Model Railway Forum

My main layout is 32 inches above the floor. This is the length of the recycled spindles I used for the legs.
It seems to work OK, allowing room for some storage cubes below and even a small shunting layout underneath part of it.
With regard to width, fortunately I can access both front and rear.
From the front I can reach across as far as the backscene, while at the rear there is a narrower fiddle yard.

Mine is also 32 inches high - but I can't remember why! As mentioned before, width/depth is important. Mine is a U shape so reaching across diagonally to 2 corners is a stretch at 36 inches - and I'm a tall bloke.

I am 6ft 2 and because of loft height my layout is restricted to 18 inch high which can be a pain but I get by a lot of stuff is done off layout then added
when completed.

Not sure if any of you follow Everard Junction on YouTube, but was surprised to find that his layout is only a foot or so above the ground.

You can see it clearly in this video from New junction. All well and good if you have a good back and knees

Bought a bean bag it works wonders with the height problem.

I remember seeing an article or some-such about a guy who build his layout in his ‘cellar’ which was only hands and knees crawling height below his bungalow. The operator was fairly senior and complained that his knees were getting past it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-cVYFjYDtw

Could this be the one?

IanS wrote: ↑Fri Oct 04, 2019 10:15 am https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-cVYFjYDtw

Could this be the one?

Wow, that is taking model railways to a new level!

IanS wrote: ↑Fri Oct 04, 2019 10:15 am https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-cVYFjYDtw

Could this be the one?

That is dedication.

I suggest there are a number of considerations:-
1) The higher the layout (relative to your height) the less distance you can comfortably reach over the layout.
2) Do you prefer operating/watching your layout with your eye level around or just above the base board level, or are you happy with the "helicopter view", or something in between the two.
3) Will you always operate/watch your layout from the same position.
4) The longer the periods that you will work on or operate the layout the more likely it is that you won't want to stand the whole time.
5) If you are going to sit down, are you most comfortable sitting with your legs under the layout or are you happy to have your legs at an angle to your body so that things can be stored under the layout for the whole depth of the layout.

Illustrating the above with my own situation:-
1) I am 6 foot tall, and the width of the layout varies from 18ins to 2 ft 6ins.
2) I prefer to operate/watch the layout from just above baseboard level as if I am standing at the lineside.
3) I will operate the layout mainly from one position but sometimes from others.
4) I will watch/operate/work on the layout for usually not more than 2 hours at a time.
5) I will want to sit down during the two hours and prefer my legs under the baseboard.

So what do my answers mean?

They suggest I should not store items under the main operating position of the layout, but can store items elsewhere under the layout.
I should accept that I will need to stand from time to time to reach the back of the layout and that I will not be able to sit at the widest parts of the layout.

I hope these thoughts help in deciding what is the best solution for you, which may not be right for others!

Keep at the modelling,
Cheers
Paul