# Cheektowaga Central's train shed nearing completion



## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

That this project is nearing completion may be of no big interest to anyone but me, but I'm really pleased that it's this far along and I might even get the ends finished before the snow flies.

Reaqsons for this design:
1 - my garage is made of cinder blocks - no way of installing a doggie door to allow the trains to be stored indoors
2 - I have a corner lot and my tracks go all around the house. My trains aren't exactly a secret, and it all adds up to a bit of a security problem.

So....











I haven't put in the two ends yet, largely because I haven't figured out what I'm going to do yet.The topsoil is only halfway up at this point because I'll probably be drilling and bolting stuff on the ends. But the sides and top are done. When the rest of the topsoil is added, the tracks will be one inch below the top of the wood, giving a clearance of about nine inches at the sides, and twelve inches at the center. The top is hinged along the far side with hasps for padlocks on the near side. Reasonably easy access to any problem with the stored rolling stock.

Everything is visible while also secure thanks to Lexan.












The track at the far end is, or will be, the main entry track. The taxus bush at the far end will be removed next spring to allow for more track possibilities. Once this shed nears capacity I can build a companion train shed in the area to the left. Right now all I have is an RDC-1, S4 switcher, and three covered gons. Gonna be buying some rolling stock this winter. And switches, lots of switches.

It is my hope that, once the soil is filled up, and track and rolling stock populate the shed, maybe it won't look so coffin-like. It's a bit ominous right now.

JackM
CCRR


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks great except for one thing, and probably too late to change! All my years in police work, you know handlin crinamals and such and also years of security, good saying to me was even though you can't stop somebody from stealing what you have if they really really want it, but a good rule of thumb always was "Out of sight out of mind" so having said that that's a neat and professional looking job and train shed, BUT very Enticing! I would come take a look in it even if I wasn't going to try to take what you have worked so hard for and on!! 

p.s. If you have a door to your garage just cut a slot at the bottom tall enough to permit a track to go under then you can run yer trains out with the door open during the day and back into the garage with the door open at niight close the door over the track and lock like I do mine. What you tink???????? Regal


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks really good! 
only one things bother me.. 
you mentioned security is a concern..then said "Everything is visible while also secure thanks to Lexan." 

how does "visable" + "lexan" = "secure"?  
looks quite unsecure to me.. 
maybe it would be difficult to rip off the lexan cover..I dont know. 
but just having the trains visable in the first place doesn't seem like a good idea to me.. 
other than that, it looks like a nice shed! 

Scot


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

I think it looks really nice Jack...wondering when the plastic flamingos get installed though? On the security issue, sometimes just having a storage place outsdie will draw some attention sometimes so make it what you want. I'd still consider a view blocking cover over the top of the lexan for winter or for the high heat of summer. Yeah I know it doesn't get THAT hot in W NY but still you've built quite the little greenhouse there and even greenhouses vent the hot air or cover with tarps to keep the plants inside coole and protected somehwat from the mid-day sun. Otherwise I think it is a very elegant storage place and showcase. 

Chas


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

It's always good to have another pair of eyes. But perhaps I overstated my security concerns. There's not a lot of strangers passing by out here and the shed is hardly visible from the street. My neighbors would think I'm being more than a bit paranoid.


I tested a spare piece of Lexan and it is pretty much impervious to most anything. There will be no "smash and grab". A thief would need a circular saw (battery powered, I guess) to get into the box. Hammers are useless - it'd be like a Three Stooges scene where the hammer bounces back and hits 'em in the noggin'. The side pieces are lag bolted between pairs of 1x6's. The top piece is held on with three 1/4" thick hinges, ten hex bolts each. Lock hasps almost as robust. Can't be removed except with saw. The neighbors would notice the noise if I didn't. Of course, two sets of motion-controlled floodlights. Padlocks are equally robust, although there's probably a bolt-cutter somewhere that's big enough to snap them off. All in all, I think I think it's pretty secure. A professional would be more likely to kick my door in and take my six-year old TV.


The notch in the garage door isn't a bad idea, except that's what I want to avoid. My goal was to have the trains ready to go, rather than have to roll everything out and move them around to the train yard by the patio before I could make up a train. Too much preparation. This way, I simply unlock and remove the front panel and we're ready to run.
In other words, guys, thank you for both your concerns and your compliments. I'll post some photos next summer once I have sufficient track and stock in there to further emulate the St. Louis Union Station train shed, which was my inspiration.











