Troy's Midnight Abbey Mythical RR 3rd Edition

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troyphoto said:
Well, as I've said several times, it's a heck of a journey!

Over in the coffee shop thread for this month, Willie rightly pointed out that I haven't been working on my layout, like I said I was going to.

I started to ask why that is? After some thinking time...

Frankly... I keep getting overwhelmed by the scope of the project. That's a lot of terrain.

And, I'm getting older and fatter. Trying to bend or reach is becoming a challenge. Double deckers don't support either getting older, or getting fatter. One deck is too high, the other has too little clearance above....

Another part of the issue is I chase Shiny Squirrels (I combine the "ohhhhh! SHINY!" and go wandering off following the shiny –Along With– I'm like a dog out on a sniff patrol who spots movement, the ears perk up, SQUIRREL! and then they're off in a flash as the squirrels run hither and tither and the dog sprints for them... I got both at once. Shiny Squirrels distract me.

Usually it hits when I get to a point in one project that makes me pause for a big think... And the track planning gave me that pause...

So, the gaming (little toy soldiers) hobby kicked in with new games or revisions of old. And you can't play with half an army, so I've been chucking paint on a lot of little soldiers to get a full force or two on the battlefield.

But something else started to settle into my conscious thoughts after Willie's comment about not working on the layout...

Have I made the project too big?

A double decker means a helix at some point.

View attachment 261190

It means neither deck is where I can comfortably reach the back corners
View attachment 261191

I'm too the point where I need to start putting plaster cloth down on the inclines for the upper level. After that, it's cork roadbed and then track and ballast. Once I begin that part, I don't want to be messing with the structure of the benchwork. The time to decide what to do is now. Not later.

Do I downscale and drop to one level in the same footprint?

You can see what the lower level has become. A catch all...

The lower level is at 36-37 inches off the floor. The upper level at 55 inches.

Here's the Pro's for the drop down to one level, and eliminate the other level.

I can reach the back corner of the upper only with a step stool. Looks like my armpit is about 53 inches high with my indoor crocs on. So a 48-inch height would be sensible. Neither level fits that height. And trying to get under the upper level for back corners on the lower deck turns me into a pretzel.

If I go to a 48 inch height for the main deck, I can eliminate the lower level, and reuse parts for taller legs to support the upper. I'll have more room to get under the layout for wiring.

The big reason: It reduces the scale of what I have do. The project moves from almost too much to manage intimidation factor, down to something more manageable. No BIG overwhelm attached to it. The overwhelm has a smaller frame, so it's easier to see the end...

If I eliminate the lower level, and readajust the upper level to a manageable height, I can add more foam height to the deck, and get more downward construction room for rivers and terrain features.

I can plan for a below deck staging yard. Not sceniced, and a tight reach, but enough to store the trains I haven't purchased yet.

The Cons for dropping to one level

Disapproving looks from the wife

Expansion becomes an issue, but a minor one. I can shelf layout several parts of the basement if I want to expand. I doubt I'll give up the gaming area (behind me as I take the pics of the layout)... but there is room to downsize that and allow a manageable expansion of the model railroad.

But, expansion is years in the future. I have to finish what's in front of me. I'll deal with that later.

Doing the demolition of the lower level and lowering the upper level will take time. I probably won't get to the roadbed and track-laying until late summer.

What am I missing as I muse this over? Or is it mull it over? Feel free to let me know your thoughts? Have you done something similar?
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Troy, Jim here. My very best advice is to dismantle the top or bottom section. I've never understood the concept. I view two level layouts as just that two layouts. Twice as much work. I don't remember how old you are, but I have a feeling you will never finish this. I am a wargamer. My first game was in the late '60s. Best of luck.
 
Hey Troy, been a while, let me jump in.

Nothing wrong with having a double decker and my very best advice, do not dismantle.
Like Marco said, start working on a section of your layout, do some wiring in one section, tracks in another, buildings in another, scenery in another. That is how I kept sane on my 40' x 20' layout.
You get more motivated seeing sections being completed than seeing foam for months, than only tracks for the next 6 months.
Start on the top shelve on the right, maybe a good 10 feet.

My personal experience was I would get fed up laying tracks, so I would build a building, then I would do some wiring but would get fed up very fast, then I would do some sculptamold to get ready for some scenery. There wasn't a day I did only one thing.

Keep at it.

Lloyd
 
I have always worked on one section at a time, after I initially laid all of the main line and passing sidings on both levels. That way I could run trains when construction got boring or I hit a bump in the road. Of course, now I have many 15'-20' sections completed with 3'-4' unfinished gaps in between. As you know from my posts over in the Coffee Shop and my layout thread, I am now slowly filling those gaps in. Will I finish in my lifetime? I hope so but in the meantime I can run trains through the gaps and imagine. My other hobbies do not involve the train shed, so those are not distractions when I do model railroading.
At the present, I treat the two levels as two separate layouts like Jim alluded to. I have resigned myself to the fact that I will never get to building a helix, elevator or no-lix. That is unless I become rich and famous like Rod Stewart and pay someone to do it for me!
 


I've been thinking on this since Marco brought it up this morning... formed an insight. It might not be the best way, but it's where my gut is leading me.

The One Section at a time is a good piece of advice, but it misses the problem with Overwhelm.

I come down the stairs, and I see the entire layout, both decks. The two photos are from either side of the staircase.

