Dismantling a Layout

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Sad Times

Hi all,Not quite sure where to post this but there are many hints, tips and guidance in the construction of a layout but I haven't found any on how to dismantle one.

I had a bomb shell dropped on me a couple of weeks ago from the good lady that she really wanted to move back to the UK from our home here in Spain. Long story which I shall not bore you with. Needless to say, despite still having a house in the UK, we need to sell up here.
I have a well established layout and all the track is ballasted. Most of the buildings are removable except the actual platforms. All scenery will have to be sacrificed.
I have started to remove most of the electrics and point motors (over 40 of them) but the problem I will have is removing the track and points to enable them to be reused when sited back in the UK.
Can any of you throw any light on the best way to go about this please.

It is so sad now working in the model room knowing just how much work is going to be destroyed but needs must.

Gary
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Hi Gary, sorry to hear about your situation.
If you've used the usual method of fixing the ballast, ie diluted PVA, then soaking it with warm water will soften it enough to use a wallpaper scraper to lift it.
Good luck

Jeff
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Hello Gary.

Jeff took the words out of my mouth.  I have had success in soaking with water and lifting with a wallpaper scraper.  Once lifted, brush the track/points with a stiff brush to remove the ballast still clinging to same.

Whilst it's none of our business why you have to return to the UK, might I suggest a change of mindset as regards your layout? It appears that most of the buildings, track, point motors, etc. are salvageable.  Instead of grieving the loss of your old layout, look on the move as a golden opportunity to start afresh with something new and start planning.  This part of the process can be quite exciting, researching via books and the internet, etc.  Were you really happy with every aspect of your old layout, or were there things you wish you had done differently?  Now is the opportunity to try again and even try something new.  Have you secretly always had a desire to model a particular railway company or era?  Now is your chance. So, all the scenery will have to be sacrificed. Not the end of the world.  You gained valuable experience and with modern techniques such as card formers, newspaper and pva, followed up by static grass, scenery for a new layout can be produced in record time. 

Apologies if this all sounds a bit glib, but instead of feeling depressed as you dismantle your old layout, try to think positively about this being not the end of your old layout, but the beginning of your new one.

Best wishes for the future.

Terry


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Thanks Jeff, I did wonder about the water method and you have just confirmed it for me. Didn't think about warm water though so thank you.
Thank you for your kind words Terry and you have made some very interesting observations.
I have learnt so much on my current layout construction. I made the mistake of filling up most of the base boards with track and all on one level so that will be the first thing I will change when planning the new one some time in the future. I have been fortunate here in Spain by having a large house which has enabled me to have a dedicated room for the layout.

I have no idea when our house here will be sold owing to the current climate regarding health issues and political climate regarding the UK leaving the EU. The idea that we have is to sell the house in the UK and pool the pennies together to buy a bungalow, one stipulation of which will be a large roof space for a loft layout.

You have made me think and when I get down to the model room later, I will have more positive thoughts.

Thanks once again.

Gary
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I went through the same a few years back Gary it is a bombshell when the decision to move was made.

In my mind i did know at some point we would move but the blow is not lessened at the point it is made.

Many years of work does get you down somewhat.

Keep as much as you can you will be surprised how much you can reuse on the new layout.

The good thing is when you get to the new house you will have a brand new project to develop.

Brian

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Thanks Brian,
Currently undoing all the wire clips so I can reuse them - hundreds of the damn things. My poor finger nails are taking a battering.
I will come round but it is all quite new at the moment.
One of my other hobbies was my flight simulator. A full size Boeing 737 cockpit that took years to build. It is now all in bits - only took two days. A double whammy.
Still, a whole new life is just around the corner-ish.

Gary
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Hi Gary,

As you are basically trashing the base infrastructure there is no need to be gentle. Jigsaw the track sections out, manageable dimensions (1m), find a large tray or tub, weight down the sections, and fill with water with a good dash of dishwasher liquid added. Leave to soak for 24 hours or even better 48 hours. A water butt (or 2) works well. Or even the bathtub with a polyethylene liner. If you used pva the track will come off easily. The ballast will come off using a stuff brush. Rule of thumb here is that around 70-80% is recoverable. Less with curves, more with straights.

I would concentrate on the points not the straight track. If more than 10 years old probably debatable whether you should bother. Good opportunity to upgrade to better looking track on the scenic bits and keep the salvageable parts for the yards.

Salutary lesson here - if there is even the remotest possibility of a move, go modular with the baseboards and electrics. Ballast and scenic over the joints as normal. Cut through if there is a move.

Good luck with the move back. 

Nigel



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Hi Gary

You're obviously not the first to find yourself in your situation - it happened to me just 3 years ago - and yes, it is heartbreaking to have to dismantle all your hard work although, as Terry said, every cloud has a silver lining.  I doubt there's a single one of us who is 100% happy with our layouts so, tough as it is, and certainly not the route we'd have chosen, it does give you the oportunity to iron out those annoying little (and big) snags, to redo the bits you didn't like and to put more effort into those bits you did like.

There is of course, always that problem of scale (size probably does matter with modeel railways !).  Property is much more expensive in UK than in either Spain or France so the proceeds from your Spanish property won't buy a similar property in UK.  If the UK house you're also selling is a 4 bed property in Kensington - or indeed, almost anywhere in the London area, then I don't think you'll have to settle for a 2ft square Z Gauge layout !!

You'll obviously be without a layout for some time and that's hard - especially as you've also had to let the aeroplane go  - you could just say it's a Max 8 version so temporarily grounded ……………..

