Since I am newly engaged and the fiance's Grandson is to be my own, my plan is to create a ho scale train layout that will melt his brain when he gets old enough.
I had been gathering track and detail goodies for a while now and finally got around to building the tables that this layout will reside on. "Since I started planning, this project has doubled in size"
I have been using bachmann e-z track and have a bachmann dcc controller with two dcc locomotives and one analog loco.
the dcc controller allows you to operate up to 9 dcc locos and one analog loco independently all at the same time. If by chance one wants to invest in a dcc ready switch for his track, this controller will operate those as well.
I used two 4'x8' sheets of luan lumber plywood approx 3/8 thick screwed and nailed to a framework of 2"x 2" boards that were screwed to 12 3' legs, braced to plumb with some 45 degree 2" x 2"s. The bottom of the legs were wrapped with 1" x 2" members that were screwed to the leg bottoms. I joined the bottom of the center legs with a pair of 1" x2" lengths as well. Under the bottom of one table, I made a little framework to support a slide out keyboard shelf that I had lying around for a place to hide the train controls and switch controls.
I topped the table with a 2" layer of foam over the plywood so that I can dig a creek bed or two into my layout.
I am still playing around with the track layout figuring out what configuration will work with the little town that I want to build and the businesses within it that require train freight service.
This will be a massive project and I could see it taking as long as a year to build. As many other projects as I have going on, I can't believe that I have taken on one of this size but I am excited to have kind of a different direction to move in to stir up the juices in my other creative efforts.
More updates will come as ideas appear.