Model Forum / General / Railroads / June 2004

AndyPaul wrote:
i have been looking for plans/information about how to rig a train board
to a winch arrangement in the garage. i just haven't see any plans to
make sure of the type of steel, types of winches, etc before even trying
to left a 5 x 9 layout that has to be heavy..
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This should help. Bick Binnard's HO Hoist:

http://www.birkbinnard.com/hohoist/

Bill
Bill's Railroad Empire
N Scale Model Railroad:
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I've used a winch to store two portable layouts against the ceiling in my
garage for several years.  Some thoughts:

1)  Make sure the garage ceiling joists are sturdy enough to support the
layout.  My garage is under the house and the joists are 2x12's which are
more than adequate.  Some free standing garages may have long 2x4's joists
as a tension tie between the lower ends of the rafters, which, if not
connected in the center by truss members to the rafters, may not be strong
enough to take the layout weight.

2) I found a good mechanical winch at the hardware store that was designed
as a replacement for boat trailer winches.  It is a single reduction gear
design with a ratchet pawl lock, and works fine for my layout which stores
as two separate 3' x 8' sections.  You will have twice the load with a 5' x
9' layout, and may want to look for the heavy duty version of the boat winch
with a double reduction gear.

3) Unless you have 2x8 or better ceiling joists tied into the floor above,
be sure to lay out your hoist cables so the lifting tension is in line with
the joists, and not pulling perpendicular to the joists.

4) I had some trouble initially when I ran multiple cables to the winch
drum.  I found a better arrangement was to run a single cable on the drum
and up over a pulley at the ceiling above the winch.  Then along the
ceiling, I joined the single winch cable to four cables leading to the four
pulleys in the ceiling above the corners of the layout.  This requires about
twice the lifting distance between the pulley above the winch and the
pulleys above the layout, and worked out fine placing the layout on the
right side of a two car garage and the winch on the left side wall.

5) I anchored the pulleys to the ceiling joists with large 1/4" screw eyes
screwed vertically into the bottom of the joists and have not had any
trouble.

6) My layout rests on long sawhorses stored separately, so I do not have
legs attached to the layout to contend with when it is raised.  I put snap
hooks at the ends of the lifting cables and screw eyes on the layout frame,
so I can disconnect the cables and pull them out of the way when operating.

7) I do not depend on the lifting cables to carry the weight of the layout
when stored, but rather added safety backups of short chains and more snap
hooks to support the layout.  I hoist it to the ceiling, attach the safety
hooks, and then back off the tension on the hoist.

8) And finally, when designing a layout to be lifted, minimize its weight.
Only use plywood sub roadbed under the tracks, and fill in all other areas
with foam board; use layered foam board for the scenery and not thick
plaster on screen; use detachable legs; etc.  Hope this helps.  Gary Q