40' x 8' x 8' shipping container layout

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Colorado Midland Modeler said:
Wow! You've made a lot of progress on it. Just out of curiosity, what kind of insulation are you using? I'd like to insulate the ceiling of my train room which is in the basement, and since there isn't a lot of head room to both insulate and panel the ceiling this might be just what I need.
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Sealtech R-16 5mm polyethylene foam reflective insulation. I purchased it in 100' x 4' rolls. It got good reviews and is also a good sound insulator. I also have a 6" dead air space and 6" of ventilated cold air below the steel container roof.

I have 5 electric baseboards distributed around the container wired on 2 thermostats with a total of 3500 watts.

Thanks for commenting...Dave LASM
 


I finished putting up the insulation. The heat is on, the lights are wired:
west end of layout, benchwork in place.JPG


I have a little finishing work left at the corners on top, otherwise the benchwork is ready for fascia. I will be using my old backdrop, I have 40'

underside, supports.JPG


This is how I am doing the legs, nothing to bump into

east end.JPG


This is the other end. After I get more of this benchwork done I will be storing my old layout stuff here while I concentrate on the other side.

Dave LASM
 
TLOC said:
Looks like a wonderful space Dave. Have a great time filling it!
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Really getting fired up, went in there today after work and the space was warm! I have the thermostats set at low and the air temp here was 17f today so quite happy about that.

All the faceplates are installed and 6 of 8- 75 watt bulbs putting out plenty of light. Expect to have benchwork pretty much wrapped up by Saturday late afternoon, looking at ordering 75' of Flex track for a start.

Dave LASM
 
I will be starting on the west end and going along the north side, I have 5-3' flex track from the old layout and 16 turnouts I would like to use up in this initial phase, in conjunction with the 25 pcs of new flex track.

There will not be a double mainline, but a more prototypical (of my geographic area) setup with sidings and team tracks in the towns and some industry spurs, with the single mainline doing the entire loop.

There will not be the condensed yard on this layout, but some storage tracks/sidings with a couple of the towns.
 


logandsawman said:
I will be starting on the west end and going along the north side, I have 5-3' flex track from the old layout and 16 turnouts I would like to use up in this initial phase, in conjunction with the 25 pcs of new flex track.

There will not be a double mainline, but a more prototypical (of my geographic area) setup with sidings and team tracks in the towns and some industry spurs, with the single mainline doing the entire loop.

There will not be the condensed yard on this layout, but some storage tracks/sidings with a couple of the towns.
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On a previous layout I never included a "yard." Everything was staging/storage tracks. The layout was designed for running trains and switching industries. Freed up a lot of precious real estate.
 
logandsawman said:
Sealtech R-16 5mm polyethylene foam reflective insulation. I purchased it in 100' x 4' rolls. It got good reviews and is also a good sound insulator. I also have a 6" dead air space and 6" of ventilated cold air below the steel container roof.

I have 5 electric baseboards distributed around the container wired on 2 thermostats with a total of 3500 watts.

Thanks for commenting...Dave LASM
Click to expand...
That sounds like it might work pretty good for my needs, I'll have to look into it. Thanks!
 
logandsawman said:
Really getting fired up, went in there today after work and the space was warm! I have the thermostats set at low and the air temp here was 17f today so quite happy about that.
Click to expand...
Just catching up and found this post, and I have to say that that's pretty impressive performance, especially since most people don't think of a metal shipping container as being very warm. Sounds like you made an excellent choice. I'm really enjoying this thread, and learning a lot too!
 
shortwrench said:
How are you providing for ventilation? I see a window in post #104 and a window in the door but they don't
appear to open?
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There are 4 vents built into the container, on the top 8". I have a draft barrier of 4 mil poly below that, with a 6" dead air gap below that and above the sealtech.

There is some air exchange between the dead air space and the vented space.

The ventilation for the train compartment is the 8" x 10" opening with a removable cover at the NE corner and a 4" x 36" transom with removable cover above the door by the SW corner. If I need air, there is good ventilation by removing the covers, they just sit in the screened openings.

There is also some air exchange between the train compartment and ceiling spaces because the seal with the ceiling insulation is not airtight.

Tonight we have 10f with 25 mph wind. The windchill is minus 15f. There are no drafts, I have all the heaters on the lowest setting, and the container felt warm. I will have to get a thermometer in there, but the lowest setting is 45f.

Dave LASM
 
logandsawman said:
There are 4 vents built into the container, on the top 8". I have a draft barrier of 4 mil poly below that, with a 6" dead air gap below that and above the sealtech.

There is some air exchange between the dead air space and the vented space.

The ventilation for the train compartment is the 8" x 10" opening with a removable cover at the NE corner and a 4" x 36" transom with removable cover above the door by the SW corner. If I need air, there is good ventilation by removing the covers, they just sit in the screened openings.

There is also some air exchange between the train compartment and ceiling spaces because the seal with the ceiling insulation is not airtight.

Tonight we have 10f with 25 mph wind. The windchill is minus 15f. There are no drafts, I have all the heaters on the lowest setting, and the container felt warm. I will have to get a thermometer in there, but the lowest setting is 45f.

Dave LASM
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I knew you had that aspect accounted for-just didn't know the details. Now I'm "really" jealous.
 
shortwrench said:
I knew you had that aspect accounted for-just didn't know the details. Now I'm "really" jealous.
Click to expand...
The worry I had was condensation. Since there is a 1 1/4" corrugated feature in the sidewall construction, that provides a little breather space between the "dead" air space above the insulation and the vented cold air space beneath the steel roof.

My big curiosity is how much the electricity will cost me. We usually spend $95 per month during the winter months. It will be easy to calculate the train shed when we get our December bill.
 
logandsawman said:
The worry I had was condensation. Since there is a 1 1/4" corrugated feature in the sidewall construction, that provides a little breather space between the "dead" air space above the insulation and the vented cold air space beneath the steel roof.

My big curiosity is how much the electricity will cost me. We usually spend $95 per month during the winter months. It will be easy to calculate the train shed when we get our December bill.
Click to expand...
All you need is a solar array on the roof.
 


I got several more feet of benchwork up tonight (see photos), tomorrow should be a banner day with benchwork and fascia going up

progress on benchwork.JPG


On the right is the kettle river (the gap)

wider image.JPG


wider image. The back end of the photo is the top of the page on the plan:

Track and Industry plan.png


Almost too much fun...

Dave LASM
 
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