Opinion on benchwork - fixed or modular?

[lock4244]

Finally bought a house and for the first time in two decades will have a basement to call my own. Building a layout is a little ways off, however even before I consider a design I'm thinking about benchwork, or more precisely the advantages of building modules rather than fixed benchwork. I'd love to say I'll be in this house for the rest of my days, but life is never certain, and having seen what some are able to accomplish with modular design (Midwest Modutrak comes to mind), I'm wondering if there are advantages to, and drawbacks off, building a basement sized layout in modules? Obviously, being portable is a bonus if one must move at some point.

In terms of size I could be looking at something 50'-60' long on one wall, then a 20'x'30 space. I'm not saying I'd use all that space, but there's potential to.

[Scottl]

Congrats, finally a place to put your collection to use!

I don't have a strong preference, but both of the layouts I have built were too difficult to make as modules.  Plus, after 10 years when I move, I'm ready for something new.  If you are a build it once and drag it around with you kind of person, modules might be useful but most people seem to use a move as a way to rebuild/change direction.

[u18b]

Life is unexpected.

My opinion- Modules.  Even if mounted to wall.

If you move again or die, something can be done with the layout.  I've had the sad duty to destroy two layouts for widows who wanted then out of the house.  If not modular, it is often almost impossible to do anything with them except save some trees and maybe track.

I hope to build a layout soon and have calculated that no section can be more than 6.5" in order to get that section out of the bedroom.

And to be clear-  "modules" do not have to be rectangles.  Mine will not be.   I will have a traditional looking layout which will simply be built in removable pieces (modular).

[brill27mcb]

In the interests of clarity, I would call that "sectional." "Modular" indicates more flexibility in arranging or rearranging the pieces.

Rich K.

[learmoia]

I was planning my previous layout to be modular/sectional, but decided to abandon that idea for more conventional building with more flexibility in design.

Just as I finished the first 20' of L-Girder benchwork we decided to move to a new house and nothing would have carried over to the new house.
All of the 'parts' (L girders, cross members, legs, ect) will transfer, but had I had any completed sections, they all would have to be re-done.
... Nor would any of my module sets worked together at the new house.

Likewise, my Grandfather had a large N and small HO layout in his basement, then moved - he broke both layouts down into sections and moved them.
He attempted to re-use the sections in the new spaces.. but it never really worked out.

If you move.. ALOT.. A Modular layout would work well to allow quick tear down - move - rebuild. 

But if it's a semi permanent layout and living situation, I'd say it's not worth thinking about in the design process...

~Ian

[lock4244]

I'm a fan of the linear approach to design... Grant Eastman's Southern Alberta Railway is the best example I can think of off hand.

Being on a visa, I can be made to leave with as little as two weeks time on renewal, so there's always the threat of having to get out quickly.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm a fan of the linear approach to design... Grant Eastman's Southern Alberta Railway is the best example I can think of off hand.

Benchwork choice is really dependent on other layout goals, objectives and constraints.

Are you modeling a mostly straight grainger road? Modular can be the way to go.

Do you need to accomodate all sorts of terrain features? Loops, helixes, etc...? Or have weird things you need to do in the room (fit it in an alcove, etc...)?

All of these things factor in. You can't just look at benchwork methodology in a vacuum.

[lock4244]

Life is unexpected.

My opinion- Modules.  Even if mounted to wall.

If you move again or die, something can be done with the layout.  I've had the sad duty to destroy two layouts for widows who wanted then out of the house.  If not modular, it is often almost impossible to do anything with them except save some trees and maybe track.

I hope to build a layout soon and have calculated that no section can be more than 6.5" in order to get that section out of the bedroom.

And to be clear-  "modules" do not have to be rectangles.  Mine will not be.   I will have a traditional looking layout which will simply be built in removable pieces (modular).

My old man built our layout to withstand anything less than a bunker buster strike, and as such it did not lend itself to easy disassembly and salvaging except for the helix. Of course he built the helix without sufficient clearances for enclosed autoracks (they weren't available back then), so it was demolished as well. I do know what it's like to face a nothing can be salvaged situation, would like to avoid.

