Here’s an aspect of model training we haven’t thought enough about, the surface where we’re setting up our trains. Even with N gauge this can be important. You could simply put these trains on a regular surface, you say. Wait a sec.  Let me try to argue my point. The kind of table you choose your N scale locomotives on can actually be very significant.  Here are some reasons why:

A unbalanced surface can’t handle it:

To begin, you don’t want to choose a surface that is weak and that will lean or that can be easily bumped over. You don’t need your trains to stay upright against a the “Big One” but they shouldn’t fall over when the school bus shakes by outside. One horrible moment and your locomotives could be in fragments tossed about the ground. Imagine the possible cost and the time you just trashed! Don’t open yourself up to this setback.  If you’re practiced with your hardware you could fashion this train table yourself.

Cool Tip: Here’s a cool suggestion. Remember that unused ping-pong table that lays forgotten in the basement? Sure you do, it’s the ping pong table that became your new model train table. Ping pong tables are nice and big so they free lots of options for your design.  Think of how complicated you could make your HO track plan on a table of these measurements.  Even if you have a Lionel O or one of those new S gauge trains, you’ll find that you can really do a lot with a table this big.

Portable tables for travel:

Look to shell out a bit for a strong train table. A quick web search will list a gaggle of leads focused on train tables.

Cool suggestion #2: Here’s a room saver: Lower your table from the ceiling.  Want your car port back for your cars?   Attach your table to the ceiling with a pulley device and your problem is overcome.

Interlocking tables:

The best bet when it comes to tables, though, is domino style tables that can be used in any configuration. These tables usually come in 2’ x 4’ cuts that can be fastened in any direction so that you can make really long pieces by connecting the thin sides or you can make wider tables by connecting the 4’ to 4’ sides.  What these great domino tables let you to do most however is to grow your train layout in any way that you would like.  Unlike other types of tables that force you to change your design to match their dimensions, these tables allow you to control the limits of your layout. The light weight design is ideal for model train lovers.  If you want to take your model train down in the basement, you can just carry the table down to your work area.  If you want to take this over to your brother’s house to show his kids your track, it is light enough to be hauled.  They are so easy to reconfigure that you might actually have difficulty keeping to one track plan.

And these tables can grow with your model training experience letting you expand your surface setup along with your developing toy railroad layout.

Here is more information on N Scale Model Trains. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.

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