Wall-Mounted Layouts?

[Rob Klingberg]

Hello all--

I'm wondering if anyone has designed and installed a Lego train layout that runs around a room, i.e. with the tracks attached to a wall in a loop, etc.? I've seen some layouts that run along bookshelves and along the edge of tables, but I'm wondering if anyone has set up anything like this (shown here in G Scale) for Lego trains:

http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~jkoch/my_page/Trains/layouts/Bedroom.html

I have room in my office and my ideal would be to set up a double-track loop (one 9V track loop and one 12V track loop).

Thanks for any help you can provide!

--Rob

[TheLegGodt]

I did. When I first came out of my 'dark ages' I got the emerald night, some wnter village houses and the Maersk train. I was still a bit in denial that I wanted to/ needed to dedicate a whole room to Lego and figured I would make an elevated track in my office room. So I bought some shelves, 30cm deep that went around the small room of approx 2,5 by 2,5 metres. I wanted shelves so I could 'display' my winter village models as well and ‘slowly' expand.

It did not really work though, it was not satisfying seeing my beautiful lego stashed up by the ceiling where you could not see it very well. Also, my Lego collection very quickly started to expand... So I took my losses (which was nothing compared to what was about to come) relocated my office to another room in the house and fully stripped the room. I got a decorator and carpenter in to transform the room into a 'walk in display room' (complete with glass door so you see from it outside the room with the door closed to keep out the dust) and 1000s of euros later I am a very happy AFOL (with a broken bank balance haha)

My advice: if you are going for a specific effect then do it but if you are doing it to save space don't bother and accept that you will likely need more space anyhow.

Good luck with your decision!

[zephyr1934]

I faced a similar problem. Though I knew from the start that I did not like ceiling mounted tracks because you can hardly see the trains and they are hard to get to. So I was pondering how to do a shelf mounted layout in an odd shaped room. To make it waist high, either you have to do tight turns that still poke out into the room (but do offer spots to do small scenes) or you have to figure out some way to bridge the doorway. After about half a year I looked down and saw the floor. I realized that I rarely step within 1 ft of the wall, it is easy to step over the tracks at the doorway, and I could run it under tables and shelves for two sides of the room (I personally think it is a nice feature to have the trains disappear and reappear). I now have a double track line running the perimeter of the room without consuming much useful space and no extra infrastructure to set it up. I put a few structures here and there (e.g., a signal bridge and an 8 stud deep grain elevator facade, both of which I'll eventually post photos of).

[fred67]

Yeah... I essentially agree with the others that putting it up high like that wouldn't really make me very happy. Hard to see the train, harder still to have it work with other models in the layout - and you wouldn't be able to see those well, either.

Waist high or near the floor doesn't really work in any of my rooms, either. If I had a good sized room that was open to a balcony or something above it, and my wife would let me, I might consider something that you could watch and see well from above.... but I doubt it.

Edited September 28, 2012 by fred67

[LEGO Guy Bri]

This guy has a neat RC LEGO layout around a room. Looks like it was a lot of work for this one

[whosscruffylookin]

I built one in my son's bedroom. He loves it. His firends love it. It's true, you can't see much from the ground, but it was a good way to get extra play space out of a small room. He has a platform bed, which gives him the perfect height, and one corner of the layout has an extended shelf for a small town, which he can reach easily from his bed.

It was quite a difficult build, I had to have height changes to cope with the window and a wall cupboard, but it works well in that you can have a decent amount of track in a small space.

[Hrw-Amen]

Yes, I have thought about doing this and have seen it done with other types of model railways, but like others have said it is OK if you just want to see the bottom of your trains. I decided against it. Also waist height is not really practical unless you have room for a loop at either end to make the track continuous without bridging the door. At the moment I am stuck with just having to set up, play and put it away again. I know if I left it out especially in front of the door it would get kicked trodden on and generally broken pretty quickly.

[MoonProps]

A few years late to the discussion...

The Lego Train Wall Brackets are now available for sale. 
Time to get your Lego train outta the basement or out of the closet and onto the wall for all to see. 
The brackets are completely compatible with Lego Brand and most other grey and 3D printed tracks.
Light in weight, strong in design. 
There's a whole write up including ideas for custom track and custom brackets at MoonProps Etsy Shop. 
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/545013703/lego-train-compatible-wall-brackets

Lots of videos showing the system at MoonProps YouTube Channel. 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY8s7s7snlUzx1KdHl1EKZw

 

Edited July 21, 2017 by MoonProps

[Toastie]

Same here ... double track around walls of 6 x 4 m2 - through book shelves, tunnels along supports, with elevations where required. All mounted to the walls. PF and 9V mixed track, mostly 9V

There is a second level, but that is not relevant.

And: This is all about 50 cm above ground, elevated track about 70 cm above ground. I like to see things happening. Nevertheless, there are many areas without line of sight ...

Regards,

Thorsten.

 

P.S. Hope that picture is not too large - it says below 1000 pixel wide - but ... 

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Wonderful layout

...thanks for sharing with us! 

[Wooshy]

Here is a basic layout I did just using Shelf brackets and wood.