[C855B]

Mine's a hybrid. Let's call it "permanent sectional". The frame is built in joined separate units up to 10' x 4' wide, but there is no correspondence in the foam topper. I anticipate never moving it since it is in a dedicated building on its own property that's not our house, but if I had to, I could cut the top, wiring and track at the frame joints, unbolt it from where it's attached to the wall, and break it down for moving.

[lock4244]

Benchwork choice is really dependent on other layout goals, objectives and constraints.

Are you modeling a mostly straight grainger road? Modular can be the way to go.

Do you need to accomodate all sorts of terrain features? Loops, helixes, etc...? Or have weird things you need to do in the room (fit it in an alcove, etc...)?

All of these things factor in. You can't just look at benchwork methodology in a vacuum.

I would say that southern Ontario can be much like grainger territory, long tangents on an open plain or long tangents on the north shore of Lake Ontario. There are some alcove type obstructions to a straight run along the 50'-60' wall, but the 20'x30' space is open from what I recall.

My plan it to start with something manageable and expand as time / situation permits. Probably be in the planning stage for a good deal of time. I've not been able to go all CN or all CP (I'd never do all CP  ), so my thinking is a layout where both RR's has separate mains and are present together on about 50% of the layout, with each having 25% to themselves... I expect to deviate from those percentages, but that's the rough idea. There won't be joint trackage beyond that serving an automobile assembly plant (should I choose to model that). My interest is by far operation over scenery, which is likely another reason I favor my locale and the linear concept... no mountains or gorges or anything spectacular. Groundfoam, Homasote, and Northern.

[prr7161]

Another vote in favor of modular here.  Lots of potential benefits as long as the construction controls for track alignment at the edges somehow.  Another benefit not to be overlooked - if the modules / sections are constructed to a common modular standard you can pick up chunks of your layout to take to shows, which would add a ton of operating variety.

[lock4244]

Mine's a hybrid. Let's call it "permanent sectional". The frame is built in joined separate units up to 10' x 4' wide, but there is no correspondence in the foam topper. I anticipate never moving it since it is in a dedicated building on its own property that's not our house, but if I had to, I could cut the top, wiring and track at the frame joints, unbolt it from where it's attached to the wall, and break it down for moving.

Interesting. Advantage of permanent connections between sections, but if it has to be moved you're not sawzalling the benchwork. Cut the track, wires, foam and pull out the sections. This sounds like a good way to go. If pressed for time I could cut, remove the sections and let a mover do (destroy) the rest.

[Spades]

Mine's a hybrid. Let's call it "permanent sectional". The frame is built in joined separate units up to 10' x 4' wide, but there is no correspondence in the foam topper. I anticipate never moving it since it is in a dedicated building on its own property that's not our house, but if I had to, I could cut the top, wiring and track at the frame joints, unbolt it from where it's attached to the wall, and break it down for moving.

It's also handy if you need to do repair/access to the structure/house itself.  Water heaters fail when they are enclosed by that one section of the layout that you've completely scenic.

[pdx1955]

I've always done sectional with bolt- together sections and with short bridge track pieces over the joints. These have sliding joiners on one side so they can be removed easily. I laid cork roadbed over the joints without a cut and placed tape or plaster gauze as a thin layer over any subsurface scenery joints. Easy to cut through without mess and easy to repair later. About half of the moves the layout did were relatively unplanned so it was nice to be able to reuse most if not all in a new room or dwelling. Currently have gone modular for easier construction and later access.

[mmagliaro]

As I look at my own around-the-walls-with-an-island layout, I realize there is no reason it could not have been built as a sectional.  It would have had zero effect on the reliability or sturdiness.  I could have just as easily bolted the sections to each other and to the walls and the floor the way the whole thing is now, with the added benefit that it could all have come apart via nuts and bolts, instead of via sawzall.

But if I ever had to move and tear this down, I wouldn't save a thing except structures, trees and my hand-made turnouts.  I do really like it.  But I'm in the "moving means it's time to build something new" camp.