To the garage?

If the climate in the garage is truly the same as the space you are currently using, I don't see why not.

Down here in SC I wouldn't ever use the garage unless I could seal it up and get some control. The major fluctuation in temperature also wouldn't play nice! The humidty down here would destroy the layout in one season. I have to say I enjoy having a layout in a climate controlled room!

But with all that said, a space that large sure is tempting!

[Ianscape]

Thanks,


I think that it shouldnt be much of a problem. I plan on getting a large portable heater to warm it up, and humidity shouldn't be a problem...


Ian

[Dangerboy81]

I voted no.The extra space would be tempting,but I think unless the current layout area is really small,it's not worth the trouble.
Don't forget a car is a huge expense and I wish I had a garage to park my cars in.Going out to a warm car in the mornings with our Canadian winters sure would be nice!
Ultimatly the decision is yours.If it feels right to you,then go for it,however in my situation,I wouldn't.

[Overshoe]

If the environment is stable, I'd say go for it. On the Atlas forums, I'm always surprised at the number of layout pictures I see with garage doors in the backround, so I suspect the practice is quite common, especially in parts of the country where basements are rare.

My garage is cold in the winter and the humidity can swing quite drastically in the summer. So, what I'm thinking about doing is changing half of my current 2 car garage into a workshop/layout room, thus leaving a walled off and climate controlled room and a 1 car garage where the 2 car is now (The wife agreed as long as she gets the garage). My basement is all finished, except a small room where the boiler is, which is where my current, small, layout lives.

All I have to do now is get a round tuit. :wink:

[JohnW]

Years ago I kicked the car out of the garage and took it over for a layout. I built a carport next to the garage for the car and then slowly covered that in so now I have a second garage for the car. I really did not have any other place for a layout and it has worked out pretty well. I sealed off the garage doors and two windows. Then I insulated the garage and put a air conditioner in. I have two small electric space heaters that warm it up. Turning on all the lights in the valance for the layout will even help heat it. I live in Denver so I don't have to worry about humidity but it can get cold in the winter. With the insulation I can and do work out here year round.

[afhirschfeld]

For myself I would say no because the winter weather can get cold where I live. I also like having the convenience of having my layout in the house, it's already heated and carpeted! If my layout was in the garage I might not work on it as much!

One other thing that I don't think anyone has pointed out yet, I like to show my family and friends the progress I've made on the layout when they are over. Having a layout in the house makes it easy to show it off to the average person w/o stepping outside (having an attached or detached garage would come into play here).

But hey, if using the garage means you would finally be building your RR empire then go for it!!!

[eldorf_dragonsbane]

Todd- Since you live in SC do you have any problems with the Palimento Bugs, iirc from when I was down there for Basic Training they seemed attack anything thrown on the ground like it was food. I am just wondering if they like to eat MR scenery??

Well just so everyone is 'in the know", Palmetto bugs are huge cockroaches. They aren't afraid of light, they eat almost anything. They have been known to populate some elected offices here in SC.

For those of you who haven't lived in the deep south or Florida, you have NO idea what a real cockroach is!

I have not had any trouble with these insect-mammal-prehistoric-firebreathing critters on my layout(s) that I can recall (although some of my locos do mysteriously move around the layout sometimes when I am not in the room). But I will go by a gun if it ever does become a problem. Guns and certain flammable liquids are the only way to deal with them!

[eldorf_dragonsbane]

Todd I am very familiar with the Palimento Bugs since in my basic training unit we were constentally stepping on them. Yeah they are Giant roaches even though our Drill Sargents kept telling us that they werent. We were constantly finding then eating the toilet paper and paper towel that we had stored in the broom closet.

I am guessing that they probly cause havic with the layout, eating the ground foam, ballast (if its Woodland Scenics) folliage on the trees, ect...

[SecretWeapon]

Hey,
I think your track work will take a beating.Without climate controlled temps,it will be a nightmare.I was having problems in my APT with temp. changes.Mike

[UPMike]

I went from a 36X80 door in the bedroom to this in the garage so If your asking Me I say Take It!!!!!!I must add that I can still park both cars. That was part of the DEAL

[MOPAC1]

The garage is not the ideal climate, but I believe in answers for evry problem.
First is temperature extremes. Your garage can go from -20 in winter to over 120 in the summer. Beware of track buckling. I recommend to glue all track work, and not to use spikes. Also cut or leave gaps in the track every few feet or so.
Second is dust/dirt. Think of a way to cover the layout when not in use, perhaps as simple as a tarp, or even a hard cover of some sort. Regular cleanings will be a must, and you can run track cleaner cars with the trains.
Third is humidity, or lack there of. As each piece of wood goes in, whether it's supporting legs or surface plywood, paint it with a really cheap spray paint (the cheap stuff is really thin, and soaks in like a stain). This will help seal the wood against moisture transfer. If you don't you're likely to have your layout "tweak" on you a few years from now. Also, don't nail anything, but use a good wood glue and deck or drywall screws.
Fourth is convenience. I once saw a layout that was hinged along the wall. They used ropes and pulleys on the outer corners to raise it up flat against the wall, to park the car, and to lower it again when the car was outside.
Food for thought...

MOPAC 1

[amtraktim]

I would kill for some garage space got to the best quite etc..

[Ianscape]

One thing I forgot to say is that my garage is actually in the house. My wife and I have a 1997 Colonial, where the garage and basement share the same foundation.

The garage is under half of the house, and the basement is in the other. So, heat, ac, humidity is all controled by central air.

All day testings show a 2 degree difference between the "basement" and the "garage"

I can get pretty cold up here, as was witnessed this winter, but I think this shouldn't be a problem with the ducts and sealing the garage doors.

The walls and ceiling are already drywalled, has to now to meet NH fire code, and I will be sealing the floor with Kiltz and some other stuff.

Plus, I just cant help but keep looking at the figures that I made, and seeing that it doubles my main line lenght, to 440'...

[joekc6nlx]

I can't conceive of taking the garage space. Due to the fact that I work as a SKYWARN spotter, I might have tons of ham radio gear in the car, which runs into a couple of thousand dollars of equipment. Also, since I rent, I can't easily use the garage for much other than parking the car. I do have some stuff in there, and will have more, such as the power tools that my ex-wife has to give me, a washing machine, and perhaps a deep-freeze. I also have a 750CC motorcycle in there, so space isn't a luxury I have.

So, I model in the spare bedroom or in the living room. The cat tolerates the layout in the living room, and doesn't bother to even go into the spare bedroom.