Model Railway Forum

No, I have to admit it’s weathered by TMC. I’m with you, despite watching all those videos, I still will not attack one.

Well it looks like the further development of West Dock Terrace may be on hold. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but the ‘duck under lift out section’ is becoming a pain, literally, on both knees and back. So the Project Manager is keen for it to be a hinged section. I know it makes sense as; apart from the pain, as a duck under section visitors shy away, or if they do visit, knock the whole section.

As I’ve said before it’s not going to be a two minute job; as the two levels climb in opposite directions they will have to be hinged separately. I can’t quite remember, or work it out, but do the hinges sit on the lower or higher end of the sections?

Just when I was getting into my stride with the housing developments

Carl, I tried to build a hinged section with two levels once - never again. I found it almost impossible to keep alignment.
Look at two possibilities for your layout - you could hinge it so it drops down as a complete unit with the hinges on the left or you could possibly hinge the upper level on the left and the lower level on the right. Lift the upper level out of the way then raise the lower - assuming the clearances work.

Steve,

Your latter suggestion is exactly what I had in mind; it’s just the work involved and then, half way though, having destroyed the section completely, I find it’s not going to work.

The Project Manager says if that’s the case, do away with the lift out section and have an end to end layout, not a ‘roundy roundy’. Not sure that would work, it would need some serious track alterations to somehow connect the upper and lower levels.

I know what you mean about alignment, even though I don’t take the section out, movement with the wood is a pain.

The whole issue is a dilemma.

Who said it’s a relaxing hobby, I was awake at 3.30 his morning musing it over.

I think the answer to the problem is not to think about altering what is already there. Instead remove the entire section as one piece, then rebuild the section from scratch and incorporate the double lift system. The old section could then be reinstated if it doesn't work out?
Or lower the floor.

Now that is a cracking idea, why didn’t I think of that. (Not the floor )

Game on I think.

With that space I certainly would not turn it in to an end-to-end. There fine for smaller locations, but I do find with a 10x7 end-to-end the loco's reach the other end far to quickly - even when running slowly. You really can't beat trains running whilst your getting on with something else.

I've shown it before, but this is my lift-up section - it is only single level. It's 3ft x 2ft.

IMG_1674 by Barry Clayton, on Flickr

The removal of the duck under section is the main catalyst for my planned rework of my layout - that and the desire to extend it for longer running.

I started years ago with an original lift out section concept but revised track layout and points etc subsequently necessitated for this to become a permanent section. However now looking towards the future and aging joints ( mine, not the track) I realise I need to get rid of this duck under section…… much thought and planning reqd before anything is ripped up, but have not yet reached the stage of waking at 3am thinking about it - LOL.

Pah, amateurs!
Take a plain hinge up section, add a river under the track, stick on a bridge and then decide it really needs points.
And no, it doesn't always line up.