Wall shelving for an electric train

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414
Location
Seguin, TX
Somebody talk me out of it... I've always wanted an electric train that would run around the room on the wall. I'm sure there's a reason why I shouldn't do it... but since I'm shopless for a little while yet I've got lots of time to think of all the cool things I'll never get around to actually doing. Would it be as simple as just putting up shelf? :huh:
 
I agree with all the others. This would be a great idea who wants to talk you out of it. Life's too short, go for it. I plan on building a pub in my basement now that my shop moved out, this would make a great novelty above the bar.
Pity my train which I kept for the better part of my life I gave to my youngest son and it got demolished. :( When the time comes i will look into this.
 
Hmmm... 1 sheet of 1/2" mdf, cut 7 1/2" wide, will actually give you 48 feet of straight shelf. That will go all the way around a 12 x 12 room. Figure another sheet for curves and bridges and mistakes... ;)

Shelf bracket every 16 or 32 inches ought to hold it up. You'd need to get power up there, and maybe some special lighting. Paint. Supplies. 200. That much again for the cost of the train. All that track would set you back some. Call it a total of somewhere around 5.

But it would be a lot of fun to make! ;) You could play Gomez, in spectacular fashion! ;)

"Cara Mia!" ;)

Thanks,

Bill
 
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We had a guy do a 2 wide track around his tray ceiling. It stuck out maybe 12".
There used to be a pizza joint in the next town over. They had a one tracker that went all the way around the out side walls. Went through the dinning room into the lobby then into the kitchen and back into the dinning room. They had the holes in the walls made up to look like tunnels.
That sounds like the Pizza Planet in OKC!
At our previous house, I had a 10 X 10 bedroom with a platform about 30" deep all around the room. Track on 2 levels. The "yard" had track 8 deep. Had to duck under it to get in the room, and work from the middle. Thought I had another room at the present house, but LOML claimed it for her music annex. That was the "Pink Room" we just finished remodelling. :( Jim.
 
Kirk:

I've seen it done in several restaurants and stores. I saw one place where they had brackets come out of the wall above the "road bed" and there were pieces of what looked like thin threaded rod hanging down to the road bed and going through a "cross tie" that ran below the road bed.

That design would seem to be fairly easy to get level since the road bed was "adjustable". But all that threaded rod could be a budget buster. Again, compared to the per foot price for track it's probably less that the track money.

My son has a small HO layout that has eaten up a bunch of money in track, transformers and such.

Something to remember is that you might need access to the road bed for cleaning and such and you don't want a derailment coming off the road bed and landing on anything delicate. I have that scene from the Harrison Ford movie The Fugitive in mind as I'm typing this.

Cheers

Jim.
 
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Somebody talk me out of it... I've always wanted an electric train that would run around the room on the wall. I'm sure there's a reason why I shouldn't do it... but since I'm shopless for a little while yet I've got lots of time to think of all the cool things I'll never get around to actually doing. Would it be as simple as just putting up shelf? :huh:

One question......Are you married?? If so is your wife on "track" with this idea?:D:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
Kirk,
I think every guy wants a set up like that.;) Here's another option to ponder:

http://www.tracksoverhead.com/index.htm

Though a bit pricey, it does look cool.

We'll need pictures of course - :thumb:

Wes

I'm really tired. I was reading Wes's link and found myself wondering, "Why are there 1st Air Cav unit insignia as the background of a model train site?" Then I actually looked at the background and saw the black and yellow diesel engine fronts that they really are. :doh:

Will this be just in one room or will you snake it through doorways to get the whole house? :D
 
Trainland in Lynbrook NY, handles every type of train and track I think is known to mankind.
They seem pretty helpful, Ive bought dremel bits from them on occasion.
(this is the place where they shot the Sopranos series with the guy in train store)
 
One of my grandfather's friends had track on shelves like that around the entire house, he had tunnels to go from room to room, and then a main area in the "Hobby Room" it was VEY cool! :thumb:
 
Kirk

The first thing you need to do is figure out what gauge (size) of train you want to run, and then the train you want. That way you'll know what size track you need and how much space it will require.

O gauge has several different curve radius, some trains require a larger radius to run on. The most common and budget friendly is O-27 which is what the majority of the Lionel ready to run sets have.
 
Your not going to start wearing a sweater and talking to the train as it stops by are you? (Mr. Rogers...oh wait, that was a trolley) :rofl:

Actaully, it sounds like a very fun project. The largest displays I've seen of this is up at Pioneer City, Minden, NE at the museum. It runs around every wall of every building.
 
Your not going to start wearing a sweater and talking to the train as it stops by are you? (Mr. Rogers...oh wait, that was a trolley) :rofl:

Actaully, it sounds like a very fun project. The largest displays I've seen of this is up at Pioneer City, Minden, NE at the museum. It runs around every wall of every building.


KC Go for it.

Darren,
thanks a lot, now I have the train music and Trolley's bell & Whistle in my head. :thumb::D:rolleyes:
 
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