![]() Lance Mindheim designed this simple, lightweight shelf construction that bolts directly to the wall without visible support brackets. Lance’s plan is the most stable if you can also attach it to a second wall in the corner. Because the shelf is secured to the wall without visible brackets, it leaves plenty of space below for other shallow-depth furniture items, such as small sitting chairs, a bookcase, or a television. The finished shelf is 16” deep by 2.5” tall and can be made to just about any length desired. He fills the gaps between the boards with blocks of 2” thick foam insulation board, and then lays the track and builds the scenery directly on top of the foam. He bolts it directly to the studs in the wall, eliminating the need for brackets to support it. His floating shelf benchwork system uses an open grid made from dimensional lumber and hardboard. Lance shared a simple design for such a layout in the October 2016 issue of Model Railroader. Professional layout builder Lance Mindheim took the concept a bit further with his design for a free-floating purpose-built shelf. In its simplest form, the railroad can be built along one or more walls of a home on an ordinary shelf board mounted on store-bought brackets. In fact, you can build a shelf-type model railroad just about anywhere you can put a shelf. ![]() You don’t need to have seven-levels for a shelf layout. Gary converted his dining room into a seven-level shelf layout. Modeler Gary Saxton didn’t let the lack of space in his home stop him from building an N scale model railroad. In fact, there are 9 great plans in that issue for various shelf and bookcase layouts, so you may want to pick up a back issue of it. ![]() ![]() If you’re interested, Gary’s article appeared in Model Railroad Planning 2003. This was exactly what gave Gary the idea for building the railroad, except that he pushed the helix out all the way to the walls. As shown in the photo, eating in the dining room was something similar to sitting in the middle of a model railroad helix. The layout looped the complete room 7 times, creating an impressive 710-feet of linear N-scale main line. Perhaps the most amazing shelf railroad I’ve seen was one built 20 years ago by Gary Saxton in his dining room. However, it doesn’t have to be a small layout if you’ve got a bit more space. If switching cars at slow speeds is your thing, a small-sized shelf layout may be ideal because it is best suited for that type of operation. I’ve seen shelf layouts of all manner and design and have even built a few myself. Most railroads run from point A to point B in as reasonably straight a fashion as they can manage, and shelf railroading pretty well enforces that practice. Most shelves are linear by design, and while not necessarily able to offer the option of a continuous running loop, a shelf layout is a lot more like a real railroad. The concept of building a model railroad on a shelf is fairly straight forward – straight being the operative term. ![]() So much so, in fact, that I’ve split the concept into two broad categories: Shelf layouts, which we will explore here, and coffee table railroads, which we will cover in the next installment or our Model Train Décor series. Much has been written on the concept of building layouts into furniture in order to integrate a model railroad into the rest of daily life. But if that’s not possible, what can you do about it? Sure, it's expensive (this is Nantucket, remember), but it is gorgeous, with airy interiors and plenty of island charm, and close to downtown.Model train décor using shelf layouts: While having a favorite model or two on display in the family living space is a great way to enjoy your trains, it’s usually only satisfying when you have a dedicated area elsewhere in your home, apartment, or condo to be able to run them. Hit the popular Cisco Brewery, where the experts will guide your drink selections, and consider staying at The White Elephant. The museum details the island's whaling history and boasts a rooftop deck with amazing views. In town, don't miss the popular Whaling Museum, founded in 1894 and home to a 46-foot sperm whale skeleton. As one visitor explained on TripAdvisor: "You'll want to stay and never go back to civilization." The Trustee of Reservations, which oversees the point, also offers natural history and Great Point Lighthouse tours. The effort is worth it - the views are stunning and the point is serenely peaceful. You can rent one, but if you're driving your own vehicle, you'll need to obtain a permit to drive on the beach. It's also wise to bring a shovel, jack, boards, and portable compressor to ensure you don't get stuck. Driving the beach is also a blast, but you'll need a 4x4 vehicle. ![]()
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