| So where are you going to place your hobby | | | | rather than the opposite way around. |
| locomotive anyway? That looks pretty good but | | | | A table that screams "I'm cheap but I know the |
| did you say it gets wet a bit in here when it rains. | | | | worth of labor crafting": |
| Yeah that's the drawback, isn't it? People have | | | | For the make-it-from-scratch crowd, nothing is |
| lots of different spots that they place their toy | | | | better than designing and building a train table |
| trains and each has its varied benefits and | | | | themselves. Often we handymen and women will |
| drawbacks. Here's some suggestions: | | | | expand an existing space to make it work for the |
| Floor based plans: | | | | toy locomotive layout we had in mind. This is a |
| Some people just put their trains right on the | | | | great choice because it gives your hobby |
| carpet. This is not a good option for little guys like | | | | locomotive a unique platform and because you |
| N and HO scale trains. It is one thing to have a g | | | | can create it as you would like. The obvious |
| gauge train on the carpet or in your back yard, | | | | problem here is the amount of time and skill that |
| but it is another to stare down at the smaller build | | | | it takes to make such a table. Just as big of a |
| of an HO locomotive set. The bird's eye view of | | | | negative is the fact that such surfaces tend to be |
| the smaller sizes highlights the weaknesses of | | | | permanently one size and as your toy training |
| theses trains. Not to point out that your | | | | empire expands you have to go through the |
| locomotives are much more likely to be smushed | | | | trouble of building yet another table to increase |
| and damaged in careless moments. A higher | | | | your surface area. Such a project can be a very |
| elevation tends to highlight the strengths of HO | | | | inconvenient drag on our time. I won't put down |
| and N size locomotives. Even O trains look better | | | | homemade tables except to say that if your |
| on a display surface. | | | | engineering talents don't extend beyond hobby |
| Pre-existing shelves, the lucky lazy man's option | | | | trains, trying to build a table can really be a black |
| In some residential homes there are built in | | | | hole of time and effort that you may not have |
| shelves or elevated areas that lend themselves to | | | | much to show for on the other side. |
| hobby locomotive track plans. This natural shelf | | | | Domino style tables: |
| answers the problem of line of sight perhaps and | | | | If you're willing to spare the expense, the best |
| if you are extremely fortunate can find the | | | | kind of toy train areas are probably the domino |
| perfect spot for our toy trains. Very few of us | | | | style surfaces. They are called "domino" tables |
| are this lucky however. There are some obvious | | | | because that can be connected on any side to |
| negatives to most random display spaces. Unless | | | | form any shape, no matter how idiosyncratic the |
| you're incredibly fortunate, these places are | | | | shape. The surfaces also can be adjusted to sit at |
| usually too small and not shaped quite in the way | | | | more than one height so that you can customize |
| that we would like to successfully layout an | | | | it to the specifics of the surroundings you'll be |
| interesting track display. So instead of designing a | | | | displaying your locomotive setup in. They let you |
| space for your setup, you are altering your layout | | | | realize your mental plan as you saw it. Also, |
| to fit the awkwardness of your area. Even if you | | | | because they are lightweight they can more easily |
| are into the tiniest kinds of hobby train these | | | | be moved out of the way. Also, since they can |
| spaces tend not to work all that well. | | | | easily be changed and added to as you see fit, |
| Another lucky possibility is that you happen to | | | | they can grow with your hobby training ambitions. |
| have a spare surface just lying around | | | | You can also more easily transport your table if |
| somewhere: | | | | you want to show your design around. For this |
| Sometimes you get blessed and serendipitously | | | | reason, these tables are really the best decision |
| come across an area at home. You now have a | | | | for toy train displays. |
| more mobile area, which helps, but you still have | | | | With your table choice out of the way you are |
| space limitations that dictate your layout decisions. | | | | now free to really embark on your hobby |
| Not only are many such areas wobbly, but you | | | | locomotive adventure. Good blessed and happy |
| still have to adjust your train display to fit with | | | | toying! |
| the pre-existing measurements of your table | | | | |