Issues With the Current West Staging

Last week I had a couple of guests from the Meadville Model Railroad Club over to see the 4th Subdivision and run some trains. While I have had some issues with the fold-up, west-end staging running trains by myself, the issues were exacerbated with three of us up in the train attic. As I am seriously considering expanding the model railroad to host more than just fun-for-one ops-sessions, the existing staging potentially creates some real problems.

West-end fold up staging deployed

While it is not a problem at all when it is folded up, when deployed, the west staging is awkward and potentially dangerous. Due to the three-track staging yard's location at the top of the stairs to the attic when in use, rolling stock can not be set up prior to the session. As the situation stands, this staging must be unfolded and rolling stock positioned as a part of any ops-session. Anyone involved needs to be up in the train room, as the stairs are difficult to navigate. With just one folding leg, the staging can not be used to support someone trying to get through.

With the trap door open, humans have to try to navigate with only thirteen inches between the trapdoor and the staging yard. At the shoe level, one has to step down one step while moving sideways across the top of the stairs. Very awkward if one needs to get to the other end of the room during an operations session or, worse yet, go up or down the stairs. Gracie, the cat in the photo, has no problem. My human guests were also concerned about the lack of bumpers or other ways to stop rolling stock from crashing to the floor off the end of the tracks. If that was the only problem, it would be an easy fix.

With the trap door down, dodging the trap door cable and styrofoam insulation is an even tighter squeeze. While I intend to replace the rope with sturdy metal cable and to cover the insulation with a plywood cap capable of withstanding folks standing on it, it still would be a major bottleneck and/or a tripping hazard. While fun-for-one operations by myself will continue to be a major use of the railroad, I am planning on finding ways to have more model railroaders occasionally join me. The fold up staging yard is not working out as well as I thought it might just operating by myself; it will not be an acceptable feature as I transition to multi-person ops-sessions. 

I have defined the existing staging yard opposite the trapdoor at the top of the stairs as a major problem. What are some solutions? The space between the stairs and the opposite sloping ceiling is tight. Should I just give up on the attic as the location for my model railroad? I don't think so, as I have no practical alternative without winning the lottery. I think having permanent trackage located farther from the stairs is the approach I will explore. The first step that I took was to craft a cardboard template to see if this approach allows more convenient movement around the stairs. It is easier to navigate around the stairs and trapdoor with the template I came up with in place.

Building a new section at the west end of the existing Willow Springs section solves the existing problem, but raises a series of design issues to be worked out:

• How much of this section will be sceniced?
• With a lot of the new section right up against the sloping ceiling how will a backdrop function?
• How will the existing/planned backdrop and valance from the rest of the railroad transition to this new section?
• Will I be able to use my new Central Valley 150' Pratt Truss Bridge kit in the sceniced portion?
• With the S-curved shape of this section and the potential of a river cut out, what kind of benchwork will be most applicable?
• Will the fold-up staging yard work "permanently" mounted to the west end of this new section?

Sketching out some track locations on the cardboard template, I continue to see this as a workable solution. One possibility is to have a sloping backdrop behind some of this section, while the existing backdrop and valance curve into some kind of end cap. I am leaning towards L-girder benchwork due to its flexibility with odd shapes and multiple levels. I need to research it further and start drawing some plans.