Train Table

[Byron Trantham]

Here are some pics of a train table I made for a client for her husband for Christmas. The legs are made from 8/4 poplar. The finish is Polyshades Old Maple.

1. The bottom of the legs
2. All the legs - seven of them
3. The table top

The table top shows some light spots and I checked them and they aren't there. Must be lighting.

[Jon Olson]

Everything looks realy great, but why are the legs so long?? Or is it just my view??

Jon

[Ted Shrader]

Byron -

Looks great! Will you be setting it up Christmas Eve really late with maybe a red suit on? :)

Ted

[Tyler Howell]

Choo Choo! Very nice Byron:cool:

[Ernie Hobbs]

Looks nice. I like the legs. Be sure and post pics of it all together. It would be cool if we could see the train set up on it, too. Thanks for sharing.

[Byron Trantham]

Everything looks realy great, but why are the legs so long?? Or is it just my view??

Jon

Jon, they're 34" tall. I think this is a good height since the operator won't be sitting down. ;)

[Byron Trantham]

Byron -

Looks great! Will you be setting it up Christmas Eve really late with maybe a red suit on? :)

Ted

Actually you aren't too far from the truth. the client is going to give me the keys to the house and my son and I will deliver and set it up the morning of the 24th. The husband has no clue this is going one.

[Jim Becker]

Byron...if you're lucky, they will leave you milk and cookies... :D

[Kevin Arceneaux]

I just have one thing to say. This is WAY to good to be used as a base for a trainset. As a former model RR'er, I would never think of crudding up a table like this. I have never seen one with a nice finish, it is usually bare wood that scenery it built on.

Height of a model RR has been argued in model RR mags and forums for years. It all comes down to the perspective the layout designer wants the operator to have. Some like it high forcing the perspective into each scene, while others like it low to give the "bigger" picture. Do a search for John Armstrong, he was the Dean of Layout design. It is also a function of underside access for wiring and the height of the operator.

[Greg Narozniak]

Actually you aren't too far from the truth. the client is going to give me the keys to the house and my son and I will deliver and set it up the morning of the 24th. The husband has no clue this is going one.


I hope that the proud new owner is not armed. That could be a problem during delivery :D

[Jerry Olexa]

Be sure to wear a red suit and Santa hat when you deliver. Terrific legs!!

[Joe Scarfo]

Byron,

Great looking work... I can never get poplar to look like that. My attempts w/ Poplar always have a little to much of a blochy look to them.

If you find yourself building a bigger table for a client, it's not unusual to putch one or more hatches in large train tables. The hatch let's the rail roader get to the middle of the large tables to deal with derailments as well as do track set ups...

[Michael Stafford]

Byron...if you're lucky, they will leave you milk and cookies... :D
Byron,
I have made a couple of train tables but none as elegant and refined as that. You always do nice work.

I hope they keep the milk and cookies and give you a nice big Christmas tip. ;) :D

Merry Christmas. :D

[Bart Leetch]

Great looking table.

Boy I could have all kinds of fun with that table drilling tiny holes through it for lighting & switche wires & fastening roadbed down not to mention making scenery that will be made from different material plaster Paris etc.

Maybe its just to put a Christmas layout on & then put away afterwords ? :)

[Dan Gill]

I hope that the proud new owner is not armed. That could be a problem during delivery :D
This reminds me of a family story. My maternal grandfather was something of a card. On Christmas eve once when my mother and her brother were young he went outside and fired off his shotgun, then came in to tell them he shot some fat guy in a red suit trying to slide down the chimney. They cried for quite a while, and really didn't believe that it was a joke until the next morning when the presents showed up.