JackM


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Chas - 

Are you impugning our mascot??? 

You're right about the summer sun, etc. It is vented and the particular type of Lexan used is supposed to be non-yellowing, guaranteed against UV for ten years, and "sign grade", whatever that means. The folks at the Lexan distributor in town tried real hard to understand what I was doing so they could recommend the best material for this use. (I'll bring in the stock during winter.) 

Gardening-wise, I'm a real black-thumb. My luck I'll end up with prize-winning roses popping up inside the thing. 

JackM


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Jack, 
Impugning? Nah! I worked up there at Niagara Hobby back when it was a hobby shop and not a toy store. I never lived in Cheekto-vegas but spent lots of time there! 

Depends on the leftover seeds in the soil you are adding in to level inside what "pops up" in your greenhouse. Having dealt with Lexan products they are truly tough stuff. You made a good choice there. Wondering which local plastics place though? I called one a few years back and they wanted some pretty high prices compared to other folks on this list paying for plastic (styrene) at the time so I got discouraged and never pursued it any farther. Still not in a position to buy what I need for future projects but that the beuaty of future projects. One at a time. 

Chas


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Jack 
Is there much concern about condensation, I know in Missouri it would really get the trains wet by the means of sweating. 
Dennis


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Lexan expensive? Yeah, but not as bad as I expected. I first thought of Lexan when I noticed that Home Depot carries it, although the 4x8' sheets are special order - at $257!! But I too9k a quick look thru the Yellow Pages and found that there's a distributor for GE Plastics here in Roch., just a mile from where I work. They carry Lexan and can get the various types in a few days. Apparently it's in rolls and whomever has it just cuts you what you need. Their price for a 4x8 was a bit over a hundred bucks. I got a 4x8 and a 4x4 sheet of the "sign grade" stuff for a few dollars less that Home Depot wanted for a 4x8 alone. It would've been about fifty bucks less but I decided to get the 4x4 sheet a few days after ordering the 4x7 so I paid for two shipping charges. Plus my station wagon was in the shop that week so I paid $45 to have the stuff delivered to my home. The whole thing would've cost me about $200 if I had planned it better. 

My stuff is .118 (1/8 inch) thick, so it's very flexible. The 1/4 inch stuff is a lot firmer, although apparently still somewhat flexible. 

If anyone's interested in playing with Lexan, you can download a 30-page"processing Guide" at www.sabic-ip.com/sfs . I found it pretty interesting, with the various methods of bending, moulding, proper methods of fastening, etc. But then, I had a few dollars invested in it. 

JackM


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Lexan expensive? Yeah, but not as bad as I expected. I first thought of Lexan when I noticed that Home Depot carries it, although the 4x8' sheets are special order - at $257!! But I too9k a quick look thru the Yellow Pages and found that there's a distributor for GE Plastics here in Roch., just a mile from where I work. They carry Lexan and can get the various types in a few days. Apparently it's in rolls and whomever has it just cuts you what you need. Their price for a 4x8 was a bit over a hundred bucks. I got a 4x8 and a 4x4 sheet of the "sign grade" stuff for a few dollars less that Home Depot wanted for a 4x8 alone. It would've been about fifty bucks less but I decided to get the 4x4 sheet a few days after ordering the 4x7 so I paid for two shipping charges. Plus my station wagon was in the shop that week so I paid $45 to have the stuff delivered to my home. The whole thing would've cost me about $200 if I had planned it better. 

My stuff is .118 (1/8 inch) thick, so it's very flexible. The 1/4 inch stuff is a lot firmer, although apparently still somewhat flexible. 

If anyone's interested in playing with Lexan, you can download a 30-page"processing Guide" at www.sabic-ip.com/sfs . I found it pretty interesting, with the various methods of bending, moulding, proper methods of fastening, etc. But then, I had a few dollars invested in it. 

JackM


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

I will not double click 
I will not double click 
I will not double click 
I will not double click


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Actually, Dennis, I never considered a condensation problem. I lived in St.Louis in 1970 and do recall that summer being more steamy than I'm used to in Western NY. That'll be something to watch for. I live less than a mile from the Lake Ontario shore so it's usually a bit breezy here. Maybe I should get a rotary snow plow and keep it idling. 

I will not double click 
I will not double click 

JackM


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