It was always sort of planned that at some point, our model trains would move elsewhere. The room we used until now is quite small, and while we managed to maximise space usage in it, actually working in there was not a lot of fun. There was no room for a proper workbench, and generally things were quite cramped. We wanted the room freed up for other purposes, too.
We had a few ideas on what a new model train space could look like. One of the first ideas was to build a dedicated structure for it. We’re not exactly short on space around our house. But this idea was shelved because, aside from the cost for a decent sized structure, the necessity of council approval put us off. In Queensland, any free-standing structure greater than 10 square meters requires approval, and even if you disregard the added cost for that, it can be quite a drag.
Another idea was to try and rustle up an old train carriage. Yes, you heard correctly. What could be cooler than building a model train setup in an actual train carriage? That idea had to be ditched, too. Well-preserved train carriages are rarely available for purchase, they are usually going for mid-5-figure sums, and having one transported and set up anywhere would also carry a five-figure cost.
We ended up making a less visionary, more practical decision. When we bought our piece of land a few years ago, a big 12x20m steel shed had already been built by a previous owner. Unfortunately it didn’t have a concrete floor. That’s fine if all you want to use it for is storing tractors and other machinery, but we don’t have any of that. So after some saving, we managed to have a concrete floor laid in the shed, and have since outfitted it as our entertainment space.
In the shed, we set aside a space to become the new train room. It is roughly 8x4m in size, fitting neatly into one of the corners. After spending a few months planning, designing, pricing materials and contemplating options, construction has started this week.
We are building a timber frame to enclose the planned area. This is not a structure that would withstand wind and weather, but fortunately it doesn’t have to. At the back, a section will be separated out as a storage space. The usable length of the actual train room will be about 6.5m.
A mock-up of the wooden frame that will make up the walls of the train room. This was made with a program that’s not really meant for this sort of stuff… …so some of the planned bits like the interior wall are missing here. They do exist in sketches on paper. After about 1 1/2 hours, the first frame segment was complete.
The first day was quite productive. Thanks to us having bought a number of useful tools over the years, most of the work goes very smoothly. This project has however prompted the purchase of a second cordless drill – between pre-drilling, countersinking and then actually drilling in the screws, the bit changes on the drill just slow us down too much.
At the end of the first day, four frame segments were finished. Not too bad as far as progress goes. Watch this space for further developments.