Large Scale Central

Mobile Layout in a Trailer

General Discussion
#1

Have no room for a Garden Railroad?
You don’t own the house you are living in?
You don’t want to build a Railroad on the GROUND?
You want to promote the hobby and maybe your club?
You can’t build a Railroad because you want to sell your house in a few years?

If you answer yes to any of the above questions, I may introduce you to a solution.
I am building a trailer for our garden railroad club,
I have been designing this trailer in 3D cad for 3 years, As a club we have wanted
to promote the hobby and our club. We have 2 modules that we set up to promote
the club and hobby. One model was a double track on a steel frame that takes 4 guys 3 hours to set up, it has a nice 8 foot steel bridge that catches so much attention.
It has a small place to set some structures.
With all the setup time, lugging heavy parts in and out of a trailer, hoping enough people
showed up to help set up and tear down.
We turn down many opportunities to setup our modules because of the long hard work that
is involved in the setup/teardown.
This trailer will set up by two guys in less than a hour, it will have all the light weight structures
and all the figures, vehicles and trees/plant life (artificial) all fastened to the scenery.

I had a 12 foot tandem axle utility trailer I bought 28 years ago, have not used it in the last 7 years,
so I decided this would make a great start for a traveling train trailer.

I own a steel fabricating business, so the construction we did on this would be much easier than for most people. I know that many trailer Mfg’s can assist in creating what is needed to
make a trailer for a train trailer.

#2

Corners have been added, starting to add top railings for the top supports

The trailer all primed getting ready for the paint, Figuring out how to support the foldouts,

A Lot to figure out, because when it all folds up, each side has to clear the ends, it is challenging

#3

Dennis that’s very cool. A member of our club has a modular that used to belong to the club and he has to set it up and take it down. And he just got a trailer to store it in. But this is the best of both worlds. A place to store it as well as simplifying set of and take down. I will be following this intently.

#4

Neat idea, Dennis. One thing is obvious: it will support whatever you decide to put in/on it. I will be watching the progress too.

#5

Setting up 2" builders foam, it is easy to work with and light weight.

#6

Nice!

#7

Dennis,

That’s pretty heavy construction. What do you think your final weight will be? What are each one of your tires rated for?

Tire capacity should never exceed axles capacity. Please don’t ask how I know that.

#8

You know Dennis when it comes time to finish this it would look great if it looked like a bobber caboose when closed up.

Now that your messing with the foam I can see an issue that I am sure you have already addressed and that is where are you going to store or otherwise deal with the four corners when you need to fold it up?

I wish I was the boss so I could build toys at work. I look around my office and think it needs a train.

#9

Ric

The weight is around the 5,000 lb range , 3500lb axels 8 ply tires

Dennis

#10

Devon

The corners are 16 gauge steel 3" tall 8" wide with 1/2" foam on surface, with spacers welded at 8-10" intervals. We have a 3/4" plywood box

that holds the corners, Cleats on each side that holds slide in boards, so each corner sets by itself so another corner does not set on another corner. It is quite challenging when everything folds up inside, because of the height of the mountains and a couple structures, it is quite tight. There is a strict order how the foldouts are done, certain one down first, and so on.

Dennis

#11

Cool idea and really nice build. I’ll be watching (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#12

We set up the trailer at our first show, it was a 4 day show of antique tractors and steam engine tractors.

We really had a lot of people see our new layout, our most asked question was were you the same ones that have been here the past few years. We had our steel module that required 3-4 guys 3 hours to set up.

Trailer closed up

#13

At this point the first show was a very large success, we had an over whelming amount of compliments.

Our tear down took 3 of us 45 minutes to take apart and pull out. Half of that time was spent packing up the trains and all the

structures, and people figures.

When completed the structures and figures will all be fastened down.

#14

Back at home and back at work, the scenery is constructed from construction foam, screwed and glued together, lots of 3.5 and 4 inch screws

have been installed, and very critical in keeping the foam together.

#15

#16

That’s very impressive and I certainly understand the entire concept. All the best. Sounds like you’ve done your homework.

#17

That’s what you need, Ric, “Have Layout, Will Travel”…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#18

Dennis, where is this? I would love to see it.

#19

Thanks Ric

Lou, I am in southwest Missouri, a long ways from you. We will be at the national convention in Tulsa in 2017

Dennis

#20

Dennis Rayon said:

At this point the first show was a very large success, we had an over whelming amount of compliments.

Our tear down took 3 of us 45 minutes to take apart and pull out. Half of that time was spent packing up the trains and all the

structures, and people figures.

When completed the structures and figures will all be fastened down.

Nice +1