Regarding salvaging your current layout, Nigel is right - don't get too carried away over the track - concentrate on the points.  From experience, I've discovered used track can be a PITA if you need to do any soldering in situ.  The tarnish and ballast residues are the very devil to get rid of before you can solder.  Relatively, points are much easier to reuse - and much more expensive to replace.

You're already half way there in accepting you made mistakes by over tracking your current layout so, use your down-time wisely in planning your new layout with the benefit of hindsight.

We normally don't choose to rip up (unless you're called Sol  :lol: ;-)) but having to do so gives you a great oportunity.

'Petermac
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Hi Gary

Made a South-to-North move in the UK last year and can endorse the method proposed for lifting track - water & washing up liquid soaked in, left a few minutes and then carefully removed.  An old toothbrush cleaned off most of the ballast and I salvaged 90% of the track and all of the pointwork.  Only those bits of track that were being used for a second or third time were lost.

I also saved all of the buildings, lineside features and wiring although silly little bits of wire were discarded.

The whole move allowed me to take a serious look at all that "might come in useful" stuff and I filled a couple of dustbins with, frankly, useless cr&p.

My old layout was a real favourite but I echo the others who suggest the chance for a new start. 

Good luck with the move!!

Barry

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Hi Gary
I, too, have been in the same position as you and I can totally understand how you feel….its heartbreaking. However you have received lots of excellent advice which should help with setting the foundations for your new layout.

Best wishes for your move and all that it entails.

John

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I do love this Club.
So many friendly voices and words of wisdom.
Nigel, I have a large swimming pool so I could chuck all the track in there - only jesting but I do have large butts for water collection so there is a good idea. All bar a few, the points are all under two years old electrofrog so I will endeavour to save what I can. I have no set track so it is all flexi. The hardest part I have found thus far is removing the soldered droppers from the points in my unballasted storage yard. It seems more heat is required to undo a soldered joint that to make one.
Wise words as usual Peter. Unfortunately a 3 bed semi in Felixstowe is what I have to offer. We will be returning to that area. I really dislike the house in the UK but we bought it as a rental opportunity at the same time as buying the house over here. If necessary we can reluctantly move back in there but there isn't a room to swing a cat let alone a Class 47.
Barry, all line side features including working signals have and are being salvaged. I am hoping the the only things to fill the bins will be the filler based scenery and scatter materials. The base boards will come in handy too if I am still here in the winter time for a bit of warmth.

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Gary
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Thanks John.
It seems moving house and dismantling a layout is more common than I thought.

Gary
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Hi Gary,

Soldered points. Should be no difference in melt temperature as long as the solder is clean. It will have an oxide coating that needs removing with some emery, otherwise it will need a higher temperature. Needs to  be bright and grease free. Use flux and copper wick tape (which is normally fluxed). You can also file or Dremel off using a small carbide bit. 

Why take then off? Just cut the wires and solder them up using heat shrink when you reinstall.

Water tubs. Ideal! Not sure about the pool with a few gallons of detergent in it. Could gets really foamy.

Nigel

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I agree Gary - existing solder always seems much harder to remove than it was to put there in the first place.  Maybe Nigel's right in that the tarnish takes some burning through …….

I'm also with nogel in asking why are you desoldering the wires on the points ?  My pioints were mainly electrofrogs too so I just cut the wires under the baseboards and wrapped them around the points.  When it came to refitting here, all I had to do was unwrap them and feed them through holes to whatever was underneath.  If they were too short, I simply added more and if too long, either coiled them (thinking of any future moves) or cut them.

 Absolutely no need to de-wire them at all.  If, like me, you kept the boxes they came in (Peco), they'll still go back in with the wires.  I think the new "packets" might prove more difficult to pack safely but boxed up on edge they should be fine.

As afterthought - what's "copper wick tape" Nigel ?
 
 


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One other thought Gary.  If you have to live in the old, small house for a while, why not build yourself a micro-layout as a stop-gap?  This will keep your hand in, give you somewhere to potter with a few locos and other items of rolling stock, and most importantly, will give you the opportunity to experiment, at little cost, with new ideas and techniques in preparation for the day when you build your dream layout.  This is basically what I am doing with my new layout, Farleigh.  I have learnt quite a lot about techniques which are new to me.  There are currently lots of ideas available for small cameo or micro-layouts, either in books or online.

Terry
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[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:
We normally don't choose to rip up (unless you're called Sol  :lol: ;-)) but having to do so gives you a great opportunity.
How did you know Peter I am doing some changes again?   :)

Ron
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Copper wick tape - thin strip of copper mesh tape treated with flux that you put in top of solder and heat with the iron. I use the same temperature as I use for soldering.. The mesh wicks the solder up. Voila! No more joint. Easier to use than a vacuum syringe.

Nigel

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We'll now - you live and learn.  I've never heard of that Nigel - thanks for the education.


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I have been there, done that. Some bits went to chums and I saved only pointwork.

It took nearly 3 years to sell in France, the decorated ex-railway room seemed to mock me.

Knowing I too would be returning to a house to be sold I took refuge in OO9, building a couple of white metal steamers and scratchbuilding some diesels to trundle about on a 4ft x 1ft base.

With the steep learning curve it kept me sane!

Best of luck,

Douglas

'You may share the labours of the great, but you will not share the spoil…'  Aesop's Fables

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[user=606]Sol[/user] wrote:
[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:
We normally don't choose to rip up (unless you're called Sol  :lol: ;-)) but having to do so gives you a great opportunity.
How did you know Peter I am doing some changes again?   :)
Because it's a Sunday Sol ……………………………………. :mutley :cheers

'Petermac
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