The New Train Room: Frameworks

After a week of straight work, with a few disruptions and two trips to the hardware store, the frame for the new train room is finished.

Where the first day saw fast progress, things slowed down a bit over the next few days. On the first day we built four frame segments which all were the same size and had a similar pattern. Therefore we were able to put them together quite quickly. But from there on, almost every frame had to be built either to exact measurements (because the available space was not precisely 8x4m), or there was a door or window involved.

The segment with the window was especially challenging. I had found a beautiful old-style casement window, complete with frame and lock/winding mechanism. The window frame is massive wood, and the entire thing weighs about 30kg. After thinking about a few options, we decided to insert the window during assembly, instead of putting it in later. Because the window frame is wider than the timber used for the wall frames, a bit of tinkering was required to make it all come together.

A few other adjustments had to be made along the way. In order to make the storage area a usable size, the interior wall had to be moved in a tad. The usable length of the train room is now 6.4m, with the storage area being approximately 1.4m wide. The rest is lost to wall width.

We wanted to avoid drilling into the concrete, therefore the entire frame is anchored to and braced off against the steel posts and battens of the shed. Segment joins were reinforced with flat steel brackets. The result is sturdier than expected, I had anticipated to need additional bracing but it turned out to be unnecessary.

Next, the ceiling panels and wall cladding needs to be added. We decided to not cover the concrete floor with anything other than floor paint.

I had taken a week off to start this build, and it was well worth it. We got about as much done as expected. From here on out it's weekend work. Watch this space.

Random build-in-progress pic. The side and back wall are complete, the storage door is in place. The interior wall is about to be lifted up, and two more side wall segments are half finished.
Putting the window segment together
The window segment is in place
Closed…
And open
The frame is complete
This is where the door to the train room will be
A peek through the door
This is the full length of the entire construction.

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