# Long skinny engine/train house ideas?



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Greetings:

I am expanding my outdoor layout and am pondering putting in a spur off my mainline. It would be in the back of the layout about 15 feet from the viewing area and run parallel to thye mainline and a fence. It can be about 12 feet long. I am considering making it a storage shed for an assembled consist, as I now have to remove all locos and rolling stock each nite and return them to my garage for storage. 

Thus I am thinking of pouring a concrete footing 10 inches wide and 10 feet long and putting the track on it, and building a storage building on the slab.

My question is what to make it out of? Since you will clearly see the long side from the viewing area, it should look good, and reflect the transition era that I model. 
I have made occasional buildings out of cedar, concrete backer board covered with cedar board siding, and styrene Colorado kits. I even made a barn out of plywood despite some concern about weathering. So far so good on that one, but ply is as we know subject to delamination. However None of my constructions have been that long and narrow, which I suspect will present some perhaps different challenges. And the roof needs to be removable, probably in sections, just in case (I mean when) a derailment occurs. 

I have looked as some photos of prototypes, but none with that width to length ratio
, tho some may be close


http://www.railroadsofyork.com/photos/stewengh.jpg

http://pafch.tripod.com/pictures/in...=5&s=1

http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&...,s:0,i:112

http://www.trainweb.org/chris/sburg.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4757576580/

I would appreciate any thoughts on design and materials.

Thanks

Jerry


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I made this with parts from Colorado Structures. I glued redwood strips to the top and bottom. Used flat aluminum signboard pieces for the roof. Center piece lifts out with the 'vents' I made from copper tubing.

















Here you can see the redwood strips along the bottom. I attached 'L' brackets to the side and inserted landscape spikes in to hold it down. Windows are held in with the screws jammed against the side. No bottom, but you could make one.








I just used some brass hinges. Doors came from Colorado Structures also. Has held up well and it gets HOT here in Nebraska, and cold. Each section is 10" wide and screwed to the redwood strips, they are covered by the thin vertical sections and corners.


----------



## iaviksfan (Dec 27, 2007)

I have the same problem and have been mulling over ideas too. I was thinking of putting up a small plastic storage shed to run them in at night. Or even a smaller deck box to put them in. The small kind for lawn mowers and cushions, etc. 
Greg R.


----------



## iaviksfan (Dec 27, 2007)

I like Marty's shed he put up. What was the post title on that? 
Greg R.


----------



## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Jerry Barnes on 11 Sep 2013 03:42 PM 
I made this with parts from Colorado Structures. I glued redwood strips to the top and bottom. Used flat aluminum signboard pieces for the roof. Center piece lifts out with the 'vents' I made from copper tubing.

















Here you can see the redwood strips along the bottom. I attached 'L' brackets to the side and inserted landscape spikes in to hold it down. Windows are held in with the screws jammed against the side. No bottom, but you could make one.








I just used some brass hinges. Doors came from Colorado Structures also. Has held up well and it gets HOT here in Nebraska, and cold. Each section is 10" wide and screwed to the redwood strips, they are covered by the thin vertical sections and corners.
Jerry
What did you use for windows (not glass I am guessing) that have held up well?


----------



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks for that idea Jerry. Co Mod strutures are nice kits, i have made several, and the idea of using their panels a good one. If I go that way, I no doubt will have additional questions. Concerning the roof, you made it out of aluminum panels from signs, a good idea. I presume you just lay the panels on the redwood beams you used for interior support? What about snow load, has that been an issue? 

Thanks 

Jerry


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I just used some 1/16" plastic for the windows. Water deposits on them from our hard water. There are crossbeams that support the ends and the lift out panel in the center. If you look close at the roof on the inside shot you can see them and some perforated metal angle I had to tie the sides together in between and support the 12v light wiring. For a longer building you can get just plain panels, I probably should have had one of those in the center, but didn't think about it. No problem with snow load or anything. The Di-bond metal panels I used for the roof are screwed to the redwood. Center panel rests on redwood cross beams and is held down by a metal piece with a screw in the middle, got it in the hardware section.


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, 

Two comments. First -security is a major issue if you leave your trains outside the garage at night. Some local teenager will want to impress his friends by heaving a rock at your structure. It needs camouflage if you are in town - an outdoor unit is fine if you are on 20 acres of woodland miles from civilization! 
Can't you make it out of concrete and build some more garden over it to hide it? 

Second comment - many railroads built storage for their passenger coaches which were long and thin . Maybe some searches for them will turn up a useful prototype. 

See you next week . . .


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, I am two miles out of town on 5 acres, so good point Pete.


----------



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Pete- 
So noted, tho I have reinforced the fence to prevent viewing from street and the vegitation is lush this time of year. 

Give a call when you can visit 

Also wondering if the roof product Jerry Barnes used, Di Bond, would make good walls? I would be up to $160 in Co Mod parts..... 


Jerry


----------



## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Here are a couple shots of a long, skinny one-stall engine house at the Nevada Northern Railway museum in Ely, NV:


----------



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks Ray 

Now I was there Feb 2012, and took exactly that photo(s)! (Along with 500 more..) If I had just remembered I did........ 

Jerry


----------

