write "Stupid" across my forehead - though TBH my eyesight and manual dexterity isn't really up to the fine craftmanship needed to produce something like the layout in my OP.
 
Cyril Freezer (of course!) gave advice on constructing loft layouts, or rather, preparing the loft before building a layout. Basically it involved strengthening the timbers to make them capable of supporting a greater load, using much stronger materials, adding a floor and floor covering, adding false walls and ceiling plus insulation, etc. A very costly business, before finding the wherewithal to build the layout. A friend of mine had done just this, had constructed a superb layout, and could have several visitors up there at the same time. In my bungalow (1957-66) I had a loft with a usable area of about thirty square feet - similar to one Trainz baseboard in 1:76 scale - but never the necessary spare cash! - hence my liking for virtual model railways on one Trainz baseboard.

However much spare cash one might have, the main problem with modern houses would be the very low height within the loft. In my younger days, I could only move around in my present loft by crawling - not conducive to doing the necessary work! But in Trainz, all is possible.

Ray
 
I always liked loft layouts, but my attic (loft) is too low and I always remove what little hair remains on my head every time I go up there to retrieve something stored up there.
 
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