I have a strong need for Context (#2 on my Clifton Strengths, right behind adaptability....) it's usually the reason I give up to the overwhelm and go chase shiny squirrels.

I'm not saying it won't work - but I need to have the overall fit within the context of "it's doable", not OMG WHAT DID I AGREE TO BUILD...?
 
I've watched a couple of the videos on Trains.com (I have a subscription) about the building of the East Troy Industrial Park by the MRR/Trains.com staff.

Came across an interesting approach that I may do, if I lower the upper deck. I'd get to have it on legs, and not bolted to the wall. One thing David P did to support the backdrop was build a framework behind it, that is removable. Once the hardboard is glued in place, he can pop the bolts and remove the backdrop from the main layout framework.

Screenshot 2026-03-24 at 3.07.47 PM.png


Also, instead of nailing or screwing the tempered hardboard to the framework, they used PL 300 adhesive and a bunch of clamps. No spackling or taping joints. Just butt end seams that he says will get lightly sanded.

Hmmmmmm....
 
troyphoto said:
Also, instead of nailing or screwing the tempered hardboard to the framework, they used PL 300 adhesive and a bunch of clamps. No spackling or taping joints. Just butt end seams that he says will get lightly sanded.

Hmmmmmm....
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That's sort of how I did my 30' peninsula. I didn't use construction adhesive but regular yellow wood glue and I didn't clamp it but shot
about 6 brad nails in each support to act as the clamping till the glue dried. I turned up the PSI to shoot the nail just barely blow the
surface. With a coat of Kilz and 2 sky color coats it filled in the brad nail holes naturally. The seams were not taped just butted then sanded.

Yes, if you look hard enough you can see the seams, but my layout will never be in a magazine and have operating sessions. Me and the
lookers of my layout thread are really the only folks who will ever see it.

On the first section I did the screws and taping of the seams and what a mess, and in a couple of places I can still see the seams somewhat.
 
Troy - Hang in there. It all is daunting. Baby steps. One day at a time. As to all the crap on the lower level ... guess what? Crap seems to find open spots and it mates for more crap. Takes real perseverance to only allow current needed tools and supplies on those parts. My last layout I found that those roll-around carts are a good thing as crap seems to like them. Also, no ladders, period. I used a wider than normal 4 step stool for reach problem. Club I used to frequent built roll-around ...um... steps or risers. When needed, they are rolled out from under the benchwork. They were spring loaded so when you stepped on them, the wheels retracted and it was flat on the floor and sturdy.

Once you get track down, the crap seems to be at bay for the most part. Building and scenery banish more crap. Pretty soon, coming down the stairs becomes fun. You can look around and think ... 'What am I gonna do today?' instead of being overwhelmed.

Leave the levels as they are; think you will be happier in the long run. I chose 2 levels as I wanted trains to 'go somewhere' as I am also a rail fan so it made sense. As to the reach problem in the corners, try to make it a non-issue by not having something there that might need maintenance. IE, no turnouts or spaghetti trackwork...stuff like that. Solidly built benchwork and wiring there too.

This is supposed to be a fun hobby - so have fun!

L8r
 
DeaconKC said:
I have been thinking about this for a couple of days. Think of where you will be physically in 5 and 10 years. Can you maintain a 2 level layout, or would a single deck be better for repairs and maintenance?
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Thanks for the insight.

Yep... that's a real concern. And one of the reasons I'm not fond of stooping to get between the decks and work on the lower level. That will be the 2nd level worked on, not the first. So I anticipate being older, and (possibly) fatter. Working on reversing the latter, but not hard. ;) I did have a salad for lunch.
 


Going to sleep on it one more night, but I expect tomorrow will be demolition day!

And not the derby type.

I've been watching more of the of the East Troy Industrial Park series on Trains.com, and David P settled on about a 46 inch deck height. They're videoing (they like more room to adjust lower and taller), but they're taller than me (Cody G isn't). I was debating on 48 inches, but think that 45-6" would be a good ground level height for my single deck.

Screenshot 2026-03-25 at 8.49.34 PM.png


Note: the deck height in that photo is currently at 42", but they're adding a 1x4" joist over the top of the L-girders (about 3.5 inches, so about a 46" inch height once they're done with roadbed, etc.

I do like the the Trains.com video membership. I can usually find a video showing how to do about anything MRR related.
 
traiNscale said:
okay. will check this out.
I already have a subscription for the print version of Model railroad Craftsman.
but maybe i check the free 30 days out. thnx
Click to expand...
This one is Model Railroader Magazine. And Trains magazine. Along with Garden Railways. All now owned by Firecrown media. (Formerly Kalmbach publishing). The subscription gives you pdf access to many years of back issues of MRR mag, and some years of the others.
 
And the foam board is removed from the entire lower section
i-8kP3mDs-X2.jpg

The spare foam on the upper level was all salvaged. As was the stuff on the treadmill

i-H9VhHg6-X2.jpg


Here's MOST of what went to scrap. The below pile filled two "Contractor" sized trash bags (45gal???) Plus I had a third one already filled from the process of trying to pry it up off the OSB. All three trash bags got taken to the community dumpster. I can't use that dumpster often since we get one rolling bin of trash pickup per week for our HOA dues.

i-mFvTV5B-X2.jpg


Also managed to save four near pristine 1-inch thick 2ft x 4ft sheets.

The half-inch thick, and one 1-inch were already spares.

i-rDq5j4v-X2.jpg
 


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